Front tire is slipping

[luvridin]

I have a 2006 busa and my front end feels like it wants to slide out from under me in turns. My tire actually felt like it slipped today. Tire pressure is 42psi front and rear. I weigh 185 and am 5 10". Bike has 3k miles on it. The front tire has no cupping or unusual wear. Im guessing the suspension which I have chnaged from stock. I stiffend the rear and I have 4 lines showing on the front. I cant remeber the rest but  all I really could tell different was the bike fell in turns better and it bounces more over rough pavement.  Any suggestions. I would love to do the sag but I have noone to give me a hand. Thanks all

 

[Don Hardcastle]

First of all pick a color other than white to post in. Ppl can't read that. Not sure about the rest.

 

[luvridin]

I changed that sorry. I thought cause the bike was faster (white) you could read it quicker

 

[heavybusa]

good thinking.

Did it slip before you changed the settings?

Have actually replaced parts or just adjusted settings?

 

[luvridin]

Its all stock I felt a vague feeling in the front and thats what got me to try and change the settings.

 

[omslaw]

Try lowering your pressure to 36 PSI. This will help by giving you a larger contact patch.

If I'm doing some looong commuting, I'll bump up to 42. Otherwise, for most everyday riding, I'm @ 36. When I hit the track (or the Dragon), I'll drop to 30 - 32.

 

[luvridin]

Ill try it thanks. I was gonna say it almost feels like there isnt enough weight on the front wheel.

 

[omslaw]

NP.

Check out . He talks about his recent experience with tire pressures on a cold day at the track.

 

[frisbee]

Does it do it all the time or only when the tires cold ? Maybe something was on the road? Had to ask .

 

[Sloto200]

42 is to high for general riding on the street. Recommended pressure is 36 or 38... (cant remember, just woke up and still having coffee) I run the recommended pressure and have no issues with front tire. 36- 38 front and 42 rear.

 

[luvridin]

It has been this way since I bought the bike. I figured it was just getting used to the weight. I dropped the tire pressure and it feels better than yesterday but havent got to push it yet. It was only 42 degrees when I came in today.

 

[Revlis]

(Sloto200 @ Oct. 06 2006,09:05) 42 is to high for general riding on the street. Recommended pressure is 36 or 38... (cant remember, just woke up and still having coffee) I run the recommended pressure and have no issues with front tire. 36- 38 front and 42 rear.

Suzuki recommends 42PSI FRONT and rear. <-----Period.

Now if he's running the OEM Slipstones he stated he's running the pressures that Suzuki recommends.

Biggest problem I see here is the bridgestone tires, but I wouldn't really call those ALL that slippery really just NOT communicative, and hard as rocks.

I'd say it's Perception possibly or cold tires on cold pavement, maybe it's to much braking or deceleration tipping in, overloading the front maybe...

 

[KRUZIN]

I have a new 06 LE run front and rear @ 42psi and it takes all the corners with no problem fully stock even the shock adjustments I am 6' 1" 175 lbs...

 

[Warputer]

I run 38#'s in the front and have "felt" the stocker slip on a few corners . No imagination needed , when it slips you know it .

 

[Wag]

Always use the pressure as printed on the tire itself. When they had that big Firestone fiasco a few years ago, it came out in the courts that the tires were failing because the auto manufacturers were likely to blame because they were underinflating tires and recommending same to the consumers. Gives a smoother ride and all that jazz. That's the short version.

Regardless, the pressure printed on the sidewall of the tire is put there by the guys who make the tires and after all that court stuff, it was dertermined that yes, they know best how to inflate tires.

(Aside from that, Firestone DID have other problems with their tires which had nothing to do with tire pressure.)

It takes about 30 minutes to warm up those Bridgestones. Before that, you're riding on cold tires. Add to that cold pavement and you're hosed. That's one reason why riding in the twisties can be risky because you can go from tree-shaded pavement to sunny pavement in very short order. This is more of a problem in the morning but if you're in a tight turn going too fast, a change in asphalt temperature can throw you down.

Lastly, your suspension needs to be set so that it maximizes the contact time with the road. If it's bouncing around, you're going to "slip" in turns. I'm no suspension expert so I can't tell you how to set it but keep a close eye on it for signs of cupping. It could be low tire pressure but it could also be suspension problems. Regardless, the idea is, as before, to make sure your suspension and damping equipment in your forks are keeping you tire on the road.

If you sit on the bike and push down on the handlebars and let go all at once, it should come up and stop. No bounce. If it bounces, something is wrong.

--Wag--

 

[Cykill]

:ose the stock POS tire. go to any of the major ones. I've ran most, and like the new Qualifiers best. I never felt safe on the stock ones. never seened to grip well even on Hot Florida roads.

 

[Over_Easy]

First, I would run at 40 psi.  Also, it looks like you may be putting too much of your weight on your arms and subsequently the front tire.  Most of your weight should be on the inside footpeg (ball of your foot) of the turn (you need strong thighs to do this correctly and you will feel the pain after a long ride of doing so).  Very little weight should be on the front bars.  Hands should barely be resting on them.

Remember, weight on inside footpeg...lowers center of gravity in the best place for the turn.

 

[stlbusarider]

(Wag @ Oct. 06 2006,17:58) Always use the pressure as printed on the tire itself.  When they had that big Firestone fiasco a few years ago, it came out in the courts that the tires were failing because the auto manufacturers were likely to blame because they were underinflating tires and recommending same to the consumers.  Gives a smoother ride and all that jazz.  That's the short version.

Regardless, the pressure printed on the sidewall of the tire is put there by the guys who make the tires and after all that court stuff, it was dertermined that yes, they know best how to inflate tires.

(Aside from that, Firestone DID have other problems with their tires which had nothing to do with tire pressure.)

It takes about 30 minutes to warm up those Bridgestones.  Before that, you're riding on cold tires.  Add to that cold pavement and you're hosed.  That's one reason why riding in the twisties can be risky because you can go from tree-shaded pavement to sunny pavement in very short order.  This is more of a problem in the morning but if you're in a tight turn going too fast, a change in asphalt temperature can throw you down.

Lastly, your suspension needs to be set so that it maximizes the contact time with the road.  If it's bouncing around, you're going to "slip" in turns.   I'm no suspension expert so I can't tell you how to set it but keep a close eye on it for signs of cupping.  It could be low tire pressure but it could also be suspension problems.  Regardless, the idea is, as before, to make sure your suspension and damping equipment in your forks are keeping you tire on the road.

If you sit on the bike and push down on the handlebars and let go all at once, it should come up and stop.  No bounce.  If it bounces, something is wrong.

--Wag--

I'm sorry to say it wag, but that's not entirely true. The tire pressures on the side of a tire are the max pressures to run if carrying the max load the tires are rated for. Example, 4 tires rated at 44 psi, and capable of carrying 1500lbs each at 44 psi, tires are rate for 6000lbs in total.
You should always run your tires according to the door sticker and in this case the placard on the bike. Not doing so will result in a flat spot in the center of the tread.
I have to defend Firestone because I've worked there for seven years and they pay me too much not to. The major problem with the Explorers was the manufacturers psi rating on the door. They said 28psi was enough. Well considering a tire looses about 5 psi a month, and the lack of owners never checking their pressures, on top of a rubber flaw made it such a disaster. So always go by the vehicles guidelines and check your pressures ever time you get gas or on the bike every time you ride.
As far as your problem luvrider, you don't have the front a lot higher than the rear, do you? That would cause a bad angle and make the front end feel light. Hope it helps.

 

[Charlesbusa]

Not enough information, there are soo many possible situations;
1)cold tire
2)defective tire(it's gotta happen every once in a while)
3)old tire, too many heat cycles
4)over inflated tire, small contact patch
5)under inflated tire, tire gives, squishes
6)dirt on road
7)oil on road
8)water/frost/ice on road
9)change in road surface
10)cracks/bumps on road
11)too much front brake
12)not enough weight over front tire
13)rider shifts weight incorrectly
14)rider makes incorrect control input
15)rider over reacting on front end feel
16)not grippy enough tire for aggressive riding
17)improper chasis set-up


Where you dragging knee??
How long have you had the tires??
How long of a ride was it before it "slipped"??


Personally I've never had the front slip while using pilot powers. I did slip with the stocker tire when I was aggressively riding on a canyon road after riding over a newly tarred surface.

 

[Wag]

(stlbusarider @ Oct. 06 2006,19:39) I'm sorry to say it wag, but that's not entirely true. The tire pressures on the side of a tire are the max pressures to run if carrying the max load the tires are rated for. Example, 4 tires rated at 44 psi, and capable of carrying 1500lbs each at 44 psi, tires are rate for 6000lbs in total.
You should always run your tires according to the door sticker and in this case the placard on the bike. Not doing so will result in a flat spot in the center of the tread.
I have to defend Firestone because I've worked there for seven years and they pay me too much not to. The major problem with the Explorers was the manufacturers psi rating on the door. They said 28psi was enough. Well considering a tire looses about 5 psi a month, and the lack of owners never checking their pressures, on top of a rubber flaw made it such a disaster. So always go by the vehicles guidelines and check your pressures ever time you get gas or on the bike every time you ride.
As far as your problem luvrider, you don't have the front a lot higher than the rear, do you? That would cause a bad angle and make the front end feel light.   Hope it helps.

I'll confess that I don't KNOW what's proper. I'm only sayin' what was said in the case, although it was not a factor considered in the final outcome of that case. I'd have to go look that up again to see the exact wording.

I'll have to go look at a tire and read the exact wording there so at this point, I can't definitively dispute what you're saying.

--Wag--