To qualify "veer to the left" , I mean that if I don't correct it within 2 - 3 seconds, I'd be in the other guys lane.

 

This does not happen on mine. Tire issue?

 

does it happen at lower speeds as well?

 

Have you checked your drive chain alignment? It is easy to get the adjustment wrong on the GS models due to the sloppy fit of the axle holding blocks that have the alignment marks on them.

 

That's kind of funny since it is a well known fact that the boxer engines pull to the right.

But yes, I notice a very slight bias toward the left on Blue my 2011 650 GS.

If you take it to the dealer what I think will happen is that one of the wrenches will take it for a test ride and if it needs adjusting, will simply play with the chain adjustment adding or subtracting a little from one side and/or the other until he feels that it is "straight on". Or, you can do it youself and save a trip to the dealer or mechanic.

 

There can be several reasons...most are normal
Crown of the road or "rut" made by heavy traffic will deflect and influence your steering.
Is one side of the bike loaded heavier than the other? Are you sitting square on your seat is you weight more on one side of the other? Off center
Weight tips the bike...and that turns it

tire wear....unbalence tire wear will cause this ten dance to turn...also this unbalance will cause un evan tire wear...a vicious cycle

loose head bearing can contribute to this low probability but worth a check

if for some reason your front fork are not true...ie the axle is not parallel with the head clamps...this could contribute low probability but worth a check...unless you have crashed than it is quite likely. Most often this is minor and can be fixed by loosening everything up..set all straight and retightening.

hope this helps

 

Trying once more to get left pull resovled. Any ideas?

At the risk of being flamed for double posting - I'm really hoping to get some more ideas on my F650GS pulling to the left at highways speeds.

After my most recent trip, I took the bike back to the dealer and again was told there was nothing wrong, this is just how this bike is designed.

Yet others here either don't have the problem or have been able to get it resolved. Should I try a different dealer?? Is he right, is it really just a part of the design of this bike that can't be corrected?

I have thought about riding with a gold bar in the right saddle bag to make the side heaver, to balance out the left pull, but that seems like an expensive option! (If I had a gold bar I could probably have a motorcycle custom built!)

Thanks for any ideas
Michael

Please don't double post Michael, it only adds to the confusion when others having the same problem attempt to find a solution first using the search function - thanks. I have moved your second posting (this post) so that it is now a continuation of your original post. Forum Moderator.

 

The only other, rather unlikely unless you have dropped the bike very hard, is a bent frame. Other wise the ideas from last november.
what have you checked? Did you or you have the dealer address the possibilities presented from you last posting?

 

Your dealer says it is normal for a bike to not have neutral steering?
Change dealers and inform BMW corporate why you are changing dealers.
Check your steering bearings, check your alignment. The easiest alignment check, if you have good eyes, is to get down behind the bike
and sight down the run of the chain. It should look like a straight piece of railway track and you will notice any deviation pretty quick.
You will see the kinking. It will also be a good idea to check your wheel bearings, too.
Your dealer sounds like mine. Good for nothing and actually dangerous to their customers.

 

Did the same dealer change your tires for you? Check to see if the rear tire is tracking true. Sometimes you cannot rely on the marks at the axle adjusters to be correct.

 

Thanks for all your input. I will check these things out. Some of the earlier suggestions I did not know how to act on myself and the dealer just kept blowing me off so I wasn't getting any traction there. I have to say that the service dept. is a bit of a let-down at my dealership. They've done some really good work, but have done some sloppy work too, and it doesn't feel good to me when they say "Oh, that model just does that, don't worry about it". I mean, you'd think they'd at least look at it in case there's something obvious going on..

 

it doesn't feel good to me when they say "Oh, that model just does that, don't worry about it".

The idea that ANY bike will not track straight on a flat road with no wind is perfectly OUTRAGEOUS!!! And any dealer or mechanic who says that is normal should lose their business!! I can set my cruise, lay one finger on each grip, and go down the freeway for miles at 75 on my F658GS, and your bike should do the same.

After checking what you can of the above solutions and not finding the answer, go find a new dealer. Start documenting everything now with the idea of eventually going to BMW Corporate if it is not resolved. This could conceivably kill you.

However, since it appears that the bike only started doing this recently, start with any changes that were made just prior to your noticing the condition. If it's the rear wheel adjustors, when the wheel is canted slightly to the right, the bike will veer left. When checking, use a bright flashlight so you can see the front sprocket and the rear simultaneously. Another clue to look for is whether one side of the teeth is shinier than the other side, this indicates the sprocket is not true to the chain...it doesn't take much.
One other way of checking alignment of front wheel to rear wheel is to get two nice straight 2X4s (or chalk lines, whatever, it's hard to find straight 2x4s these days[err]) and set them along the rear wheel. The front wheel should be right in the middle.

If you just replaced the tire(s) it is possible that you got a bad tire...this happens occasionally, the casing or cords may be offset in the rubber and it will not track properly. With a good name brand this is not that likely, but it is possible.

Good luck.

 

Don't know if this is a help but many years ago I had a honda CB500 four. It had a single disc up front & when the front tyre started to wear it used to pull to the opposite side that the front disc was on. Something to do with uneven wear & gyroscopic forces I think they said to me at the time. When the front brake was applied the forces acting on the wheel actually wear the opposite side of the tyre. It could be quite pronounced and end up in a wave type pattern on the tyre. ( if let go long enough.) As I said this was a long time ago so I could be wrong but some dirt bikes have the same problem with their offroad tyres as the " Knobs " are soft & wear quite quickly on the opposite side to the disc. Anyhow food for thought. Cheers Dave.

 

I have never noticed my 2010 650GS pulling to the left. A very easy bike to hold straight (albeit with a very light front end).

That said, based on this thread I have been experimenting at putting it in neutral and letting go. A various speeds and on various roads it always immediately pulled left. You feel it drop into the turn the second you let go.

Tire wear is even. Chain is straight implying wheel allignment. Will check steering head torque when I get my wrench back from a buddy.

I made an effort to ensure I was seated neutrally with no left/right bias.

On thing to note: when I gripped the faux tank tightly with my knees the bike stayed almost straight.

Edit: More experimenting today. Noticed the tendency to veer left more pronounced when in neutral (at say 50mph) than when coasting/engine braking in gear. Not sure what to make of that!

Also, I have tried with and without my (empty) Vario side cases Same result. Is it possible one side of the bike is heavier than the other? Theres more of the exhaust system on the left.

 

To add to my comment above: I put the bike on its center stand and jacked the front wheel off the ground. No matter where the handle bars are positioned (center, left, or anywhere between) when I let go they flop all the way to the right.

When riding, this would countersteer to the left.

Is this "fall away" to the right normal? Does the brake rotor and caliper weight make this normal behavior?

 

I also agree with the "find another dealer" if they won't even acknowledge a potential issue with a left pull.

I started a similar thread on the k1600forum.com forum when I got my shiny new K1600 and it pulled to the left....hard. Just so happens I used to be a flying qualities engineer and in flight test, so handling qualities is something I'm familiar with. No OEM public road vehicle should pull to either side when the controls are released (same goes for aircraft).

The polling we did showed that just over 50% of the K1600's pulled to the left. None to the right.

Call BMW North America at 800-831-1117 and ask to file a PUMA report. You want to get it in the system. Then ask who the area rep is for North Carolina. You should become very familiar with that person. If BMW won't give you that information, ask the dealer.