Handling problem seeks causes

[Doctor Shifty]

Any insight into what causes this?

At lowish speed into tight right hand corners, the front wheel keeps trying to skip out from under the bike. It's not so bad to the left but very unsafe to the right.

I have to take these corners very slowly and the line through the corner is dreadful as the only way to counteract it is to stand the bike up.

At highway speeds into sweepers the effect is not so bad, and if I lean forward to load up the front wheel it's better again.

Any ideas?

Kim

[Jethro]

Yikes. Maybe wheel alignment? Mis-matched fork oil between fork legs? A broken fork spring? Maybe your tire is out of balance and has gotten real bad? Hopefully your frame isn't out of alignment?

[crc1214]

I used to have the same problem with my 550 - does the bike also wobble around a bit even when driving in a straight line in the 35-45MPH range?
If so, replace your steering stem bearings with tapered bearings and this will feel like a brand new bike.

[Jethro]

I used to have the same problem with my 550 - does the bike also wobble around a bit even when driving in a straight line in the 35-45MPH range?
If so, replace your steering stem bearings with tapered bearings and this will feel like a brand new bike.

Good call. Also worn swingarm bearings can make a bike awful squirrely.