My bike doesn’t like going right!

Northern Monkey

Northern Monkey

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May sound odd, r1200rt tips in on left handers fine, but when going right the bike is almost trying to sit up and I’m almost fighting / forcing it to turn right.

I’m an experienced rider that rides many different bikes but this one just feels ‘weird ‘

Is there anything mechanical that would explain the symptoms??


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Headstock bearings are free and smooth to rotate, is it the handle bars that you have to fight or the gyroscopic force of the bike?
 
Northern Monkey said:
May sound odd, r1200rt tips in on left handers fine, but when going right the bike is almost trying to sit up and I’m almost fighting / forcing it to turn right.

I’m an experienced rider that rides many different bikes but this one just feels ‘weird ‘

Is there anything mechanical that would explain the symptoms??


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Click to expand...

My brother in law had a Yamaha Virago that did exactly the same - It was a bent fork
A friend had the same symptoms in a Triumph Herald hopped around right hand bends went around left hand ones on rails - Bent suspension (Cannot recall exactly what now though)

Using those entirely unrelated and dissimilar experiences to diagnose I would start looking at suspension and whether everything is straight and true
Plank of wood on the ground laid alongside the two wheels is a starting point as it gives a visual clue if the wheels are straight etc
 
Alignment problems usually show up with abnormal front tyre wear, but by all means check it out.

Sounds like the lower ball joint to me - it the rubber boot intact?

I have plucked the atttached a bit at random, as you don't mention the exact age, mileage or service history of your hexhead - part 13 .........
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...26-BMW-R_1200_RT_10_0430,0440_&diagId=31_0338

Also worth checking the upper bearing (2) ............... http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...26-BMW-R_1200_RT_10_0430,0440_&diagId=31_0726
 
Has the FD been off? Also sounds like symptoms of the UJs not aligned?

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front tyre would be my first guess as some have already said. a friend had a similar issue on an fjr1300 (apparently very commonly high front wear on those) the front wore heavily at the exact angle he would be at on most roundabouts. made the tip in to the right a very dodgy affair
 
squibb34 said:
Alignment problems usually show up with abnormal front tyre wear, but by all means check it out.

Sounds like the lower ball joint to me - it the rubber boot intact?

I have plucked the atttached a bit at random, as you don't mention the exact age, mileage or service history of your hexhead - part 13 .........
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...26-BMW-R_1200_RT_10_0430,0440_&diagId=31_0338

Also worth checking the upper bearing (2) ............... http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/sho...26-BMW-R_1200_RT_10_0430,0440_&diagId=31_0726
Click to expand...

I’ll have a look - for the price I may as well change both


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Thanks for your help

Sorry it’s a 2007 rt , 101k miles - scattered history - so the head and lower joint bearing things may well be original for all I know

The forks are true, checked them when I did oil seals

Fairly sure uj was lined up correctly after clutch but will double check.

Will keep you posted


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Bottom fork clamp bolts? These had a habit of loosening allowing slight movement and alignment issues in the forks that lead to that feeling.
 
Had a similar problen on two triumph's i took for road test last year,

non would turn in at speed, but fell in on low / no throttle

Only thing we could attribute it to was

Tyres / tyre pressure or the fact that the bikes were both low suspension models

How old are the tyres on the bike, it could be you have a hard/ soft tyrewall on one side giving issues
 
Had this on the NW500 . It was the front tyre , worn to feck on the offside . But I think you said you changed tyres ? They are so sensitive to tyre wear as a heavy old thing . The road camber normally wears the near side first . That or it’s just fucked 😎
 
Had a quick look at the front end , when front brake applied there is a slight knock when I rock forward and back ( possible play in ball joint ) ??
Anyway, one ordered, will update when it’s replaced


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Sounds like you may have found the problem. There any many things that could cause the issue you describe, and fwiw I think you are right to trust your instinct on whether or not there is something to sort ouy. You need to eliminate the easiest possible causes followed by the most likely, and do it methodically until the problem goes away.

There is probably a thread on there about replacing the ball joint. Needs heat to release the factory threadlock and torque is about 200nm from memory.
 
Slipperyeel said:
Has the FD been off? Also sounds like symptoms of the UJs not aligned?

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Click to expand...

What is this talk of U-joints being aligned ?

The U joint is attached to the driveshaft, not the final drive. Please elaborate. Thanks :duno
 
ferguscawley said:
What is this talk of U-joints being aligned ?

The U joint is attached to the driveshaft, not the final drive. Please elaborate. Thanks :duno
Click to expand...
Take a look at the OEM parts drawings with exploded views. It will become clearer...

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Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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