front end steering problems? help! (new bike)

[joecallan]

I can't get my front tire to stop sliding! I'm running 17psi stock tires.

The same day I bought the bike the front seal clip fell out on one of the forks. I had it fixed and the fluid filled. They charged me 110$ and all I brought in were the forks. They screwed up and put in 145mm of fluid (5wt honda shock oil)instead of the stock 135mm.

I'm just trying to work out all the bugs.

At the dunes the bike likes to go everywhere but strait (knifes the tire into turning) and I get some head shake. On the flat sh*t the front doesn't stick to the ground. On the hard pack whoops and the rought stuff the bike kicks ass.

I jump on my buddies 89 CR125 and it steers 10x better, goes strait at the dunes, and doesn't break loose on the hard pack!

HELP! s.o.s. I needs some advice! THANKS!!!!

I'm 150lbs and a beginner to intermediant

------------------

joecallan@hotmail.com

[Polo]

I do almost all my riding in the sand dunes. I run my front tire almost flat and it kicks tail. Total control all the time and I have never pinched a tube dispite all the jumping I do. I also run a paddle on the back, HUGE HELP!!!

[Bill]

YZ seat and tank wil fix that. This is one of the number one mods for a dub-R.

Bill

------------------

86TT225, 99WR, WR timing, throttle stop trimmed, air box lid removed, White Bros head pipe, silencer and air filter. Odometer and headlight removed. Moose hand and mud guards. YZ stock tank and IMS seat. Renthal Jimmy Button "highs" and Renthal Soft half waffle grips. AMA, SETRA.

[Taffy]

try running 11 psi or even a tad lower.

[Brian_in_Long_Beach]

17 psi? I don't even run that high in the desert. Polo is correct - almost flat gives you some floation.

brian

[mcarp]

Your tire choice is probably more important here than the YZ seat/tank, although they will work hand in hand. The stock 739 is a hard terrain tire-the reason it works so well in the hardpack as you described. Either the Dunlap 756 or Michelin S12 is a good bet for sandy stuff, but keep in mind they will wear quickly on hardpack. The suspension setup as Hick described is extremely important as well. Do all these things and you'll find yourself on a different motorcycle. Add a Scotts Damper and raise your forks 8-12mm too-you'll be very pleased. It probably still won't turn as good as the CR, but on the other hand it won't be as twitchy either. These are high speed bikes designed to go straight and fast, you have to tweak on them to introduce quick steering. Tire choice/suspension tuning is your best bang for the buck (about $60 for a tire and some time fiddling with the suspension)

[Hick]

Set your rear suspension sag if you haven’t already. If you have you may want to raise the forks in the clamps a little. This may hurt the straight line stability but will weight the front end and reduce the amount of front end push. Also, IMO the stock WR tank makes the bike too hard to turn, especially in sand because you can’t get your weight far enough forward. You may consider trying to find a used YZ tank and seat or buying an IMS combo.

I run 10 pounds in the sand, 17 is too much, and replace the stock front tire with a Dunlop 756 or something similar that is more of a soft-terrain tire.

But I don’t think you will ever get a WR to turn like a CR 125 (any year).

[SFO]

I purchased a 01 wr and experienced the same lack of turning ability. After all tha yamaha 4 stroke hupla I was sincerly irratated. On another page, mx tuner, straitened me out.

pull the forks up-5mm showing

reduce comp damp 4 clicks-so front end rides lower in stroke when coming in a corner.

Dunlop 756's

set sag at 95mm

This made the front end stick. Even with the tall bars/tc, yz seat/ty davis tank this thing is still a boat, but at least it turns a little better.