Does the steering feel vague to you?

[tomodan]

Hi all

Had my 1100ss for about a year (bought from a lovely chap from this parish) and love it to bits, goes great, one of the quickest bikes A-B that I have had and can hold fantastic cornering speed but.........

The steering has always felt a but vague? It has never let go or even come close and I know the front is absolutely planted (had lots of telelevers & wouldnt be able to hold the corner speed it does if it wasn't!) but it alwasy feels a bit vague?

I have also noticed it trying to fall into low speed corners?

Is this notrmal (they all do that sir) or have I got something that needs tweaking?

At the moment it is on Mitchelin pilot roads & the suspension is set to standard settings as per the manual. I have noticed it is incredibly sensitive to tyre pressures so check them often (again standard F32 R36)

Any thu
pghts or just get on & ride it?

Cheers

[conkerman]

Firstly try 42psi in the rear Tyre.

Sounds like you could need a little more rear ride height.

Have you set your sag?

[tomodan]

If I run te rear at 42 do I leave the front at 32?

I have jacked the rear up previously & it didnt make a lot of difference.

I haven't set the sag, does it make a huge difference?[/img]

[Dai wiskers]

36 front 42 rear but i have only used Bridgestone and conti road attacks
Bridgestones were no good for me but i am on my second set of contie's
How i wish i could have hated them but they work well and suit the bike
Hope this helps Dai

[SAS Tom]

It will always feel vague compared to a normal front end. The only way I could ever describe it is that you can't feel anything but the bike makes you think there is endless grip. Once you learn to trust how much grip there is then you don't have a problem.

As for tyres I run 36 front 42 rear. I had 2 sets of pr2's on mine and I had the same feeling as you. It goes so far then feels like you're falling off a cliff even when the tyres were new. Just changed to metzeler z8's and this has gone. Must be the profile or something.

[Bikerhoss]

+1 on 36/42psi, Not as much feedback as my last two machines (Buell & Kawasaki) but trust it fine

[Motocod]

I'm also finding it hard to trust the bike when tipping in to a corner. Same sort of problem I think.

I'm wondering if I can improve things by dropping the front of the bike. On a conventional front end I'd drop the yokes down the forks a bit. I've not checked, but wondering if I can reduce the front spring pre-load. Not sure if there is any other way of reducing the front height?

Nik

[Bikerhoss]

Nik,
Are your tyres 'off'? Squared shoulders from the last owner?
If you're not vertically challenged better to raise the rear by fitting a GS torque arm or other make adjustable job,
Fitted the shorter arm myself, improved turn in speed and ground clearance a substantial amount

Sometimes it's just plain old getting used to the bike syndrome, I did find I had to positively 'counter steer' for a bit at first, Never had a front end wobble yet (even though I admit to pushing on most of the time )

[Blackal]

Hi all

Had my 1100ss for about a year (bought from a lovely chap from this parish) and love it to bits, goes great, one of the quickest bikes A-B that I have had and can hold fantastic cornering speed but.........

The steering has always felt a but vague? It has never let go or even come close and I know the front is absolutely planted (had lots of telelevers & wouldnt be able to hold the corner speed it does if it wasn't!) but it alwasy feels a bit vague?

I have also noticed it trying to fall into low speed corners?

Is this notrmal (they all do that sir) or have I got something that needs tweaking?

At the moment it is on Mitchelin pilot roads & the suspension is set to standard settings as per the manual. I have noticed it is incredibly sensitive to tyre pressures so check them often (again standard F32 R36)

Any thu
pghts or just get on & ride it?


Cheers

Check the front tyre profile - you may find that it is slightly "triangular" in section (where you have a distinct "flat" on either side of the centre.)

If when you are on a long bend, and you have dificulty changing your line - I would be inclined to think that the above is your problem (in addition to the flopping into low-speed bends/corners)

Get a new tyre

Al

[tanneman]

No problems with mine, tyres in good condition, pressures as per manual. I fettled a bit with my suspension to get it sort of right. The preload is not adjustable at the front, it is better to set the rear preload to match the front. I have the shorter torque arm (standard with sports pack) at the back and then modified the front telelever as per motoyoyo instructions. The bike turns in much better and less effort required to turn the bike and change direction at speed. If it wobbles mid corner you have changed the pressure applied to the bar, changed body position, transferred weight on the pegs or suddenly released the brakes. A squared off tyre will give you that unsure feeling that it wants to be upright or on the side but not in between so in the transition from upright to lean it feels like tipping it over a cliff and that is more likely to be experienced on the road where you don't lean as much. Change both tyres.

On the road the bike is fine and I don't ride like a lunatic but that is where the front feels a bit remote. On the track it is a different story. Pressures F29, R33, I dare not go lower as the bike is quite heavy and requires a bit of air in the hoop to keep the shape. The front takes a beating and I can feel what it is doing. I have enough confidence to brake late and trail brake the bike into the corner, as you release the pressure the more the bike leans over you can feel the front responding. It is as stable as can be. That said I must admit that I lost the front twice, once in the wet while upright on the brakes and once in a corner where I had to avoid a the bike in front as it suddenly slowed down, I saved the last one but I could instantly feel the front locking up.

[Daveg2812]

Strange that. When I bought my 1100S 3 years ago after having not ridden a bike for around 23 years, I felt, once I got used to it, that it didn't turn in quickly enough. I've since changed the stock shocks for a pair of Wilbers, the rear having adjustable ride height amongst it's settings. The ride height is set to max, and I guess the bike is as tall at the back as a late BCR. This makes it tip in really easily and that's the way I like it. I run 36/42 pressures and that also seems to complement the set up.