Tyre pressures?

Dunno if this has been asked before, i've loooked back and can't see it?

Anyone know the best tyre pressures for front and rear tyres for a 1998 600
Fazer?

I know what the book says but i'd like other ppls opinion just for normal
everyday riding.

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

This is what the book refers to. Or did you think you'd bought a race bike?

 

No, it's just that with the manual pressure setup on the front, it just
feels "too hard" and any uneveness (word?) on the tarmac causes the tyre to
trammel or jump?
I just thought a lower pressure on the front might cure this but wanted
other ppls opinion 1st.

 

Are the forks air assisted/overpressurized? Steering head bearings
overtight? Tyre in good nick?

 

Try, test, try another, test, etc...?

 

Good point, I forgot to flag that possibility up.

Has the bike been badly designed with crap steering geometry?

 

Yes, sounds like too heavy a weight oil in the forks or too much oil in
the forks. But then what do I know I ride a tractor.

 

This does get very boring, even for me.

 

No not really, it actually handles quite well just a worn tyre and an
uneven road surface is apparent if you take your hands off. I'd think
on any modern machine that would be the case, even more so on a sports
bike[1]. If you're using some POS on which the steering is so heavy it
doesn't I can't see it tipping in or handling very well.[2]

[1] Waits for SWK to verify or not
[2] Before we start on how wonderful all things not japanese are my
Bonneville behaves in a similar manner unless the tyre pressure is
close to expected.

 

My Guzzi Quota (Overgrown trail bike) has impeccably neutral steering,
compared to ,for example, a TDM 850, handles amazingly quickly for such
a tall bike, and *never* wags about no matter what the road conditions
or tyre wear.

Mind ewe, it ain't no lightwieght ;-)

 

Oh all right, I'll try harder to resist the temptation this year, OK?

 

Dunno if this has been asked before, i've loooked back and can't

I don't know abt the forks? how can i find out?

I put the bike in 4 two new tyres abt a month ago, they changed the rear but
said the front still had abt 3000 miles on it? should i have still asked
them to change it?

I know the early Fazers did have a "wobble" problem when the front tyre
started to go but i don't seem to be experiencing this, it's more of an
"under steer" if thats possible on a bike?

I just need other Fazer owners experience.

The other thing i can do is ask another biker mate to take it out and see
what he thinks?

 

The forks are not air assisted,

Which tyres do you have? if they're not OEM check the pressures from
the manufacturers web site. There will be differences but unless
they're well out I'd be surprised if you notice it. Sure it's not the
general sh*tty condition of the roads at the moment? Check the life
left, gauges are cheap, 3K is only about 1/2 worn so don't throw away
a good tyre. Are the tyres fitted of the same make and model?

Check the steering head bearings, check the rear tyre including
alignment, often problems at one end will be experienced at the other
<fnar>. Is everything done up correctly?

 

This sounds a bit like overtight steering head bearings. I bet it
doesn't have a centre stand either.

Pivot it up on the sidestand and dump it onto a plastic beer crate so
you can check the ease with which the front end swivels about the
steering head. It should just 'flop' under it's own weight without being
so loose that you can feel the bearings clicking as you rock the forks
fore and aft.

It may not be this at all and could be a shagged rear shock or loose
swingarm bearings but it's worth checking anyway.

HTH

 

Fazer has centre stand as standard, springs just gone on mine so it's
clipped up with a cable tie ATM.

 

Thanks for all the info from everyone, i'll try what you said when i get a
spare minute, probably early sat am.

I remember though, i checked the rear shock last time and that seemed fine
to me, so i'll check the steering head bearings.

Thanks all!

 

Also check that the front end doesn't settle into a 'notch' in the
straight ahead position as this can also cause the symptoms you
described