A question for the experts here on VFRD, I have been bringing my baby back to life after her accident... I have purchased all the needed parts & have put her back on the road & tested her out last week :fing02: She seemed to ride fine, not quite as I recall but I have been riding an '80 CX 500 for the past month that has clouded my memory :biggrin: She rode very straight & stable even with no hands on the bars @ about 50. I have a couple of issues that I am hoping the experts can verify my findings. It seems that the bike goes up on the center stand very easily...ie rear wheel not very far off the ground & it looks as if the handlebars are not straight... I found a '97 at the dealer close by my work for sale & went in with my measuring tape & took measurements of the forks & handlebar height...My forks are the same length so I am thinking that the steering stem is bent?? it does take a bit of effort to get the forks in through the lower & upper.... I purchased a set of '92 forks complete with steering stem,but I put her back together with the old steering stem since it had newer bearings on it... although a little research shows 92 & 94 has the same bearings :blink: so I am going to swap them in the am & hopefully that will solve this issue. I am having a hard time believing that the bottom being bent up can have that effect? even that the bottom could bend? It didn't look bent :blink: Maybe someone with a little more experience can enlighten me :idea3:
Any Thoughts???
Thanks
Gary
Gary, it's not very hard to tweak the triple trees. If you have to force the forks through the trees, then chances are that one or both ARE tweaked. This may not be a horrible thing, if it still tracks well I wouldn't worry about it. If it starts riding funny, then change them out.
As for fork length... I know you did a rebuild, did you change your fork springs at all? Could be that your old ones were sagging & the new ones have "re-lengthened" your forks? Did you install them at the correct height above the triple clamp?
SEBSPEED, on 05 June 2010 - 07:50 AM, said:
Gary, it's not very hard to tweak the triple trees. If you have to force the forks through the trees, then chances are that one or both ARE tweaked. This may not be a horrible thing, if it still tracks well I wouldn't worry about it. If it starts riding funny, then change them out.
As for fork length... I know you did a rebuild, did you change your fork springs at all? Could be that your old ones were sagging & the new ones have "re-lengthened" your forks? Did you install them at the correct height above the triple clamp?
Thanks that is what I thought if it tracks straight it is ok... When I installed the new forks, I used the race tech springs that were in my 4th gen forks, I figured you really can't hurt a spring by bending the forks :fing02: & yes all was installed per the book, so the height was correct. It is surprising that I remember this procedure from doing it a year ago... I guess its like riding a bike... & regarding the correct height above the triple clamp, if I have more fork above the triple clamp that would be quicker turn in, less high speed stability correct??
Thanks Seb :beer:
V-FORE, on 05 June 2010 - 09:35 AM, said:
SEBSPEED, on 05 June 2010 - 07:50 AM, said:
Gary, it's not very hard to tweak the triple trees. If you have to force the forks through the trees, then chances are that one or both ARE tweaked. This may not be a horrible thing, if it still tracks well I wouldn't worry about it. If it starts riding funny, then change them out.
As for fork length... I know you did a rebuild, did you change your fork springs at all? Could be that your old ones were sagging & the new ones have "re-lengthened" your forks? Did you install them at the correct height above the triple clamp?
Thanks that is what I thought if it tracks straight it is ok... When I installed the new forks, I used the race tech springs that were in my 4th gen forks, I figured you really can't hurt a spring by bending the forks :laughing6-hehe: & yes all was installed per the book, so the height was correct. It is surprising that I remember this procedure from doing it a year ago... I guess its like riding a bike... & regarding the correct height above the triple clamp, if I have more fork above the triple clamp that would be quicker turn in, less high speed stability correct??
Thanks Seb :fing02:
Correct, the more tube showing above the top tree(lower front end) the quicker it turns in and if you go too far it looses high speed stability.
As Seb said, if the forks don't slide right into the lower and upper trees, the trees are bent. If you know what your doing you can straighten them, but it's easy to get lost in the process!
Gary, did you change the steering head bearings to tapered bearings by any chance?
SEBSPEED, on 05 June 2010 - 06:11 PM, said:
Gary, did you change the steering head bearings to tapered bearings by any chance?
Just got back from a quick 50 mile test ride, all sorts of roads & she's back :happy: I found that riding my 80 cx 500 does not move me like my VFR :laughing6-hehe: Boy how I have missed her :fing02: Seb, just the stock bearings,
Thank you for all your help!
Gary