Handling problems...

[simon kuether]

I run Spitfires and love 'em.Have you checked your pressures? I run 34 psi front and 38 in the rear (add a couple of psi if you regularly carry a pillion) and have only noticed any abnormal handling if I get a bit slack about checking pressures.As has been said-checking ,adjusting or replacing bearings should become a regular part of keeping these magnificent old beasties on the road and keeping them reliable.Cheers,Simon.

[terbang]

We all countersteer, whether we know it or not. I had a beat up old trail bike and (just for a laugh) mounted a set of handle bars directly onto the frame above the existing ones (welded them there). Five mins on that machine rapidly showed people that it is all countersteer as you just could barely get the thing to turn when hanging onto the upper (fixed) bars. Converted even the stauncest of coutersteer naysayers...
Lean angle limits generally are (1) Bike ground clearance (2) tyre limits (you loose it) (3) Whats between your ears. Item three being very common as Ive seen guys go off the edge, on good tyres, with no ground clearance issues. It was all between their ears.
If your bike is still understeering with all the tyres and steering sorted then you need to have a look at your springing as a lowering of the rear end will slow your turn in down, or paerhaps you are too pumped up in the front. Raising the back or lowering the front will decrease trail and the bike will turn in much quicker. Do a static sag check on the bike and get that springing sorted first...

[82Shafty]

I think I lean into curves properly, nobody has ever commented on my body position. I think I am leaning the right way, I even stick my leg out into the turn. My bike kinda hits a 'wall' where it just wont lean over any more. Nothing ever drags on the ground. Could the profiles of my tires be doing this? I can feel a little play in my steering head bearings that I should fix. What do you mean by fork bearings? I have tried to move my rear wheel side to side while on the center stand and I cant feel any play.
BTW by high speed I mean 150 km/h in an 80 km/h zone close to double speed limit.

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=139774

Look at the pictures. You may discover your problem.

[reddirtrider]

There is nothing that will keep a bike upright in a corner, just the rider. It sounds as if you are mentally avoiding going deeper into the turn. Sticking your leg out and putting on the brakes are classic symptoms. Use countersteering and LOOK thru the corner, not at the side of the road. You'll go where you look. If you're avoiding a turn, you won't make it.

Now, having said that, get new tires and check the other mechanical issues these good folks have laid out for you. They're not your problem, but they're necessary for safety.

[curseboy]

If your forks are way up or way down on the triple trees, the same symptoms you described could happen, don't ask me how I know
Sounds like you have more issues, maybe you should have someone sort out your bike for you, someone who knows.

[Plasterdog]

Sounds to me like square tires.
I (last year) changed my tires, the rear was beginning to look like a car tire -almost perfectly flat accroos the tread- the front was ok but I like the idea of having fresh rubber all around.
Before the tire change there was a lack of confidence in the corners now ...
Avon RoadRunners. Great tire, great price.

Not rulling out all the other suggestions but tires that old... tires dry out and harden then crack, then pop goes the wheesle.

[gearhead13]

Ok, bought a hand pump and a digital gauge to check fork air. SURPRISE! No air pressure in the forks Manual says 7 psi, so I am going with that as well as what it says for tire pressure.
The manual specs a torque rating for the steering head bearings strange. I gonna go at the nut with a screwdriver and a hammer

[tkent02]

Ok, bought a hand pump and a digital gauge to check fork air. SURPRISE! No air pressure in the forks Manual says 7 psi, so I am going with that as well as what it says for tire pressure.
The manual specs a torque rating for the steering head bearings strange. I gonna go at the nut with a screwdriver and a hammer

Don't go too tight.
If you put the bike on the centerstand, raise the front wheel and let the bars flop to one side, it should go all the way to that side and do one little bounce. More than that it's too loose, less than that and it is too tight.

Check for worn bearings, especially a notch at dead center. All should be smooth.

[terbang]

Ok, bought a hand pump and a digital gauge to check fork air. SURPRISE! No air pressure in the forks Manual says 7 psi, so I am going with that as well as what it says for tire pressure.
The manual specs a torque rating for the steering head bearings strange. I gonna go at the nut with a screwdriver and a hammer

That shouldn't make the bike understeer though, more like the opposite. Flat forks will however have the tendency to stand you up under braking but will give you a nice sharp turn in.
A loose steering head also won't cause an understeer problem either, a tight one will make the bike almost impossible to ride though.
Sorry mate but my bet is on the technique, often when you are putting yer bum and knee into the turn you are inadvertantly putting the top half of yer body the other way and making things worse. I see it a lot when riding in groups. Sometimes the best technique is to sit straight, turn your head to look where you want the bike to go (avoid fixating on anything else) and countersteer. On these old girls with a decent set of tyres (Pirelli Sport Demons are my choice) on a normal surface, you will run out of ground clearance way before you get any tyre issues.

[gearhead13]

Yes I think it is partly my technique, and fear that the bike will fall over if I lean too much. I noticed a little oil on the forks after i put air in them, So the seals must be toast. The po said they were replaced
The steering head nut hardly turned, if any I dont know maybe I will ask a bike shop to tighten them.
Gonna go for a ride up the malahat to see how it feels.

[bonanzadave]

When you tighten the steering head nut you are drawing the top and bottom fork triple trees closer together. You cant tighten the steering head nut with out first loosening the fork pinch bolts in the tree.

[gearhead13]

When you tighten the steering head nut you are drawing the top and bottom fork triple trees closer together. You cant tighten the steering head nut with out first loosening the fork pinch bolts in the tree.

Ok, good to know, thanks.