Article [13] ST1300 - Pulls to the Right

randy the x man

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I always thought the higher wear on the left side was due to the fact we ride on the right side and most roads are crowned from the center( rain run-off)....your always correcting slightly for the road surface
If that was the case all motorcycles would have the same problem.
 
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Hi............I am having the same problem with my 2009 ST130 (ex Newport Beach PD unit), except that it is pulling hard to the left.......I purchased the bike from an auction and noted that both the front and rear tires had been replaced. I am assuming that when the bike was decommissioned the dealership did not follow the correct re-installation procedure, hence the left pull. I am going to remove the wheel off tomorrow and will follow your instructions. Hopefully this will correct the problem.

Thanks for the advice.
 
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I tried the heavy stuff in the left bag. That seemed to work, but still think I only treated the symptom. When I load back up, I'm sure there will still be a list to the right if I let go down the road. I don't think cables are the issue. I don't think I have a detent in the bearings, but I wonder if I loosen up everything and tweak the triple a little if that will help.
 

Mellow

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I tried the heavy stuff in the left bag. That seemed to work, but still think I only treated the symptom. When I load back up, I'm sure there will still be a list to the right if I let go down the road. I don't think cables are the issue. I don't think I have a detent in the bearings, but I wonder if I loosen up everything and tweak the triple a little if that will help.
Read the 1st post in this article and try that.
 
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I tried the heavy stuff in the left bag. That seemed to work, but still think I only treated the symptom
If the bike is heavier on one side than the other, it will lean to that side, but it won't PULL to that side. It's like riding on a steeply crowned road. The bike is leaning with respect to the road, but it's not pulling to either side.
 

Andrew Shadow

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Every time that I install my front wheel I think about this. Putting aside the installation of the brakes and the suspension bouncing for the moment I have a question with regard to the sequence in which the fasteners are tightened in these 2008 set-up instructions. They call for the axle to be installed so that the left end of the axle is flush with the outer surface of the left fork leg. The axle is then clamped in this position by tightening the left axle pinch bolts. The axle bolt is then tightened. Tightening the axle bolt draws the two fork legs together. Then the right axle pinch bolts are tightened which holds both of the fork legs in position. At this point these instructions state to loosen the left axle pinch bolts. Doing this allows the fork legs to relax and move apart so that the left end of the axle is no longer flush with the outer surface of the left fork leg. The left axle end is now recessed in the left fork leg by about 1.5 mm (0.060â€) on my ST1300. At the end of these instructions it again states to make sure that the left axle end is flush with the left fork leg outer surface before the final tightening of the left axle pinch bolts. This can easily be achieved by simply forcing the left fork leg inboard before tightening the left axle pinch bolts for the last time.

However, since the entire purpose of this procedure is supposed to be to seat and align the axle and fork legs to each other, the questions are;

1- Before tightening the left axle pinch bolts for the final time should the left fork leg be pushed back inboard to re-establish the flush dimension with the left axle end?

2- If the answer to #1 is yes then what is the purpose of loosening the left axle pinch bolts after tightening the right axle pinch bolts?
Nothing has been achieved if the left fork leg is subsequently pushed back in to the same position that it was in before the left axle pinch bolts were loosened.

My service manual is the year 2013 version. It states to install the axle and torque the axle bolt first. Then tighten the right side pinch bolts. Then the left fork leg is adjusted so that the left end of the axle is flush with the left fork leg outer surface. Lastly the left axle pinch bolts are tightened.
3- Does this not yield the same result as the above set-up instructions?

4- If the answer to #1 is no then the left fork leg is to be left in this new relaxed and recessed position? If so then it does not conform to the flush dimension called for in the service manual and stressed twice in these set-up instructions.

Most ST1300's I have looked at have the left axle end recessed in the left fork leg by about the same amount as mine indicating that these fork legs have not been re-positioned to re-establish the flush dimension.

Just for kicks I have installed the front wheel according to the service manual as well as according to these set-up instructions both leaving the axle recessed and re-positioning the left fork leg to achieve the flush dimension called for. I have not noticed any discernible difference in the bikes handling or ride between any of the three methods.

I also don't see what is being achieved by the added steps listed in these set-up instructions over what is in the service manual so let me know.
 
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I tend to agree with you Andrew. I also don't see much point in bouncing the forks to seat the axle, but then possibly moving the left fork in or out so the axle and fork are flush.

All my other Honda's use an axle that protrudes by 5mm or so when correctly seated, but the service manuals for those do not suggest that the axle needs to be in any specific position relative to the fork leg, they just specify a disc to caliper bracket clearance check.

My approach has always been to fully torque the axle bolt first, then the right clamp, then a bounce, then the left clamp. That way you know the axle is pulled hard in to the right leg and tight, and the left leg is in the position with least binding and clamped tight in that position.

I would rather have the wheel in a relaxed position (i.e. where it ends up after bouncing the forks with the left clamp loose) in the forks than in a specified position that causes the forks to bind.
 

ST Gui

240Robert
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TerryS said:
I would rather have the wheel in a relaxed position (i.e. where it ends up after bouncing the forks with the left clamp loose) in the forks than in a specified position that causes the forks to bind.
+1 However we don't know that moving the fork(s) as so instructed causes the forks to bind. It's an assumption that may have merit.

But I also wonder about the purpose of the newer set-up instructions and what they ultimately accomplish and how they [would?] accomplish it.
 

Andrew Shadow

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But I also wonder about the purpose of the newer set-up instructions and what they ultimately accomplish and how they [would?] accomplish it.
As I wrote in post 136 my Honda service manual is the version released in 2013 making it five years newer than these 2008 set-up instructions. I would have to think that after five years these amended instructions would have been updated in to the service manual if Honda wanted the front wheel installed using this method. I have not found any set-up instructions newer than this 2008 version. Be curious to see what they state. Anybody have a more recent copy?

Even if the current (or at least 2013 version) service manual procedure is used there is still the question of should the left fork leg be forced inboard prior to tightening the left axle pinch bolts to achieve the flush dimension or should it be tightened in the relaxed position- but not flush?
 
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If it was my bike and I was riding it, I would be allowing the left fork to find it's most naturally aligned position and tightening the clamp there. However, the further in the axle sits in the clamp, the less clamping force there is, so I would not suggest (as an extreme example) that if that position was say 5mm in from flush that I would accept that, as that would suggest something was not right e.g. axle spacers incorrect or a bent fork tube. But if all else was correct and the axle ended up 1mm in from flush I'd leave it like that. In my opinion "forcing" the fork leg inboard will increase the stiction and wear rate of the bushings.
 

Andrew Shadow

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I'm with you Terry. I have always done it that way as that is what makes sense to me and I will continue to do so.
 
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So here's my take. Looking at the steps in Step 1, only thing I see here is tightening the left pinch bolts is only to keep the axle from possibly turning when you tighten it. Then you back off the left pinch bolts and "relieve" the left after the right pinch bolts are tightened. So there is no "real process" there that would account for anything. So I think I posted somewhere, where on a gas stop, I put the "warmed up" bike on the center stand, loosened both sets of pinch bolts, made sure the axle was tight, then rotated the axle a few times to see of the forks needed to "find" there "relief" spot.......which nothing moved, so the folks weren't binding any, and re-tightened the the pinch bolts. Still had a pull. Now with that said, I did have the bike loaded heavier on the right side. Weight does make a difference, but I still get the pull with no bags. When all the rain stops, I'll go give it another try.
 

Andrew Shadow

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tightening the left pinch bolts is only to keep the axle from possibly turning when you tighten it.
That can be achieved by tightening the right axle pinch bolts first immediately after tightening the axle bolt as the service manual procedure calls for. The only thing tightening the left axle pinch bolts first achieves, as far as I can see, is to draw the left fork leg towards the right fork leg as the axle bolt is tightened. However, the left axle pinch bolts are then loosened allowing the left fork leg to return to its neutral position which negates this so it all seems pointless to me.
 
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My 2004 did it as well. I installed single rate fork springs, increased preload, raised triple tree and lowered back 1/2 inch by changing the shock. With the bike on the side stand and a level on the rear platform, the level shows the frame is level. Steering head angle is now 26 degrees, increasing to 28 degrees with me on the bike. All necessity to counter steer is gone and tire wear is uniform and the bike is noticeably easy to move. Bottom line, triple tree is too low.

Update; A simpler answer is to install a fork brace. The base problem stems from the amount of flex the forks are capable of. The brace will helps to stiffen the forks, preventing the twist from occurring.
 
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Hi all,

I just wanted to add to this, I had (and still have) a mild 'pulling to the right' problem.

I have found that when I put the bike on its centre stand with rear end weighted, front off the floor, the handle bars turn themselves to the left. See video.

It appears there is some resistance/ tension/ spring in the cables or hoses running down the bars and onto the frame, possibly they are just stiff from always having the bars locked to the left.

The force required to hold the bars centered or right is not high at all, but is comparable to force you would use to weave the bike at low speed such as 30mph.

I haven't fixed anything yet, but will try loosening the brackets when I have some time to see if any difference.

Just a thought.. Andrew.http://cloud.tapatalk.com/s/5a4a5a7755362/MOV_1353.mp4

Sent from my E6653 using Tapatalk
 
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I have the same problem with 2007, how can i check the tires as starting point?
 
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