Rear end feels loose

[Alfa156V6]

I bought a firestorm just before xmas and have been building up the miles as it had been a long time since I had a bike.

The bike has come with rear end jacked up with a spacer of approx 5mm and maxxis tyres of which the front is an incorrect size with a 60 profile.

The problem is the back end feels vague and unattached to the front, the symptoms are that if you hit bump mid corner the rear end seems to move in a different direction to the front.

The headstock and swinging arm bearings don't appear to have any play.

Is this normal or should I be looking for a problem.

[Wicky]

Try getting it back to standard and then see if the problem persists

[Alfa156V6]

Yes that was my guess as well and I am not happy with the jack up kit anyway because there is no saftey threads showing through the nut so I will have to remove it, I am also not very keen on the tyres either so they will have to go.

I did wonder if it be front suspension as they seem very soft with lots of dive, actualy I just had a thought I think looking at the old bills that one of the fork seals has been replaced for the MOT I wonder if there is different amounts of oil in the forks.

[RedStormV]

Imodium?


I'll get me coat!


Wicky's suggestion sounds a good start mate - If you've checked everythings tightened etc and all bearings have no excessive play, as long as tyres are good, go back to standard settings and see how she feels.

Graeme.

[rst steve]

I'm running a 6mm shock spacer in mine and apart from it turning in a lot quicker than before i have not felt any ill effects from it. I had a similar problem last year to what you described and it turned out to be the tyre pressures the rear was really low. I assume this has already been checked? After that i suppose settings back to standard and some fresh rubber.

[leanover]

the 120 60 will turn quicker than the std 120 70 plus the extra rear ride hight may be too much also with std forks not a good idear to lift the rear anyway
new tyres in the correct sizes remove the spacer would be the best start
you could check the rear shock rebound at about .75 to1 turn out from full in
and preload on pos 2 static sag 10-12 mm
ps i would not fit maxxis tyres to my wheelbarrow !!

[Zakalwe]

ps i would not fit maxxis tyres to my wheelbarrow !!

Hmm...dunno about that bit. The new Supermaxx were reviewed by Guy Martin on a ZX10R in Performance Bikes. He gave them a big thumbs up (lapped .6s slower than on Corsa 3s. Same bike, same track, same day)

Good enough for someone with my (very) limited talent to do this (click for bigger images)



Bloody good tyres for £120. They have a very steep profile on the rear...they feel lovely turning in. I have used the front right to the edge, but still have about 4mm of "chicken" strip on the rear (first time in my life I have had chicken strips on a bike :mad2 :mad2 )

I've done 2 trackdays on mine and there is loads of meat left on them. I am more than happy to leave them on for Anglesey at the beginning of May.

[Zakalwe]

you have the same leathers as me Steve.

However, I bet that you don't look like "5lb of shite in a 3lb bag" in them though

Regards

Zakalwe (trying to see how fat he can get )

[leanover]

nice pics but i will stick with my 014s and then when they are done a set of michelin pilot powers or may be a set of 016s
ps still wont fit maxxis tyres to my wheelbarrow (if i had one)

[firestarter1977]

i run maxiss on my supermoto .

not much comes close to em grip wise !

[rst steve]

Tell you what Maxxis had the nicest birds at the bke show so that makes me want some

[sirch345]

I'd be inclined to think the wrong profile front tyre coupled with the shock spacer is not helping, as already mentioned by leanover

Also if the forks have been dropped through the yokes, it would be best to return them to standard, at least until you've resolved this problem,

Chris.