Handling Problem - 750ss

[Herb]

Hi all,

I have a 95 carb 750ss.

Past couple of rides I have noticed a handling problem at low speed, say below 30 mph. Its hard for me to describe, but I would say its a slight weave, and the bike becomes difficult to turn in to slower bends. When it does turn in, because of the weave it almost feels as if the bike is going to fall over which ends up with me going round slow corners in a threepenny bit fashion. It almost feels like the steering is over damped at low speeds.

The bike still handles well on fast sweeping bends.

It never used to do this, so I can only thing something has degraded, but everything I have looked at seems to check out. Any ideas?

[NedLudd]

Starting with the obvious (sorry) - tyre pressures ok?

If so, head bearings? Are you still on the originals, cos they might be getting - to use a glorious word confined to the world of head bearings - 'notchy'. I have a 98 bike on about 11k miles and last year Baines reckoned they only had another year in them. But I've had the head bearings go on another bike and the symptoms were similar to those you describe, almost fighting to turn it into slow corners.

[gillan900]

I'm far from an expert on handling herb, but if I was you I would do some basic checks. Tyre preasures and tyre wear. Then reset your front forks to std settings, the settings are in the haynes manual. Then check wheel bearings and head stock for any play. See if any of that helps, good luck.

[Pax]

Monkey Boy has had a similar problem on his 900ssie. He has reset the suspension and has noticed some improvement. But it really sounds like a tyre problem, has the profile gone off slightly if the pressures are ok?

[nogaromill999]

Unless they have been changed the forks are unadjustable, so its likely to be, as the other chaps have said, tyre pressures or profile, followed by a fork oil seal leak or a leaky rear shock, or badly worn steering head bearings. All easy enough to check.

[Ghost]

The grease in steering head bearings can over time become very congealed. With the mass of the forks and wheels, brakes etc, its not always easy to detect with the wheel in the air.

I would defo go for a visual inspection of this component, especially if you don't know when they were last changed or looked at.

[Herb]

Thanks for the advice gents.

Tyres and pressures are fine. No obvious leaks from the rear shock or forks so I guess that leaves the head bearings as the likely cause.

I have just had the front off the ground and can't feel any signs of play or roughness but as Ghost says, I will give it a visual inspection. Probably get the forks serviced while they are off the bike and hope this cures it.

Thanks again.

[Vinnychoff]

i have a similair issue on mine.it feels like weaving, driving on ice. no confidence in turning. i have found out the shock has lost its ressistance. with plaayin with the adjustments it has responed and there is ressistance now. hopefully sorted.
to test your head bearings, if you had a centre stand? or could place the front wheel in the air by suporting under the bike. so that there is no resistance on the front. then turn the steering from side to side. if you feel any resistance at all. theres your problem.
Vinny
if you have a friendly mot place. they will be able to check the head, save cost in stripping the forks etc...

[Nigg]

sounds very similar to the problem I had on my 600ss a few years ago,turning a slow corner it would nearly go over the otherside of the road.That was caused by the head bearings

[Herb]

I have not looked at it yet, but have decided to get the forks rebuilt and have the head bearings changed while I am at it. Just need to rig up some heath Robinson affair to get the front off the ground so I can strip it all down.

I cannot detect any play, sticking, notching etc in the head bearings with the front off the ground, but its 13 years old and has not been done before so its about time. I have a track day at Oulton coming up in July so intend to have it all finished well before that.

I also have an oil leak from the base of the front cyclinder (I think, its not entirely obvious where the oil is coming from) so will be kept busy in the garage for the next couple of weekends.

[MarkST]

Just need to rig up some heath Robinson affair to get the front off the ground so I can strip it all down.

Something like this perhaps ?

[Herb]

Something like this perhaps ?

Something just like that! That looks very professional. I will plagarise your design if you don't mind.

[mickchaganis]

Hi herb,
I had the same problem on my 620 Sport, stange handling around slow speed bends feels like the back end is loose, but ok on long sweepers.
Also had an almighty speed wobble at high speed in a side wind.
My front wheel bearings were shot, jacked the bike up and found It had about 2-3mm of play when I shock the wheel top to bottom. Just passed an MOT 2 week prior HMMM.
If it is the wheel bearings, try Bearing king, 2x bearings inc delivery £10.80.

[Herb]

Hi Mick,

I will be changing wheel bearings while the wheel is out. My old company used to use millions of them (literally, about 11 million per year) so I half inched a couple so it makes sense to do them now.

I should have got all of this done over the winter, I had a suspicion all was not right towards the end of last year, but it seems to have taken a turn for the worse over the last couple of rides.

[barry]

Did mine last week, couldn't feel any play in the head race bearings though Anyway, put bike on paddock stand and hoisted the front up with the aid of a roof rafter......off with front mudguard, front wheel, and fork legs. THEN you'll notice anything amiss in the headrace bearings.......Mine was tight/notchy., so I stripped it for a look-see. The grease had gone hard [what was left of it] so I cleaned the bearings and races for a better look. All was well, so fresh grease, and reassemble.....beautiful. As the forks were off, I changed the oil and refitted everything,- what a difference...