Steering is loose?

[Sorcerer]

Got this bike on CL it was splattered with" Realm" Stickers.Don't know who built it. It was supposed to only be a few years old, and appeared to be in good shape. So anyway It handles bad IMHO. Unable to keep it going straight, and forget about hands free. Put a new Springer on it and that helped alittle but still hard to keep it straight.
Checked the headset and set it up to flop easily in either direction standing still. (Read this is the way to set it up) Greased up good too.

So now what ? or is it me having not ridden in many years, or in need of new headset or get a better bike. (Not going to happen. )

Thanks in advance,

Sorcerer

 

[Wildcat]

Hard to say, there's many things that may be the problem. You shouldn't have any play in the steering and it should steer easily. Post a pic or two up of the frame area were the forks go through and, it being a springer, all the areas that have bolts.

 

[CCR]

Ive had a bike do something similar to what your describing. the rear dropouts were bent. make sure the rear wheel is straight in the frame and that it is in line with the frame. Also make sure your steering problem isn't a loose stem.

 

[gcrank1]

I like the steerstem to on the tightish side, but smooth in action without any snags or glitches. For me, if it is loose enough to just flop side to side its too loose.
Stand it up straight with whatever to hold it in position and eyeball it from lots of directions. The human eye can detect to an amazing degree.
Oh, and is this a std springer or a lowrider type? The rake and trail factors of frame geometry get snakey with non-std forks.

 

[deorman]

Get your wheels in plane with the frame and each other. You may be able to budge them in to place by loosening one side, and then holding the wheel in place as you re-tighten it. If not, you may have to grind a drop-out or recenter the fork. Sometimes cheap springers are not symmetrical, and if you switch the parts from one side to the other it will be different. :|

 

[Sorcerer]

I like the steerstem to on the tightish side, but smooth in action without any snags or glitches. For me, if it is loose enough to just flop side to side its too loose.
Stand it up straight with whatever to hold it in position and eyeball it from lots of directions. The human eye can detect to an amazing degree.
Oh, and is this a std springer or a lowrider type? The rake and trail factors of frame geometry get snakey with non-std forks.

It is a standard "Springer" I have tried raking a neck before and did not like the flop. :shock:
I'm going to tighten the steer stem and see if that helps.
Thanks,
Sorcerer AKA Arley

 

[Sorcerer]

Get your wheels in plane with the frame and each other. You may be able to budge them in to place by loosening one side, and then holding the wheel in place as you re-tighten it. If not, you may have to grind a drop-out or recenter the fork. Sometimes cheap springers are not symmetrical, and if you switch the parts from one side to the other it will be different. :|

Well it was a $50. one which is cheap in that some on flee bay for over where a $100. and over, more than I paid for the bike. I will try your idea also.

" and if you switch the parts from one side to the other it will be different"

Thanks, this is not a fun bike to ride right now.

Sorcerer

 

[gcrank1]

I was looking at gallery pics and there seem to be some differences in how far out the front axle is on some std. fork set ups. Maybe you can pull that axle back with some adjustment, or re-engineering to get you more 'trail'?

 

[clamdigger]

The problem was there before you changed the fork,so it could be that the frame is out of alignment.Your description sounds like a bike that took one too many high jumps.Snap a string line from both rear dropouts to the front dropouts on same side and see if everything looks straight.Then cross the ends of the strings right rear to front left,and left rear to front right.They should be the same length.Search youtube for videos on frame alignment.