TROUBLESHOOTING 3-9
CHASSIS
Complaint
Symptom and possible causes
Remedy
Heavy steering
• Overtightened steering stem nut
• Broken bearing in steering stem
• Distorted steering stem
• Not enough pressure in tires
Adjust
Replace
Replace
Adjust
Wobbly handlebars
• Loss of balance between right and left front forks
• Distorted front fork
• Distorted front axle or crooked tire
• Loose steering stem nut
• Worn or incorrect tire or wrong tire pressure
• Worn bearing/race in steering stem
Adjust
Repair or replace
Replace
Adjust
Adjust or replace
Replace
Wobbly front wheel
• Distorted wheel rim
• Worn front wheel bearings
• Defective or incorrect tire
• Loose axle or axle pinch bolt
• Incorrect front fork oil level
• Incorrect front wheel weight balance
• Loose spork nipple
Replace
Replace
Replace
Retighten
Adjust
Adjust
Retighten
Front suspension
too soft
• Weakened springs
• Not enough fork oil
• Wrong weight fork oil
• Improperly set front fork damping force adjuster
Replace
Replenish
Replace
Adjust
Front suspension
too stiff
• Too viscous fork oil
• Too much fork oil
• Bent front fork
• Improperly set front fork damping force adjuster
Replace
Drain excess oil
Replace
Adjust
Noisy front suspen-
sion
• Not enough fork oil
• Loose bolts on suspension
• Broken spring
Replenish
Retighten
Replace
Wobbly rear wheel
• Distorted wheel rim
• Worn rear wheel bearing or swingarm bearings
• Defective or incorrect tire
• Worn swingarm and rear suspension bearings
• Loose nuts or bolts on rear suspensions
Replace
Replace
Replace
Replace
Retighten
Rear suspension
too soft
• Weakened spring of shock absorber
• Improperly set shock absorber spring force adjuster
• Leakage of oil or gas shock absorber
• Improperly set shock absorber damping force adjuster
Replace
Adjust
Repair or replace
Adjust
Rear suspension
too stiff
• Bent shock absorber shaft
• Improperly set shock absorber spring force adjuster
• Bent swingarm pivot shaft
• Worn swingarm and rear suspension bearings
• Improperly set shock absorber damping force adjuster
Replace
Adjust
Replace
Replace
Adjust
Noisy rear suspen-
sion
• Loose nuts or bolts on rear suspension
• Worn swingarm and suspension bearings
Retighten
Replace