Wheel Alignment/drifting
Wheel Alignment/drifting
Author
Discussion

pcn1

Original Poster:

1,305 posts

236 months

Tuesday
quotequote all
My Multistrada 1260, when riding down the road holding the bars as normal its absolutely fine.

But If I let go of the bars it will instantly drift to the left. I have to hang my body way over to the right to try and get it to run straight.

I'm assuming the front forks need attention, and if so, do they use lasers to align wheels for bikes these day like cars ?


trickywoo

13,188 posts

247 months

Tuesday
quotequote all
The front is self aligning.

Essentially you leave the front axle pinch bolts loose and push the forks down as close to the centre of the head bearing as you can. Do that a few times. The procedure changes a bit from bike to bike but that’s generally it.

Worth making sure the rear is aligned as well.

Sidecar Man

705 posts

78 months

Tuesday
quotequote all
First thing I'd check is rear wheel alignment. With a straight edge or laser. Don't trust the marks on the swingarm..

outnumbered

4,646 posts

251 months

Tuesday
quotequote all
Pilot Road 5/6 ? They cause exactly that effect on BMW GSes.

GSA_fattie

2,333 posts

238 months

Tuesday
quotequote all
road camber

just an obvious suggestion before we get the straight edge, string and tools out

both gsa and tiger do it and the H2 SX before that if i use cc and then take my hands off the bars - especially on the mway

Steve Bass

10,555 posts

250 months

Yesterday (03:34)
quotequote all
Check the head bearing for correct torque. And depending on the miles on the bike, they might need replacing as the balls in the race can create a "home" in the bearing cup on the oem headstock bearing

Rubin215

4,173 posts

173 months

Yesterday (07:22)
quotequote all
GSA_fattie said:
road camber

just an obvious suggestion before we get the straight edge, string and tools out

both gsa and tiger do it and the H2 SX before that if i use cc and then take my hands off the bars - especially on the mway
This.

Find a long straight stretch of road with nothing coming the other direction and then try the same thing on the wrong side of the road.

Tam_Mullen

2,535 posts

189 months

Yesterday (07:31)
quotequote all
Sidecar Man said:
First thing I'd check is rear wheel alignment. With a straight edge or laser. Don't trust the marks on the swingarm..
On a bike with an single sided swingarm?

cliffords

2,793 posts

40 months

Yesterday (07:32)
quotequote all
Riding in France my bike was noticeably drifting right , back in UK the same but less pronounced. Looking at the front tire it has warn unevenly as a result of UK road camber.

black-k1

12,532 posts

246 months

Yesterday (08:10)
quotequote all
GSA_fattie said:
road camber

just an obvious suggestion before we get the straight edge, string and tools out

both gsa and tiger do it and the H2 SX before that if i use cc and then take my hands off the bars - especially on the mway
Almost definitely road camber, and the slightly one sided wear that causes on tyres.

V5Ade

239 posts

227 months

Yesterday (08:18)
quotequote all
My Multistarda did the same on Michelin Road 6. I swapped back to the OEM Pirelli's and it was fine. I'm not sure if if was the tyres or the guy who fitted the Road 6 front didn't bounce the forks with the pinch bolts loose.

pcn1

Original Poster:

1,305 posts

236 months

Yesterday (08:59)
quotequote all
The bike has 9K on the clock, so not expecting any bearing wear.
The tires have a 1000 miles on them.

This bouncing the front forks to center them, I've done that on my 900 scrambler after rebuilding the forks. But the Multi is such a big bike, I don't think I could "man handle" it that way !

I'll try on the other side of the road, when its safe. But from memory my other bikes haven't suffered so much from this.

outnumbered

4,646 posts

251 months

Yesterday (16:00)
quotequote all
pcn1 said:
The bike has 9K on the clock, so not expecting any bearing wear.
The tires have a 1000 miles on them.

This bouncing the front forks to center them, I've done that on my 900 scrambler after rebuilding the forks. But the Multi is such a big bike, I don't think I could "man handle" it that way !

I'll try on the other side of the road, when its safe. But from memory my other bikes haven't suffered so much from this.
What tyres are they ?