0-26
Troubleshooting
hard from age or being washed out by high pressure car washes.
Disassemble steering head and repack bearings (Chapter 5).
5 Steering stem bent. Caused by a collision, hitting a pothole or by
dropping the machine. Replace damaged part. Don't try to straighten
the steering stem (Chapter 5).
6 Front tire air pressure too low (Chapter 1).
47 Handlebar shakes or vibrates excessively
1 Tires worn or out of balance (Chapter 1 or 6).
2 Swingarm bearings worn. Replace worn bearings by referring to
Chapter 6.
3 Rim(s) warped or damaged. Inspect wheels for runout (Chapter 6).
4 Wheel bearings worn. Worn front or rear wheel bearings can
cause poor tracking. Worn front bearings will cause wobble (Chap-
ter 6).
5 Handlebar clamp bolts or bracket nuts loose (Chapter 5).
6 Steering stem or fork clamps loose. Tighten them to the specified
torque (Chapter 5).
7 Motor mount bolts loose. Will cause excessive vibration with
increased engine rpm (Chapter 2).
48 Handlebar pulls to one side
1 Frame bent. Definitely suspect this if the machine has been
dropped. May or may not be accompanied by cracking near the bend.
Replace the frame (Chapter 5).
2 Wheel out of alignment. Caused by improper location of axle
spacers or from bent steering stem or frame (Chapter 5).
3 Swingarm bent or twisted. Caused by age (metal fatigue) or
impact damage. Replace the swingarm (Chapter 5).
4 Steering stem bent. Caused by impact damage or by dropping
the motorcycle. Replace the steering stem (Chapter 5).
5 Fork leg bent. Disassemble the forks and replace the damaged
parts (Chapter 5).
6 Fork oil level uneven. Check and add or drain as necessary
(Chapter 5).
49 Poor shock absorbing qualities
1 Too hard:
a) Fork oil level excessive (Chapter 5).
b) Fork oil viscosity too high. Use a lighter oil (see the Specifications
in Chapter 1).
c) Fork tube bent. Causes a harsh, sticking feeling (Chapter 5).
d) Shock shaft or body bent or damaged (Chapter 5).
e) Fork internal damage (Chapter 5).
f) Shock internal damage.
g) Tire pressure too high (Chapters 1 and 6).
2 Too soft:
a) Fork or shock oil insufficient and/or leaking (Chapter 5).
b) Fork oil level too low (Chapter 5).
c) Fork oil viscosity too light (Chapter 5).
d) Fork springs weak or broken (Chapter 5).
Braking problems
50 Front brakes are spongy, don't hold
1 Air in brake line. Caused by inattention to master cylinder fluid
level or by leakage. Locate problem and bleed brakes (Chapter 6).
2 Pad or disc worn (Chapters 1 and 6).
3 Brake fluid leak. See paragraph 1.
4 Contaminated pads. Caused by contamination with oil, grease,
brake fluid, etc. Clean or replace pads. Clean disc thoroughly with
brake cleaner (Chapter 6).
5 Brake fluid deteriorated. Fluid is old or contaminated. Drain
system, replenish with new fluid and bleed the system (Chapter 6).
6 Master cylinder internal parts worn or damaged causing fluid to
bypass (Chapter 6).
7 Master cylinder bore scratched by foreign material or broken
spring. Repair or replace master cylinder (Chapter 6).
8 Disc warped. Replace disc (Chapter 6).
51 Brake lever or pedal pulsates
1 Disc warped. Replace disc (Chapter 6).
2 Axle bent. Replace axle (Chapter 5).
3 Brake caliper bolts loose (Chapter 6).
4 Brake caliper shafts damaged or sticking, causing caliper to bind.
Lube the shafts or replace them if they are corroded or bent (Chap-
ter 6).
5 Wheel warped or otherwise damaged (Chapter 6).
6 Wheel bearings damaged or worn (Chapter 6).
7 Brake drum out of round. Replace brake drum (Chapter 6).
52 Brakes drag
1 Master cylinder piston seized. Caused by wear or damage to
piston or cylinder bore (Chapter 6).
2 Lever balky or stuck. Check pivot and lubricate (Chapter 6).
3 Brake caliper binds. Caused by inadequate lubrication or damage
to caliper shafts (Chapter 6).
4 Brake caliper piston seized in bore. Caused by wear or ingestion
of dirt past deteriorated seal (Chapter 6),
5 Brake pad damaged. Pad material separated from backing plate.
Usually caused by faulty manufacturing process or from contact with
chemicals. Replace pads (Chapter 6).
6 Pads improperly installed (Chapter 6).
7 Rear brake pedal free play insufficient (Chapter 1).
8 Rear brake springs weak. Replace brake springs (Chapter 6).
Electrical problems
53 Battery dead or weak
1 Battery faulty. Caused by sulfated plates which are shorted
through sedimentation or low electrolyte level. Also, broken battery
terminal making only occasional contact (Chapter 8).
2 Battery cables making poor contact (Chapter 8).
3 Load excessive. Caused by addition of high wattage lights or
other electrical accessories.
4 Ignition switch defective. Switch either grounds/earths internally
or fails to shut off system. Replace the switch (Chapter 8).
5 Regulator/rectifier defective (Chapter 8).
6 Stator coil open or shorted (Chapter 8).
7 Wiring faulty. Wiring grounded or connections loose in ignition,
charging or lighting circuits (Chapter 8).
54 Battery overcharged
1 Regulator/rectifier defective. Overcharging is noticed when
battery gets excessively warm or boils over (Chapter 8).
2 Battery defective. Replace battery with a new one (Chapter 8).
3 Battery amperage too low, wrong type or size. Install
manufacturer's specified amp-hour battery to handle charging load
(Chapter 8).
