Motorcycle Repair: alignment ??, knee dragger, suzuki bandit

Question
I not sure if i have an alignment problem or something else but i frequently get the feeling from the bike that it want to lean to the right going down the road I have new metzler tires with about 1000 miles on them ,the chain and rear axel is set even
this is on a 2002 suzuki bandit 1200s

Answer
Roge
Let's get a couple of things out of the way first. I am a British bike expert. Your Suzuki is Japanese. So I am not going to be able to speak about specific items on your bike. But there are a few general principles that apply to all bikes that we can talk about.

Now to your problem. I don't have a clue what you mean when you talk about the chain and axle being set "even". Just turning the adjustment screws the same amount on either side of the axle is not the way to be sure.

If you mounted the wheel yourself, without using proper procedure, it is possible that the alignment is out. If a mechanic did it for you, I would have a long talk with him and give him a serious opinion of his service or ability.

If your front and rear tires are the same size you can check alignment just by having a friend hold the bike upright and the forks straight ahead as possible. You can use a string along the sides of the tires to see if all is straight. If you have a big fat tire on back and a skinny little one up front as is common these days, you will either have to build a jig or take it to a shop to be aligned. It's a simple proceedure, taking only a couple of minutes and shouldn't be very expensive.

Something to think about: Most roads slope to the side to allow rain to run off. On occasion, this road slope may make you think your bike wants to pull in that direction.

Also, unless you are an incurable knee dragger, your tires are most likely to wear in a pattern that flattens their original shape. When you get new tires, the bike will feel a lot different until you get used to it. It may feel like it wants to fall over or turn quicker.

I got a new rear tire on my Triumph Thunderbird Sport and it scared the heck out me for a couple of days. The bike seemed like it was turning before I wanted to turn.

Wheel alignment is vital to the handling of your bike. If it is out, you could be in a dangerous situation in a tight curve or under hard braking. If there is a problem, don't ignore it. If you are unsure or unable to do a proper job, its time for the professional to step in.

John