Many issues - revisited

[Mattf]

There may be a new tune available. That may be all the fix you need plus TB balance.

[whisperquiet]

OP.....if I had half as many problems with my motorcycle that you have indicated, it would have been long gone.....long gone.

The difference between bad children and bad motorcycles.....you can get rid of a bad motorcycle.

 

Edited April 24, 2021 by whisperquiet

[petshark]

On 4/24/2021 at 8:13 PM, whisperquiet said:

OP.....if I had half as many problems with my motorcycle that you have indicated, it would have been long gone.....long gone.

The difference between bad children and bad motorcycles.....you can get rid of a bad motorcycle.

 

I hear you. The thing is that changing motorcycles costs a lot in taxes where I live and I already sold the Versys after only 4 months and took a hit then. Also I really like the Tracer and would only sell to get another another GT not to mention all the farkles that would need to to be reinstalled. I also like the challenge to get to the bottom of this but unfortunately lack quite a lot of knowledge and tools but I'm gathering both one day at a time. As long as I'm investing in tools and learning while I search for solutions I can live with this.

Quick update:

I've been doing a lot of riding the last week and I think that my front wheel bearing is also contributing to the shuddering. It's hard to distinguish what is coming from the engine, the road surface/suspension, and from the bearings. It's not the first time that I am blessed with simultaneous issues, which makes it very hard for you kind forum members to help with the diagnosis. As some of you may have read a couple of months ago I found out that one bearing was almost without grease. After I added grease the tinkling sounds stopped. Now they are back even though the grease is still in there. They bearing turns very smooth when I use my finger. No roughness at all. But when rolling with the clutch in (or engine off) there is a distinct grinding felt through the handlebars and frame at 30 km/h (20 mph). Above 70 km/h it rolls smooth, between 30 and 70 I get the irregular small shocks through the frame.

Could be that the engine runs just a little uneven which might be fixed by syncing the throttle bodies but that I'm mostly feeling a bearing that has damage from being without grease before. It accentuates uneven surfaces in a random pattern depending on where the offending damaged balls are at the time of impact. That is my current theory at least.

So I've ordered bearings and seals and what I hope is a good tool to extract them. Fingers crossed.

[peteinpa]

Not trying to be gloom and doom but is there any chance it was a flood bike?

Seems most everything is water/lube related.

I've owned bikes with 80k miles that I never touched the wheel bearings. Come to think of it I've never changed a wheel bearing on a bike, only a driven flange bearing and that was more pre-emptive maint.

Clutch/cable problems, switches, brakes, etc.

Makes me wonder.

[petshark]

18 hours ago, peteinpa said:

Not trying to be gloom and doom but is there any chance it was a flood bike?

Seems most everything is water/lube related.

I've owned bikes with 80k miles that I never touched the wheel bearings. Come to think of it I've never changed a wheel bearing on a bike, only a driven flange bearing and that was more pre-emptive maint.

Clutch/cable problems, switches, brakes, etc.

Makes me wonder.

Thank you for the suggestion. I can never be sure but I don’t think (hope) that this is the case because there is no corrosion to be found in any hidden places after disassembly. For example that bearing without grease was perfectly clean and there was no excess grease in the spacer so it also don’t think it was pushed out be a pressure washer.

My best guess is that it’s just a factory error; a sealed bearing with almost no grease in it.

But I agree that there seems to be too much going on for all of this to be unrelated. 

[petshark]

On 4/21/2021 at 9:45 PM, petshark said:

On 4/21/2021 at 3:46 PM, skipperT said:

Check Drive chain slack. The “shuddering “ you’re describing is worse on the early models. Make sure your tension is 40-45mm of free play, and the chain is lubed. Also check for a developing tight spot on the center stand while rotating the rear wheel by hand and viewing the lower “arc” of the chain hang below the swing arm. 
 

I have tried to see if the chain was causing this and have to admit that if I let it get too dry it gets worse but I keep it in good condition and lube it every 500km.

The shop manual says 35 to 45 mm on the centerstand and the rule of thumb is 25 mm on the side stand so I've set mine to 35 mm on the centerstand which is the same as 25mm on the sidestand. I figured that you set it to the minimum recommended length because it will gradually get longer so you stay in the "zone" for a longer time. I know that the GT has a long swingarm and chain so the 25mm standard rule may very well be too tight. At the same time I've had a mechanic comment that it was too loose like this as well. But if you're saying that 35mm is still too tight I will try 40mm. I have checked for tight spots but haven't found any last time, will check again.

SOLUTION

Just for anyone reading this thread. The solution was here. The chain indeed has some tight spots and was probably too tight at 35mm. I tried to work the links loose best as I could and gave it some more slack and it's a night and day difference. I can't stop grinning again when I'm riding.

There were probably three things going on at once; some bearing grinding, some unevenness in the engine but the chain was the one that accentuated it all and made the rides no fun anymore. Thanks @skipperT! If you're ever in Belgium I'll buy you a beer (a Belgian Triple which also packs some serious horsepower).