[GoBears0305]

I was cruising at around 70 and the bike didn't feel as stable as I thought it should.



What should I do to get it improved? How do I make sure everything is in alignment? Anyone have a steering stabilizer installed on their front end? I have one laying around, but have to find a "bolt on" solution so I don't have to weld onto my powder coated frame.



Any and all ideas on improving high speed stability are greatly appreciated.

 

[mnd]

Tire pressure and suspension sag would be the first place I'd look.

 

[bandit]

I was cruising at around 70 and the bike didn't feel as stable as I thought it should.



What should I do to get it improved? How do I make sure everything is in alignment? Anyone have a steering stabilizer installed on their front end? I have one laying around, but have to find a "bolt on" solution so I don't have to weld onto my powder coated frame.



Any and all ideas on improving high speed stability are greatly appreciated.

front forks Bear,insert and 20cwt,or the heaviest available

 

[AGB-1]

Fork Brace. AGB-1

 

[Reg in Bristol]

On a good road, it should feel stable at 70.

Possibly expect a brief 'shimmy when crossing white lines etc but

the rest of the time you should be able take a hand off the bars

without feeling unsafe, both if yer up for it.

what do mean by stable, or more explicitly, unstable?

It depends on what the bikes doing at this speed.

It could be tyres, wheel bearings, steering bearings,

soft forks/shocks, swinging arm bearings, wheel alignment.

 

[Reg in Bristol]

I dont have fork brace or 2wt oil and even with a barn door screen

the bikes stable at 70.

For a CX of course, if you compare it to another, newer, bigger bike you may be

a bit disappointed.

 

[GoBears0305]

I dont have fork brace or 2wt oil and even with a barn door screen

the bikes stable at 70.

For a CX of course, if you compare it to another, newer, bigger bike you may be

a bit disappointed.

It could be that hahaha...my previous bikes were an '05 Suzuki SV650 and an '05 Ninja 636.

 

[Reg in Bristol]

I just thought I'd throw that in

The old CX aint exactly skittish and should feel pretty

happy at 70 ish but in comparison, my beemer feels like its on rails

well up into three figures.



Theoretically of course officer !!!

 

[marshallf3]

I bought a real Tarozzi fork brace for $99. They make them for all our bike variants. They're made from billet aluminum

and they look like something NASA would build with the precision used.



I have no idea if it will make much difference, it's my guess the major advantage will be if I'm driving on gravel or a poor road the forks won't be as tendent to twist making it want to vary from a straight line. When the bike's done we're going to do a road run on crappy roads without it then again on the same course with it on.



http://genebitsystems.com/david/MotorcyclePrep/forkbrace.htm



Here's one of many dealers: http://www.fastfromthepast.com/

 

[ScrapMetal]

I had that feeling on mine when I first got her out for a test ride. I looked at the front wheel and it had A LOT of play/wobble going on. I had another front tire/wheel available so I just switched them. Boom, steady as a rock. Maybe you can take a look at what's going on in front? At lower speeds of course

Hope its something as simple as a cupped tire.

 

[marshallf3]

.... or wheel bearings or steering stem bearings ....

 

[DavidfromWisconsin]

I bought a real Tarozzi fork brace for $99. They make them for all our bike variants. They're made from billet aluminum

and they look like something NASA would build with the precision used.



I have no idea if it will make much difference, it's my guess the major advantage will be if I'm driving on gravel or a poor road the forks won't be as tendent to twist making it want to vary from a straight line. When the bike's done we're going to do a road run on crappy roads without it then again on the same course with it on.



http://genebitsystems.com/david/MotorcyclePrep/forkbrace.htm



Here's one of many dealers: http://www.fastfromthepast.com/

The fork brace helps the most when going through the curves.



It also helps keep both sides of the forks more equal when hit anything, like a a pothole or debris on the road.



What it does is make a better box out of the fork lowers so that they don't twist and change the wheel angle while riding. You now have the axle and the fork brace to make a complete box. Whereas with just the axle it is much easier to move on fork and thus make the forks not square and equal.

 

[Shep]

For the cheap cost of them at least replace the wheel bearings,



http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/REAR...rcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item588d627a2e



I'd get two twin packs and do them all.



I'd also have the steering bearings out and check and re-grease.If you decide to do this make sure you don't lost any of the 18 and 19 ball bearings used.

 

[Reg in Bristol]

Going back to the original post

what were the symptoms at 70 ish?

 

[GoBears0305]

At 70, the steering just seems a bit loose. It's not wobbly or anything extreme. I just don't feel completely planted to the road.

More background:

-already have new steering and wheel bearings

-tires are new and wheels are balanced

-rear shocks only have preload adjustment

-no fender in front (meaning there's no brace of any kind between the axle and lower triple)



I think a fork brace will do me some good in the corners. And I think I'd like to find a way to use the steering dampener I have laying around for straight line stability. I just gotta figure out how to mount it.

 

[TREV2010]

The CX/GL has a very well planted front end, I can do 70mph and ride without hands on the bars, she runs true and with lean she turns NOW, I don't recommend doing that in any way but only to prove that the original design was good.



The larger front wheel will tend to make most bikes very sensitive to high speed wobbles/tank slappers and here dampers are recommended, also short steep rakes and wheel bases like on the older TLR and ZX10's...add power the slightest frontend lightening and SLAP you heading for the tar...



On the theses bikes as said, bearings and balancing...also, is the tyre seated properly....if you run 70 and there is NO head shake then it's not balancing or bearings...if however the front end feels "light" then have you raised the front shocks through the yokes or dropped the rear end by fitting shorter shocks? This changes weight biasing and will unload the front end giving you that light feeling and sensitivity...



Also when you knock off weight one must be careful, the bikes handling charasteristics change as you'd know...and you could be sitting with situation that fitting a damper would be a good move...



Fun and games that comes with modifications...



Oh and if you want to improve the handling ten fold, replace the front end with USD forks off say an VFR400 with it's brakes and change both wheels...the comstar units are DOG heavy and the HUGE front wheel is no good if you looking for handling...

 

[marshallf3]

No front fender. Even though it served as a minimal fork brace that's probably the main part of your problem. Having those long forks totally free between the triple tree and the front axle leaves a lot of area for vibrations to set up.



I'd get one of the Tarozzi fork braces. They are by far the most attractive I've ever seen and are used by many motocross and dirt track racers. At $99 they are also the same or cheaper than most of the others that aren't built anywhere near as well, as I mentioned these are billet aluminum, socket head cap screws and look like they were manufactured for aircraft use they're so well made.

 

[50gary]

It shouldn't be too difficult to install the Steering Damper? I would make a clevis type bracket that would attach to the left side upper engine mount. Then mount the damper to the new bracket.

Cheers, 50gary

 

[nolavox]

At 70, the steering just seems a bit loose. It's not wobbly or anything extreme. I just don't feel completely planted to the road.

More background:

-already have new steering and wheel bearings

-tires are new and wheels are balanced

-rear shocks only have preload adjustment

-no fender in front (meaning there's no brace of any kind between the axle and lower triple)



I think a fork brace will do me some good in the corners. And I think I'd like to find a way to use the steering dampener I have laying around for straight line stability. I just gotta figure out how to mount it.

My Cx feels rock solid at 70... with the wind at my tail. With a 20mph headwind it feels like I'm sailing... Comstars ain't real great in cross winds either as far as I'm concerned.



The CX blows around more than any bike I've ever rode. Kinda disconcerting at first... now I just let it wander a little more if the wind is bad (last two months)



I would put a brace on it as Marshall mentioned and Give a good wiggle see if there is any play.

 

[Reg in Bristol]

What type of steering bearings did you fit?

theres a tendency for tapered rollers to settle after a while and

they often need to be nipped up a bit.