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Can't turn fork when slowing down from high speeds?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Kev
  • Start date Start date
K

Kev

Guest
Hello. I have a 1983 GS1100GL (Shaft Drive). My motorcycle just started having this issue. Just got it back from having the starter clutch replaced last week....:( Now i was driving home doing about 65 and tried to turn the fork and it was completely locked up. So i slowed down and it stayed locked until I was completely stopped. Then I could force it to turn. After i did so i rode it around the parking lot and was able to turn just fine. So i hit a straightaway to test it at high speeds. Hit 65 and and it locked again. :mad: Obviously I can lean to make lane changes and turn but i can't turn my fork to the left or right at any speeds above about 30 and it locks completely at 65.....Anyone have any ideas? I am about a half hour from home and i know there is a grease fitting on the front end near the caliper. I plan to ride home and grease that. Anyone have any idea if that will help or is this something worse?
 
Have you owned this bike very long ? Do you know what counter steering means ?
 
Kev said:
Hello. I have a 1983 GS1100GL (Shaft Drive). My motorcycle just started having this issue. Just got it back from having the starter clutch replaced last week....:( Now i was driving home doing about 65 and tried to turn the fork and it was completely locked up. So i slowed down and it stayed locked until I was completely stopped. Then I could force it to turn. After i did so i rode it around the parking lot and was able to turn just fine. So i hit a straightaway to test it at high speeds. Hit 65 and and it locked again. :mad: Obviously I can lean to make lane changes and turn but i can't turn my fork to the left or right at any speeds above about 30 and it locks completely at 65.....Anyone have any ideas? I am about a half hour from home and i know there is a grease fitting on the front end near the caliper. I plan to ride home and grease that. Anyone have any idea if that will help or is this something worse?
Click to expand...


Can you place the bike on its center stand and with the front whell off the ground sweep lock to lock?

Listen and feel for any grinding or binding in the steering head.

Im not sure if its possible but the part of the steering lock that engages the front end may be slipping in and out of engagement.

you should be able to visullt inspect for this.
 
tkent02 said:
Don't grease that. Check your steering bearings.
Click to expand...
Where are they?
bonanzadave said:
Have you owned this bike very long ? Do you know what counter steering means ?
Click to expand...
Only owned this one four months but this is my third bike, second classic suzuki gs. I know what counter steering is as far as a technique....
JEEPRUSTY said:
Can you place the bike on its center stand and with the front whell off the ground sweep lock to lock?

Listen and feel for any grinding or binding in the steering head.

Im not sure if its possible but the part of the steering lock that engages the front end may be slipping in and out of engagement.

you should be able to visullt inspect for this.
Click to expand...
No center stand on the 1100GL. Had one on my 425....Where/what is the steering head? How i would i visually inspect this?
 
Kev said:
Where are they?


No center stand on the 1100GL. Had one on my 425....Where/what is the steering head? How i would i visually inspect this?
Click to expand...

The steering head is that big pipe welded onto the front of the frame, where everything that turns when you move the handlebars attaches to the bike. The bearings inside get ruined from lack of maintenance.

Sit on the bike, turn the handlebars side to side, all the way. Smooth as silk?
Raise the front of the bike, maybe use the sidestand and a jackstand under the right side footpeg or frame or something?
Maybe set the whole bike on a big milkbox or something?
Grab the fork legs, move them up and down. Clunk, clunk?
Or no movement at all?
Same test, turn it side to side. Smooth and quiet?
Or does it feel like there are notches it wants to fall into?
Crunching, roughness, friction?

Now let the bars go to one side, remove your hands. The bars should hit the end and bounce a little bit, one time only?
 
Last edited:
Bad bearings...possibly dropped balls from a bad front end reassembly. I had this happen with an old Maxim...the upper race was bad and a couple of bearings dropped when I went to put the thing back together. It made a gap the steering stem could fall into and made it feel locked up except under hard, hard braking.

Try rolling just a couple miles per hour and grab a whole handful of the front brake...tell us if you hear a loud "thunk" from the front of the bike.
 
tkent02 said:
The steering head is that big pipe welded onto the front of the frame, where everything that turns when you move the handlebars attaches to the bike. The bearings inside get ruined from lack of maintenance.

1.Sit on the bike, turn the handlebars side to side, all the way. Smooth as silk?
Raise the front of the bike, maybe use the sidestand and a jackstand under the right side footpeg or frame or something?
Maybe set the whole bike on a big milkbox or something?
2.Grab the fork legs, move them up and down. Clunk, clunk?
Or no movement at all?
3.Same test, turn it side to side. Smooth and quiet?
Or does it feel like there are notches it wants to fall into?
Crunching, roughness, friction?

Now let the bars go to one side, remove your hands. The bars should hit the end and bounce a little bit, one time only?
Click to expand...
1. Not smooth as silk. But manageable. I can turn okay at low speeds.
2. At a hotel right now, but I can tell you the legs go up and down. A little clunky for sure.
3. Not a lot of noise but definitely some friction/roughness.
 
With syptoms like that, please DO NOT RIDE THE BIKE. :eek:

You say turning is not smooth as silk, but "manageable". This is just so wrong. If it's not smooth as silk, your steering head bearings need to be changed. The only time you should ride the bike before changing them is ONTO A TRAILER, then INTO THE WORK AREA.

.
 
makenzie71 said:
Bad bearings...possibly dropped balls from a bad front end reassembly. I had this happen with an old Maxim...the upper race was bad and a couple of bearings dropped when I went to put the thing back together. It made a gap the steering stem could fall into and made it feel locked up except under hard, hard braking.

Try rolling just a couple miles per hour and grab a whole handful of the front brake...tell us if you hear a loud "thunk" from the front of the bike.
Click to expand...
I'll have to give this a try in the morning. I'll let you guys know. Sorry for being so unprepared but i am working full time and im staying with a friend a little ways out of town this weekend to offer some support for some issues he's been having. I figured id take the bike to save gas since i'd be riding farther to work in the morning. It obviously disagrees... I really don't want to be wrenching again....just got it back. Obviously with the "countersteering" technique :rolleyes: I can ride it this week but is it safe or is there a risk of front end parts failing (ie the wheel falling off :eek:)?
 
Steve said:
With syptoms like that, please DO NOT RIDE THE BIKE. :eek:

You say turning is not smooth as silk, but "manageable". This is just so wrong. If it's not smooth as silk, your steering head bearings need to be changed. The only time you should ride the bike before changing them is ONTO A TRAILER, then INTO THE WORK AREA.

.
Click to expand...

makenzie71 said:
Not smooth as silk = not safe to ride.
Click to expand...
Loud and clear. She goes home tomorrow then. Thanks guys.
 
I'd also like to clarify that my first post was somewhat ignorant sounding. I want to point out that the problem was not so much that I could not turn my fork easily at high speeds (resistance). It was that there is a physical sensation of the steering locking up and I must come to a complete stop before it gets better. Generally just as resistance increases with an increase of speed, resistance decreases with a reduction of speed. The fork still will not turn in first gear doing 5mph. I must come to a stop and force it to turn. Hopefully this clears things up and hopefully i did not offend anyone who thought this was driver error/inexperience.
 
The next question I have is if a Suzuki dealership will be able to change the steering head bearings (are the bearings common enough that they stock them generally or are they model and year specific?) and if so what the average cost is and how long it takes them? Obviously, i would love to do it myself but i rely on my bike for transportation and cannot have it sitting in the garage instead of on the road. I will call my local dealer tomorrow and find out. I just appreciate further input. Thanks to everyone. :)
 
SCan the local craigslist...lots of shadetree mechanics out there can save you some cash. Either way you're looking at a couple hours of labor and probably $50 in parts.
 
Kev said:
The next question I have is if a Suzuki dealership will be able to change the steering head bearings (are the bearings common enough that they stock them generally or are they model and year specific?) and if so what the average cost is and how long it takes them? Obviously, i would love to do it myself but i rely on my bike for transportation and cannot have it sitting in the garage instead of on the road. I will call my local dealer tomorrow and find out. I just appreciate further input. Thanks to everyone. :)
Click to expand...

Few dealers will even look at a bike that old, and if they do, they will do what they must do to sell you a new bike, not fix yours. Get the part number, order it, fix it yourself.

Better yet, try here:
https://www.allballsracing.com/index.php/
 
The bearings are pretty common...they should have them, but you may have to try a few different dealers...start with Suzuki, then try Yamaha.
 
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