Bike feels like it wants to turn as I ride

[Bahamian]

Bought a used 2006 XB-12R and the bike feels like it wants to turn slightly left for about 50 or so feet then slightly right the next 50 like its slightly fighting against me to go straight. When I purchased it the rear tire was bald and the seller gave me his replacement he was going to put on it and said the bike would not ride properly with the bad rear tire so I assumed it was behaving like that due to the tire. I rode it to a "mechanic" to change it whom did a terrible job and marked up the rim but that's another story. Someone else told me that if the drive belt isn't running off the sprocket that the alignment on the bike must be true but I don't know what else could be wrong with the bike or if its just supposed to feel some torque steer under 35mph.Any suggestions?

 

[Kid1620]

1st thing I'd do is check the psi in both tires

 

[njdevils1990]

sounds like low pressure in the front tire

 

[Iamarchangel]

hooboy, could be trouble.

Two easy tests:

1. couple of 2x4x8, make sure they're straight. put either side of the rear wheel, make sure there's the same gap front and back of rear wheel. Front wheel should have same gap on both sides of wheel.

2. have a good squinty down the belt from behind the rear wheel to the front pulley. It's a challenge with the belt covers but it's doable. Should be straight.

Harder test: straight edge on the bottom forks, measure the gap over as much distance as you can get. (I bought a bike that wouldn't steer, it had been crashed and a very small bend in the forks but massive speed wobbles at 50.)

Torque steer? pfft, it's not that much of a tractor.

Tire pressure, it would have to be noticeably flat to have those symptoms.

Was the better tire brand new? If no, might be scrap, if yes, I think you bought a crashed bike.

 

[garyphantom222]

The first thing to check is indeed the tire pressures.

 

[1badtitan90]

Check to see if fork clamps are tight and aligned

 

[NSEGE]

Classic case of steering head bearings too tight or corroded.

 

[shaggy]

I am with NSEGE on bad head bearings. 2nd would be wheel bearings on the way out? Worse yet the bike was "wadded up" before you got it.......

 

[BuellRiderX]

Sounds just like what my dirt bike was doing a few weeks ago. Changed the head bearings and it's all good now...