I have been experencing some interesting handling traits mainly on braking into roundabouts were the front either tries to tuck in or feels as if the front is stuck in a rut. MY XTZ has only done 2900 miles (09 model) is standard with Metzeler tourance tyres, the headrace bearings are also fine. I should point out that for the last seven years I have had bikes with 17 inch rims and I expected slower steering but this issue has me a bit spooked. I have also read elsewhere on the XTR forum that another member found tourance tyres going off when part worn. As soon as I get the bike back on the gas no problem and it could be me trying to ride the bike wrong and expecting too much from a trailie but any advice greatfully received - is it worth me changing the front only as the back feels fine to maybe a conti attack?

Tyre pressures OK?

Tyre profile lost on the shoulder to more of a V will give this sensation.

Head races checked you say, but perhaps an idea to get them greased up just incase you've a tight spot.

The 21" front does make it slower to turn, but a bit of counter steering soon sorts that out.

If your chain was really tight that may feel strange (tight spot again), but you'd probably have noticed before the roundabout.

My two penny worth..

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Funnily enough mine's started behaving like that recently - it's definitely not a trait of the bike because it didn't feel like that for the first 35,000 miles.

Exactly the same symptoms as you - off throttle or on the brakes it feels like there's a big notch in the steering head bearings - doesn't want to let you turn the bars from straight ahead. Then at some point you overcome the resistance and the bike falls over into the corner. On the throttle it's much better.

I've been putting it down to wierd tyre-wear - I've got aggressive knobblies fitted which have done three rallies and several thousand miles, the rear is square and the front is probably a bit odd as well. Unfortunately I'm trying to use up my stock of part-worn tyres, so I'm probably not going to have a 'new tyre' comparison until the spring.

I don't remember it ever feeling like that when I had the OE Tourances on, but that was over 30 months and 30,000 miles ago . I do remember not being particularly impressed with the life of them.

The really obvious one - have you checked your tyre pressures?

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I spent a lot of money on travel and racing motorcycles - the rest I just squandered.

XT660Z - Commuter, Adventurer...Racer?

www.dashmoto.net

Other bikes >> MT-03 / CG125BR-J / ER-6F
Departed >> ZXR400L3 / EC300 / DR-Z400E / DR800S / GPZ500S / GS400

I tend to find this sort of shenanigans happens more often than not when the rear starts to square off (or is squared off). What I reckon happens is you tend to put excessive initial effort into turning to get it off the square part of the tyre, then all of a sudden your rolling off it on to the shoulder and falling into the corner!

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Unlikely but check your rear spokes. Mine came loose in Alaska and gave really weird sensation under braking when the weight came off the rear. Doesn't cost anything to check and only takes a minute.

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http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=988891 'South Dakota to South America'

Hi �berthumper ,
same here. My head bearings were woren. Got them changed and it feels like a new bike.
When we checked how smooth the steering moved, we recognized just a very slight resistance on one side. But it was a real horror riding the beast and turn in to turns.

Cheers
Marcus

I'd be surprised, since my head bearings are only 7000 miles old, having been changed when I fitted the WP forks. A quick check with the front end in the air didn't reveal any resistance. I'll probably pull them and regrease at some point, but at the moment my suspicion is still with the tyres.

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I spent a lot of money on travel and racing motorcycles - the rest I just squandered.

XT660Z - Commuter, Adventurer...Racer?

www.dashmoto.net

Other bikes >> MT-03 / CG125BR-J / ER-6F
Departed >> ZXR400L3 / EC300 / DR-Z400E / DR800S / GPZ500S / GS400

Hopfully I am wrong. But your discription fits exactly to my problem. I told the mechanic it felt like having new knobby tires on and you want to do a turn (I have K60 scout fitted).
With knobby tires I mean real knobby tires, no Karoo or TKC80 or T63. Something like that http://www.reifenwerk-heidenau.de/mo...ofil=62&pic=64

Thanks for the thoughts, i will double check bearings pressures again. Tyres look ok they may have gone off as a thought as mine is an 08 model registered in 09 so they must be coming up 4 years old. As an aside after 30 miles last week was suprised that there was no heat in the front. My other bikes always had built up heat (inc XTX) but not this one

i've found that the headrace bearing need greasing every 8k or so. i take em out, clean up and the slap loads of grease in. 28k on one set so far

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