steering at VERY low speeds...

jdeatsch · Post by **jdeatsch** » Mon Jun 23, 2003 1:53 pm

being very new to heavy bikes I'm wondering if this 'heavy' steering at very slow speeds (like turning into a driveway or starting out from a stop sign and turning right) is normal.

Now I realize that the bike weighs 600 lbs (82 CBX1k) but is this normal or is there something I should know? (besides tomorrows winning lottery numbers that is....)

thanks in advance,

Jim

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Jun 23, 2003 2:02 pm

When I got my bike the handle bars were adjusted as narrow as they would go. One day, just for grins, I readjusted them as wide as they would go, and the feel was noticeably lighter, but I ended up going back to narrow, because I had ridden it so long, that's what felt normal.

Blaine McKibbin · Post by **Blaine McKibbin** » Mon Jun 23, 2003 3:26 pm

This may sound like a no-brainer, but make sure you have enough air in the front tire and that the steering head bearings are not too tight and moving freely.

EMS · Post by **EMS** » Mon Jun 23, 2003 4:19 pm

Jim:

The Prolink models are somewhat sluggish when steering at low speeds. Compared to the 79/80s, they have a 2 degree larger rake and longer wheelbase. In addition the fairing and bracket makes them front-end top-heavy. Check your tire pressure, if it is O.K., what you feel is normal.

BTW, if you haven't already found a speedo, I have one. Send me a pm, if you are interested

EMS · Post by **EMS** » Mon Jun 23, 2003 4:20 pm

Sorry, Jim - wrong guy. You did not need the speedo, my mistake.

Fondahonda · Post by **Fondahonda** » Mon Jun 23, 2003 8:16 pm

Check your rear tire, as well. There's not a lot of rear tires available in the stock size. If the front is a stock size, but the rear's diameter is smaller than stock, that will make it a little slower steering than stock.

jdeatsch · Post by **jdeatsch** » Tue Jun 24, 2003 7:51 pm

Many thanks for the replies folks. I truly appreciate the input.

Tire pressures are dandy, the steering (when the front wheel is up in the air) is as light as you would expect. The head bearings feel just fine and, in fact, I pulled the top triple clamp and checked the 'feel' of the head nut. Again, dandy.

I just rode my buddys bike from his house to mine (30 miles or so) and his feels MUCH different. It's an 81 with mini fairing, different exhaust, lightened up, blah, blah, blah. I didn't get the feeling of heaviness in the slow corners like I do with mine.

Perhaps it's inherent and I'll learn to live with it as EMS said.

Guest, I'll look into the handlebar deal. To be perfectly honest I never let that cross my feeble mind.

Thank you.

Thanks guys, the wisdom and experience is appreciated.

Jim

andy · Post by **andy** » Tue Jun 24, 2003 9:17 pm

Make sure your front tire is 100/90-19, and not a 110/90-19, the oversize tire will make it feel alot heavier, like its flat.

EMS · Post by **EMS** » Tue Jun 24, 2003 9:31 pm

Jim:

I am pretty sure you are not experiencing anything unusual. Especially when you compare it with your friends' 81 with a "mini fairing". Please consider the amount of weight he took off the upper front end when he changed from the stock Honda fairing with its heavy bracketry. The issues the guys are pointing out with the tires are also valid points. Raising any given bike in the front or lowering it in the back without changing anything else, will increase the trail, thus making steering heavier. This can be the effect of using a wrong size tire.

jdeatsch · Post by **jdeatsch** » Wed Jun 25, 2003 10:57 am

is JUST like a flat on the front Andy. That is the best description of it. A VERY low tire feels just like that.

I'll look into the tire size EMS and Andy and thank you guys.

Jim

jdeatsch · Post by **jdeatsch** » Thu Jun 26, 2003 2:07 pm

The front tire is as Honda calls out in the service manual (350v-19)

The handlebars are now all the way out (gained about an inch on each side).

Pressures are ducky (yes, I took advantage of the 'original air' that was for sale so I'm all set there).

Methinks it's time to just learn to live with it.

N'est ce pas?

Thanks you guys,

Jim

jdeatsch · Post by **jdeatsch** » Sat Jun 28, 2003 4:32 pm

moving the bars forward made a rather large difference.

It's a differenter bike.

thanks guys,

Jim

texascbx · Post by **texascbx** » Sun Jun 29, 2003 11:45 am

Raise tubes in triple clamps half an inch.Any more and the fender can hit.It will lower the front and quicken steering.Just make sure your wheels are in alignment and you might have to raise air pressure in forks.Some bikes will wobble though.r

jdeatsch · Post by **jdeatsch** » Sun Jun 29, 2003 3:42 pm

Thanks for the reply Texas.

Anyone else have any thoughts on what Texas suggested?

I never thought of lowering the front end.

I must ask about speed wobble then though.

Jim

EMS · Post by **EMS** » Mon Jun 30, 2003 7:50 am

Sliding the triple tree down the fork tubes will shorten the trail by positioning the fork at a slightly steeper angle (you actually rotate the whole bike around the rear axle as a pivot point). A shorter trail will result in quicker steering. The trade-off is less straight-line stability, that's why the potential for wobble. Difficult to predict what's going to happen. Only way to find out is try it. Raising the rear end (larger tire, for example) has the same effect.

The International CBX Owners Association

steering at VERY low speeds...

steering at VERY low speeds...

steering

Steering

Speedo

the steering issue...

Heavy Steering

the heavy steering...

where we're at...

interesting...

heavy

interesting thought there Texas...

Steering