Nervous handling?

Hi all, I am new to the site and would appreciate some input regarding my R1150GS Adventure. I bought the bike last June an d have been delighted with it pretty much. When it was new the handling was fantastic and gave me complete confidence in any situation for about the first 2500 miles. I live in very twisty country lanes with poor surfaces and all sorts of crap on the surface. I started to notice the front end would get a vibration through the bars when leant over and the handling was becoming nervous and not as confidence inspiring as it had been. I suspected that the front tyre was starting to go off, so I decided to change the tyres front and rear. I went from Tourance's to Michelin Anakees. This did improve things some, but the nervousness didn't improve. I am not suggesting that it is dangerous or really bad, it is just not as good as it was. I had a good look round it and found that the top yoke rocked from side to side if you rocked the handlebars. If you followed the movement down, the stanchions are on the move as well. As you rock from side to side the stanchions slide in and out of the sliders. There doesn't appear to be any twisting going on. but it makes me wonder whether the forks can flex if the top yoke is on the move. The bike is currently residing in Vines and they say their top technician has checked it over and says there is nothing awry with the bike. I have asked them to check the spokes as there are definitely some spokes that don't ring as brightly as others when you ping them. They say they are ok as well.
They say they have tested it and it is fine. I am not convinced.
I have experimented with suspension and tyre settings, nothing really makes any difference.
Any thoughts anyone? Thanks..

If your going to sling away your 2500 mile old tyre let me know where your going to fly tip them so I can pick em up!

Wreford Miles said:

If your going to sling away your 2500 mile old tyre let me know where your going to fly tip them so I can pick em up!

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The tyres have actually covered 4250 miles +-. The handling started going off @ 2500. I am going to keep them as spares for now, if I decide to get rid of them I will let you know.

Try softeneing the rear suspension a little. I know of a couple of mates who suffered vibes through the bars when they wound up the rear to cater for luggage.
doesn't cost anything and easily put back if it doesn't cure the problem

Rokraider said:

Hi all, I am new to the site and would appreciate some input regarding my R1150GS Adventure. I bought the bike last June an d have been delighted with it pretty much. When it was new the handling was fantastic and gave me complete confidence in any situation for about the first 2500 miles. I live in very twisty country lanes with poor surfaces and all sorts of crap on the surface. I started to notice the front end would get a vibration through the bars when leant over and the handling was becoming nervous and not as confidence inspiring as it had been. I suspected that the front tyre was starting to go off, so I decided to change the tyres front and rear. I went from Tourance's to Michelin Anakees. This did improve things some, but the nervousness didn't improve. I am not suggesting that it is dangerous or really bad, it is just not as good as it was. I had a good look round it and found that the top yoke rocked from side to side if you rocked the handlebars. If you followed the movement down, the stanchions are on the move as well. As you rock from side to side the stanchions slide in and out of the sliders. There doesn't appear to be any twisting going on. but it makes me wonder whether the forks can flex if the top yoke is on the move. The bike is currently residing in Vines and they say their top technician has checked it over and says there is nothing awry with the bike. I have asked them to check the spokes as there are definitely some spokes that don't ring as brightly as others when you ping them. They say they are ok as well.
They say they have tested it and it is fine. I am not convinced.
I have experimented with suspension and tyre settings, nothing really makes any difference.
Any thoughts anyone? Thanks..

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Don't shout at me but have you got the correct tyre pressures,??. This does actually make a real difference.

I suggest you get yourself along to a GSClub event and get a committee meeting to assess the bike for you.

Perhaps allow an experienced GS pilot to ride the bike to give an independant assessment.

nervous handling

2.5 k is a bit soon for your showas to lose there
damping but it's possible
Mine were shagged at 6k.

G

Thanks for all the advice. I have been running the Anakees at 2.2 bar front, 2.5 bar rear (Michelins suggested figure).
I thought I would try to explain in a little more detail what is happening.
I live in an area surrounded with very twisty tight country lanes with a lot of lumps and bumps and generally poor surfaces. When the bike was new, you could tip it into a tight corner at speed and the bike would lean in a fluid predicable fashion with no alarming tendencies, right down to the point of almost scraping . Now if I attempt the same corners at the same speeds it no longer leans fluidly, it gets about half way and then feels as if it is going to drop the rest of the way. It doesn't feel as though you could lean it far enough to scrape without losing it.
It has occurred to me that it may just be me getting spooked, but normally when that has occurred in the past, I have just got on the bike and ridden it aggressively to prove to myself that it is not the bike. I have tried this and it hasn't worked , so I am inclined to think it must be the bike.

I am considering fitting some Ohlin units front and back, whats the consensus on them?

A quick poll. next time you are sat on your bike, give the handlebars a rock up and down from side to side and see whether the top yoke / stanchions are on the move on your bike.
Vines inform me this is normal. Maybe it is, but it seems unusual to say the least. My reaction is that anything to do with steering and suspension shouldn't have any play (other than where it is supposed to move).

Once again, thanks for all your help.

Ohlins

I was'nt going to mention the O word but the way you describe
the handling on your bike i'd have a safe bet on the front shock
being shagged.
You could try a warranty claim as a few members have had there's
replaced.
You dont say wether you have ABS or not as a sure sign of lack of damping is the ABS kicking in more frequently.
BTW i tried your little test and could'nt get anything to move

G

Re: Ohlins

gauloises said:

I was'nt going to mention the O word but the way you describe
the handling on your bike i'd have a safe bet on the front shock
being shagged.
You could try a warranty claim as a few members have had there's
replaced.
You dont say wether you have ABS or not as a sure sign of lack of damping is the ABS kicking in more frequently.
BTW i tried your little test and could'nt get anything to move

G

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That is an interesting point about the ABS kicking in more often. Now that you have mentioned it, it does seem to me that it seems to lock the front wheel more easily. I have to say I am not a big fan of the ABS, it is very quick to kick in. Maybe the front shock unit is on its way out. The bike currently has approx 5300 miles on it , so the other comments about them giving up at 6000 +- could apply here also.

I have decided to go the Ohlins route, so we will see if that makes a difference.

Vines had the bike in and had a tester from BMW ride it, they gave it a clean bill of health and declared it safe. Weird thing is that it feels a lot better even though they said they couldn't find anything wrong with it and haven't changed anything.... Will have a closer inspection when I have time, see if I can spot any new bits they are not telling me about... always the cynic me.