R65 Behaviour at low speed

[Dick_Stilton]

Greetings all, Dick here with a question. I am rapidly approaching the big day for my bike test and I am not happy with the controlability of my R65 at very low speed and am convinced if i dont do something im going to F%*& up on the low speed elements of the test. You know, the cone stuff, fig 8 and the straight line timed control crap.
My problem is my steering starts out ok then then if i turn the bars past a certain point they want to go all the way and then I have to correct fast and... well you know what im talking about.
A mate of mine suggested this could be a serious steering problem or something simple like uneven wear on the front tire. On inspection the front tire is worn more on the edges indicating that it has been run a bit under pressure somewhere along the line.

Any thoughts guys.

Thanks

Dick

[Ed Miller]

My front tires always wear more on the edges than the middle, since I steer more than I brake.  I don't know if that is what is causing your problem.  How many miles on the tire?  Model might help, don't know.

Other than that, too tight of steering head bearings will affect low speed handling too, or old, stiff grease on them.

Good luck,

[Jon_P]

there are a couple of things that could be going on that is making the wheel flop over.

1. worn, missing, loose head stock bearings
2. tire wear and or tire inflation
3. longer than oem shocks (it changes the rake on the head stock which shortens trail, which gives that unstable feel)

check those out and repair or replace as needed

[Chris_in_BC]

All of the above physical things.

But how much have YOU been practicing? Slow riding and cones does take a certain skill level. I would get out in a supermarket parking lot and practice  as well.
At really slow speeds the steering will not centre itself due to centrifugal force  like it does when you are riding down the road.
It will want to flop to one side. You will have to stop that with your arms.

A lot of people aren't very good at slow speeds, which is why you see them running along with their feet down in the parking lot or for a long stretch when they start off from a stop. They never seem to realise that they are reducing their balance more once the feet are off the pegs.

So get out and do some heavy duty practicing.

[Semper Gumby]

You might try a slightly higher tire pressure  (I run 33/36 front rear - I don't know what that is in Bar)

[MrRiden]

All the above (especially practice) and my $0.02. Ive been told that a wider front tire will make the steering "less quick". I have no empirical evidence to share other than I went for a fat tyre up front and have been happy with it.
rich

[Tony_Pattison]

Dick,
sorry if this stating the bl**din' obvious, but remember to use your rear brake when you're doing the slow speed stuff. You've got to juggle a whole lot of things at the same time - revs, clutch, rear brake (gives the engine something to pull against), balance and steering - and that takes practice.

I'll be honest and say that I haven't done any slow speed stuff since my test (on a rented 500cc Honda), but you've given me the idea to give it a go on my R65.

good luck with the test

Tony

[Dick_Stilton]

Thanks for all the kind and valuable advice fellas. Especialy the bit about practice. I asked my instructor to ride the bike on Saturday and he told me there is nothing wrong with it. I guess its down to me. Too much road work and not enough looking a plonker in the car park.
Thanks again. Dick

[thrang]

Hiya Dick,

The R65 like all airheads is a bit of a pig at slowspeeds, but like everyones said, the only way to get the hang of it is practice, practice and more practice (a strong pair of wrists can help especially on odd cambered surfaces).
Holding any bike under about 10mph takes a sensative touch on the controls and technique, which you can only learn by doing. Oddly I find actually thinking about what I'm doing at slow speed actually makes it harder.

My wife had exactily the same problem when she was doing her test, and how we got her confidence up was the me walking round the university carpark quizzing her on her highway code (to make her have to think about something else) while she kept pace on bike beside me.

bests
Tony

[Tony_Pattison]

like thrang said, don't think about it too much. I found that I had to look up (ie. not at the road immediately where I was going) when I did the U turn in the road (oh, and make sure that you check the road first, your examiner wouldn't put you in danger , but you have to show that you are aware at all times what is happening around you). And if I looked at the centre of the turn I always fell over, I had to look at my destination.

Good luck and let us know when (not 'if') you pass.

Tony

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

ALWAYS look where you want to go.

The bike will follow.

[Dick_Stilton]

Thanks again for the advice gratefully received and taken on board. Test date is 7th August. :-/

[nhmaf]

Good luck on your test, Dick.

The Airheads/oilheads are a bit harder to do the very low speed maneuvers with because of the dry clutch
and it's typically "sharper" engagement point, but it can be done.  IT just takes lots of practice and learning
just where in the lever travel it is starting to grab, plus countering the engine's pull a little bit with just a touch of
rear brake and you can make some very low speed turns.    I learned to pass my exams many years ago
by riding up and down may parent's gravel driveway, which added a slight bit more "excitement".  
There is even an interesting article in the latest BMW ON magazine on bikers taking the motor-police training
course here in the states.   They tend to use Kawasaki KZ1000s (with wet multiplate clutches) as it is much easier
to "feather" those clutches (and they take the abuse pretty well).

I am sure that with more practice, perhaps with a friend who has been riding awhile, you'll do well on your exam.

Let us all know, and we'll all go out and have a pint for you to celebrate !

[Ed Miller]

My brother rode my R65 to pass his test, rather than his Yamapotamus V-twin cruiser.  

[scottyintex]

I am a firm believer in steering dampers.........My R27, my first motorcycle,  has a mechanical steering damper on it. Being a old bike the throttle doesn’t have a return on it.......meaning the throttle stays where ever you put it last. Not as safe as the news ones.....but a cool cruise control.  I sometimes take my hands off the handle bars...and just cruise. It is rock solid without the slightest hint of a twitch. Now that is something I would have never done on the R65 until I put a steering damper on it. I considered the R65 handling a little to unsteady, over sensitive to do that. ....ride hands off.My R65 now has a sidecar and with that came a steering damper the size and shape of a shock absorber on a old VW bug........big. The R65's  have a much smaller steering damper for a solo or non sidecar cycle...but it came as an option so many do not have it. You can still get them. Surely someone out there has put a steering damper on and can give us the benefit of their experience. Sidecars tend to cause a oscillation at slow speed on the front tire............ a steering damper takes that out and should be part of any sidecar set up. But I wouldn’t ride a R65 solo or sidecar without a steering damper.      But I am old and brittle, more...........cautious than I use to be be.