rear shifts when using rear break

[jstone8952]

i searched a little and didnt find anything that describes the problem im having. under hard rear breaking (and by hard i mean daily riding oh thats a yellow light kind of breaking) i can feel the rear shift right (i believe) and when i get going again when i let off the clutch i feel it jerk back into place. its not terrible or something i think is going to kill me but a buddy rode the bike and noticed it as well. its a 1980 gs550l. also rear break isnt as strong as i think it should be. if you want to stop quick you really have to jump on it hard. im a complete squid and dont have alot of experience with bikes (only had two, first was a vstar650 that was factory fresh, not a single problem)
thanks

[Danjal]

Check the bolt/nut holding your tire on. It might have come loose. The big one with the castle nut and cotter pin in it. Check your swing arm too for cracks and play. After that it might just be your rear locking up on one of those "Oh Shi*" stops and coming over on you. I do it all the time on my Rm125 when im out in the woods and braking to slow down. Lil sucker loves to grab the rear brake hard for some reason.

[bwringer]

A) Learn to use the front brake correctly. Please. It's far better to never use the rear brake than to tromp all over it as you describe.

B) Your swingarm bearings might be bad, leading to the swingarm moving when you change the direction of force. Put the bike on the centerstand and see if the rear wheel can move left and right.

[DanTheMan]

Definitely start using that front brake too. 70% of your stopping power is there. Check out your rear suspension and axle bolt/wheel bearings.

[Calvin Blackmore]

Definitely start using that front brake too. 70% of your stopping power is there. Check out your rear suspension and axle bolt/wheel bearings.

makes you wonder if there is a few million unused front brake pads languishing in wrecking yards

not using the fornt brake is as bad as saying I had to lay her down


you should drive the bike until you check everything fromt eh swinging arm bearing to ever fastener in the rear suspension

very dangerous thing for anything to be sloppy like you describe.

[Kaiser Sosei]

I would second the opinion that something is off on the swing arm, with the bushings being a likely culprit.

[Danjal]

I would second the opinion that something is off on the swing arm, with the bushings being a likely culprit.

In any case its a VERY dangerous situation for him if its kicking out like that. Bearings normally tend to whine or howl if going bad too.

[jknappsax]

I was having a similar kind of torque of the rear wheel, and when I took the caliper off this weekend, I found the outer piston was seized, while the inner was working fine, causing the rear to feel like it was moving to the right when I applied my rear brake at all. Yours may just be hanging up a little under less braking force, and become really noticeable when you brake hard. It was disconcerting, that's for sure.

[tkent02]

Bearings normally tend to whine or howl if going bad too.

Not swingarm bearings, as they are not spinning.

[blackout_GS1100]

also check your chain tensioners as i had a similar problem with the wheel moving to the right and that tensioner had lossened up. tightened everything up and good as new.

[posplayr]

not using the fornt brake is as bad as saying I had to lay her down


.

Wait a minute, I though rear brakes gave you more options

When a cager pull in front of you,

Option #1: Heavy on the rear brake so the rear slides and you can lay here down.

If at the last moment you decide you can make it.....................

Option #2 let off and high side over the top of the obstacle

[tkent02]

Wait a minute, I though rear brakes gave you more options

When a cager pull in front of you,

Option #1: Heavy on the rear brake so the rear slides and you can lay here down.

If at the last moment you decide you can make it.....................

Option #2 let off and high side over the top of the obstacle

Option #3 use the rear brake correctly, modulate brake pressure perfectly, keep the tire on the threshold of traction the entire time, and hit the car anyway because rear brakes don't do jack.

Seriously, fix the swingarm bearings, have you noticed the steering changing side to side when you crack on and off the throttle?
It's a dangerous situation.

[jstone8952]

I was having a similar kind of torque of the rear wheel, and when I took the caliper off this weekend, I found the outer piston was seized, while the inner was working fine, causing the rear to feel like it was moving to the right when I applied my rear brake at all. Yours may just be hanging up a little under less braking force, and become really noticeable when you brake hard. It was disconcerting, that's for sure.

that makes some sense. the rear break doesnt feel as though its kicking in all the way.

i appreciate the input guys but dont understand the number of you telling me to use the break correctly? i know how to ride a motorcycle guys this thing is just 30 years old and its got some little bugs. its not like its going to throw me off the bike or i wouldnt ride it.

again though i appreciate the feedback everyone

[Danjal]

Not swingarm bearings, as they are not spinning.

Der..... I was thinking of the rear wheel bearings.