Bike wanders from side to side

[twangin4u]

I thought maybe I was just used to my old bike but bike I just got seems to Bob side to side. I'm sure it looks like I'm hammered shit drunk. It's a strange feeling cause I'm constantly fighting it. I checked the rear tire with the marks on the arm and their fine. The drive chain is in a straight line. The front suspension is on the same #1 setting on both sides. Bad tires?

[TexasDave]

First thing I would do is get it on the center stand and check for worn out or loose steering head bearings, see if there is movement front to back pulling on the  front wheel. Second thing I would check is the rear tire. See if there is movement side to side. Could be wheel bearings, Steering head bearings or swing arm bearings.  Dave

[Pat Conlon]

Assuming your tire pressures are correct.....

[giantkiller]

 My steering stem was over tightened  on my 89 when I got it. And was doing the same thing. My bet is something in the steering stem. Overtightened, bad bearings.

[a.graham52]

My bandit 1200 did this once the tires (mostly the rear) were worn flat in the center. You would have to fight to get over that edge. Not noticible in corners once you have made the lean, but some times hard to keep a strait line on a crowned road.

[PaulG]

When I first bought my '92 in '07, for the first season it tended to wander in long sweepers and on/off ramps.  That winter ('07-'08) I tore it down. When I first took out the swing arm pivot (about 20 min with a hammer and drift) I said F-it! and replaced everything.  The bearings for the steering head, wheel (F&R), swing arm, and suspension linkage.   The swing arm and suspension had received no maintenance by previous owners as the swing arm grease had turned to hard-tack toffee/taffee (termato/termahto).  I knew if it was in that bad a shape the rest would be too, and I was proven right for once as the needle bearings in the suspension had mostly sand in them.  The Bike has been rock solid since then.

If you follow the advice and do it step by step going from front to rear, you may find the culprit without spending a crapload on bearings.  In hindsight I probably never should have rode it that first summer, but I entrusted the fact it was safetied by an "authorized dealer" (where I picked it up) by the previous owner and ready for the road.  Live & Learn.

[oldktmdude]

My steering stem was over tightened  on my 89 when I got it. And was doing the same thing. My bet is something in the steering stem. Overtightened, bad bearings.

I recon this is the first thing I'd be checking. Tight steering head bearings weave badly at slow speed and the more you try and correct it, the worse it wanders. You'll also notice at higher speeds that it turns in very quickly compared to the way it should.
Regards, Pete.

[twangin4u]

So I took the caps off my front forks and found a piece of PVC about 2.5" long in each fork..? Ok..? It was 1" electrical conduit

[FJmonkey]

It is normal to find spacers (plastic or metal) in forks. Imagine having to make exact length (in different rates) springs for every fork made. So make the springs short and then add the proper length spacer. This also allows for some pre-load fine tuning. On the FJ it is easy to pull the fork caps off and swap out spacers.

[Bones]

So I took the caps off my front forks and found a piece of PVC about 2.5" long in each fork..? Ok..? It was 1" electrical conduit

That's normal mine had the same, in fact you get a piece of conduit in the kit with the race tech springs that you cut to suit.

[twangin4u]

Oh lol. I thought I was some thing the previous owner did. I should have known it wasn't by the way the pvc was cut straight and not chewed in half

[twangin4u]

I'm thinking the wandering is coming from steer tire. It feels like it's wearing funny. So I'll get a new one and see how that goes

[twangin4u]

My steering stem was over tight and the grease was dry. Could hardly turn the bearing by hand until I cleaned it. Bearing is all better now. Find have to see how it handles tomorrow tho. Just not enough minutes in a day I tell ya