PGA XX Posted April 29, 2003 Share Posted April 29, 2003 O.K. guys, here are the hard facts, need your opinions please. 1. First, I noticed my handlebars seemed to be turned slightly to the right. (I posted a thread, and most concluded it was optical illusion, but I swear it pulls to the left slightly) 2. I noticed my exhaust can on left side was closer to swingarm. ( A lot of people have mentioned similar observations and has been discussed thoroughly) 3. I noticed my bike doesn't sit level while on C-stand. (If one placed a level on my gas tank perpendicular to my seat, the bubble would move to the left) 4. I ordered a Pyramid Hugger and it didn't even come close to fitting. The dist. said he had never heard of one not fitting, but refunded me no problem. I have since ordered a NWS Ghost Hugger and it fits better, but but is tweaked to right. The exact center of the hugger sits to right and the chain guard is off a little. 5. I installed my Givi windscreen and noticed the left corner is lower (closer to rider) than the right. It is oddly tweaked in the similar fashion as my hugger. 6. My chain seems to be wearing unusually quick. I have 5800mi., and I'm a couple of adjustments away from the red. My sprocket is centered and while running on C-stand wheel doesn't wobble at all. 7. I get relatively horrible gas mileage compared to most. 26-28mpg. I know the cans were discussed at length on IXXRA, but can these all be related? To be honest, the only thing really bothering me is while riding, it feels like my handlebars are turned to the right. It is driving me nuts! It almost feels like my bike is riding like a sidewinder crawls if that makes sense. Please tell me you guys have similar observations and I will forget about the whole thing. '02 Cali Model 5800 mi./ ridden fairly aggressively Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickcbr1100 Posted April 29, 2003 Share Posted April 29, 2003 For what its worth the cans/subframe issue should have no bearing at all on all your other observations. Its usually only slightly out and just affects the way the cans sit not the rest of the bike as you are noticing. Seems weird, if I'd noticed all those things I would certainly get it checked out properly, have you had the forks out and they have been refitted incorrectly, wrong torque or whatever giving them a slight twist? but that wouldn't explain the problems chain and swingarm area unless it was running offset. Certainly worth a proper check perhaps a frame jig check just for peace of mind, you cant have full confidence in it if it looks like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XX4me Posted April 29, 2003 Share Posted April 29, 2003 I too have the slightly turned handle bars. If I let go of the bars the bike will ease ever so slightly to the left. Looking down while riding the handle bars are not perpendecular to the line of travel, the right side is closer to me by maybe a 1/4" to a 1/2". Seems like a small amount but it's noticable. I have the same exhaust (I hesitate to call it a problem) thing too. My GIVI is also tweaked low on the left! I thought it was something to do with givi. Never noticed center stand level but I will check now. My milage is around 30 something but I'm running a smaller front and tend to twist the throttle a lot. Do the dealers assemble the forks when new? Let me know if you find anything out as I'm interested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete in PA Posted April 29, 2003 Share Posted April 29, 2003 Is the bike new or used? any wrecks or fall overs? The handlebar thing is your forks twisted in the tripple tree, a simple and common thing. It may sound barbaric but I even saw this in a magazine service questions collumn. Rider, Cycle World, etc. can't remember. Ride down the road and see which way the handlebars look cocked. Find a tree, telephone pole etc. and put the front wheel against it and turn the handlebars hard to whack the side of the tire against it. Then ride again and check. I have done this on my XR 650 everytime I have a get off. Only a very light whack is needed to move it. Most times I whack, ride and I went too far and have to take it back the other way. It is very easy on this bike due to fork length and thickness, but should work on the XX. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PGA XX Posted April 29, 2003 Author Share Posted April 29, 2003 Thanks for the info guys. Yes I bought it new, and It's never been wrecked. I tipped it over on it's right side a few weeks ago. (Don't try to put your bike on the C-stand barefoot :oops: ). Nothing happened except a lower cowl replacement, but I noticed these things well before. When I first noticed the handlebar thing, I immediately put my bike on c-stand and let it idle watching very closely at what was going on. Like I said, it looks as though the chain and rear wheel are in perfect working order (no wobble, sprocket is centered in chain etc). I've been through a set of tires, and no unusual wear from what I can tell. Would a dealer tell me if he noticed anything unusual during tire replacement? :roll: While bike is on c-stand, if one placed levels on top of the windscreen, gas tank, and rear cowl, they would all read the same. The whole bike looks like it leans right. I went riding w/ SD Marc who has a '99 and we saw the same thing on his while on c-stand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonW Posted April 30, 2003 Share Posted April 30, 2003 I think that the right leg IS shorter, as I have observed this phenomenon on both my '97 and my buddy's '00. They both lean to the right ever so slightly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonW Posted April 30, 2003 Share Posted April 30, 2003 How ironic..... So is his! By almost a half an inch. He broke his pelvis in a bike accident a few years ago and it wasn't set correctly. Okay, so technically his leg isn't shorter......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XX4me Posted April 30, 2003 Share Posted April 30, 2003 Hey Joe, I decided to try and check my rear wheel tracking this evening but since I don't have any friends I had to do it myself. I started out tryng to imagine how much beer would be consumed, after slamming all those, I put the bike on the center stand and put it in first gear. Next I rigged up string off both sides of the rear wheel stretching towards the front. The center stand was in the way so I had to hold them out about 4" from the front tire contact patch. When I got them both the same I measured the distance between the string and the front of the rear tire. Sure enought there was a difference! I readjusted the rear using a micrometer and took a test ride. Problem solved! She tracks so straight and nice now it gives me a woody Thanks Joe Also thanks again for the quiet bike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PGA XX Posted April 30, 2003 Author Share Posted April 30, 2003 Hey XX4ME, so are you saying your handlebars are perpendicular to line of travel now? If so, good job and thanks Joe!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XX4me Posted April 30, 2003 Share Posted April 30, 2003 Yes they are, maybe could go just a little more but they are so close I decided to go with it because they bike is completely neutral now. At speed I can let off the bars and the bike tracks straight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackhawkxx Posted April 30, 2003 Share Posted April 30, 2003 Just call him:Dr. Joe!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PGA XX Posted April 30, 2003 Author Share Posted April 30, 2003 Hey XX4ME, would you mind elaborating your procedure a little bit? What's a micrometer? I'm a 40+ handicap (means I suck) :oops: when it comes to this stuff, but I'm learning everyday. :grin: Thanks, LE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveK Posted April 30, 2003 Share Posted April 30, 2003 You guys didn't know that Joe was an ASS doctor ! He has a thin, short camera he puts on the tip of his cock to look around with ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XX4me Posted May 1, 2003 Share Posted May 1, 2003 Sure, I tied a piece of string to the spoke and pulled the free end out the left side of the bike. I then wrapped the sting around the back of the tire so it ran along the right side of the rear tire and stretched out past the front tire. When the bike is on the center stand the string will hit the stand before it contacts the front of the rear tire so I left it about 4" ,or what ever is needed to clear the center stand, out from the front tires contact patch . I found this by straightening up the bars and, measuring with a flat ruler, from the point the ruler contacted the side of the tire when sliding it along the cement under the tire. I theorized that the contact patch shouldn't change much even if the front wheel isn't exactly straight. Ditto for the other side. If the rear tire is straight the distance between the string and the front of the rear tire should be the same. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- (rear wheel)++++++++++++++++++++++(front wheel) -------------------------------------------------------------------------- as opposed to this; ------------------------------------------------------------------------- (rea. r w. ++++++++++++++++++++++(front wheel) heel) --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The lines represents the string, it doesn't matter if the strings are parallel as long as they are the same distance, on both sides, from the front tire. Clear as mud? EDIT- This stupid program won't let me spell "rear wheel" diagonally from top to bottom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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