Steering stiff and doesn't feel right

I have an 06 AE that I purchased used a few months ago. It has about 4500 miles on it. When I ride it the steering feels really stiff, especially at low speed. I had another 06 AE previously that I purchased new so I know how it is supposed to feel and can tell a difference.

It feels as if the front tire is low on air. I have triple checked the air pressure and am running 39F/41R. I double checked the suspension settings on the dials on top and they are set to the standard settings. I torqued the steering head bearings as well.

The front tire is the OEM Metz Z6. The rear is a Dunlop D220. They both look good.

What else should I check? I am considering just putting a new set of Pilot Road 2 on anyway. Any other ideas of what I should try?

Also, when I torqued the steering head bearings I went to 37 and then backed off and was trying to go to 13. The first time I tried to go to 13 my torque wrench seemed to keep going. It felt like I was getting a little too tight so I stopped and loosened it again and went to 13 and the wrench clicked this time. There is a possibility that I went a little past 37 that second time. Could I have damaged something or if I did go a little over will it loosen up some and correct itself as I ride? BTW, the issue above with the stiff steering was happening before I tightened the steering head bearings so if I did overtighten it isn't the cause of that issue.

Thanks for your help.

Eric

Lift up the front end and see if it turns easily and smoothly?

El Gordo said:

Lift up the front end and see if it turns easily and smoothly?

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Thanks. I tried that and it seems to turn smoothly and easily.

While I was ther looked at the tires again. Both the front and the rear feel like they are squared off some in the middle. Would this casue the problem that I am seeing? From what I am reading, having a squared off tire is a sign of wear and indicates that the tires should be replaced. I think that I will try that next and see if that takes care of it.

Any other things that I should check?

Mismatched profiles on the front and rear tires cold make it "feel" funny.

Yes, squared off tires will react differently.

Once you've changed tires (to a matched set???) report back and let us know what difference that made.

IF you have raised the front and there are no tight spots, chances are you didn't crush any bearings or notch the races. You report that you had the problem before you checked the torque and that hasn't changed, so.....

Personally I find 41 a better pressure for the front.

Besides that, I never could seem to get my 06 head bearings correct. Torqued to, and above spec., there was still play in the bearings, accompanied with headshake. I ended changing them out for the "All Ball" tapered bearings and never looked back. Lighter steering, headshake gone, fork play gone. They are very cheap money for the gain.

We all know the difference in handling when you bump from 39 to 41psi in the front tyre. That has to be what the issue is.

I would guess it to be the front tire wear and the air pressure combined to make feel stiff to turn on. Does it feel like it "falls into the turn"?

I'd consider the tires as suspect #1 since you say that the steering feels free when the front tire is in the air and tire pressures are in the correct range.

I've run Met Z6s and Diablos, both of which begin to exhibit truck like steering as they reach end of life. Dunno what effect running mixed brands could add to the mix.

I originally had Z6's on my 06. Steering became noticibly heavier after 5K miles and positively truck-like as they approached 9K. Really had to wrestle it into turns, though they held a line well once leaned over. It was just that getting leaned over was a real work out.

New tires, BT-021's in my case, made the bike feel like it had power-steering in comparison.

Low effort, steady pressure to turn in. But I must admit, after a couple of thousand miles, I am noticing it getting ever-so-slightly heavier again. At least I'll know when it gets appreciably heavier it'll time to replace them again, regardless of thread depth.

NMRoadRunner said:

I would guess it to be the front tire wear and the air pressure combined to make feel stiff to turn on. Does it feel like it "falls into the turn"?

Click to expand...

I haven't had a chance to really try it out in a turn at speed. I was afraid to try since it felt so odd. At slow speed it definitely doesn't "fall in". I fell like I am contantly wrestling with it to get it to lean. It seems like I have to put way too much pressure on it to make it turn and then continue the pressure to keep it there.

Thanks for all of the feedback from everyone. It sounds like new tires are the next step.

BTW, it was shipped via a reputable motorcycle shipping company cross-country this winter. I noticed that they lowered the pressure in both tires to about 35. It was in the truck for about 3 weeks. Could this have caused some of the squaring off on the tires as well?

You've probably already done this, but verify the pressure gauge you're using. I've seen even good gauges go off by as much as 5lbs at 40. Running that much under pressure will certainly make it feel like a truck.

I didn't think my front tire was worn until I looked at it and compared it to a new tire.

Both of these are fjr tires though different.

Take a close look at the curve on the front of the each tire looking down and you will see the difference

Front Tire Wear

Hope this helps you diagnose your issue.

Tire pressure is also important.

I had a cb750 with 20psi in the front and it was hard to push in the garage. Then I put in the correct pressure and it was an amazing difference.