A Handling Question

I have been riding and getting to know my '86 VF500F. All in all it is a really great little bike but here is my problem that is either real or imaginary. Maybe I am being over sensitive but it seems like it favors one side or the other over the course of a straight stretch of highway. It is hard to explain but it “feels” as if you are sitting with your weight on one side of the bike or the other but never the same side all the time. It goes around corners great. It feels planted and tracks down the road straight and true. It does everything else just fine. It may be that such a light bike is really sensitive to winds and road conditions I just don’t know. I did install a new Dunlop D404 back tire (dealer install) and the Bridgestone Battlax on the front is in good shape. Am I nuts or has anyone experienced something like this? I am used to a little heaver feeling and slower steering bike.

The seating position is great without the lay down racer clipons of more modern sport bikes but the seat is a little red brick after a couple of hundred miles.

 

Might be a good idea to start out with a matched set of tires. Even though the BStone on the front might be in good condition, it may be incompatible with the Dunlop on the rear.

 

also check the headstock bearings by lifting the front and seeing if the steering head seems notchy or indexed

 

Could be the bearing or the mismatched tires or it could be the slope of the highway. I'd start with replacing the bearing. Chances are it's not in great shape anyway.

 

I didn't think about the steering head bearings at all. Yes, I have to check that. Maybe I'll just go all the way and replace them. Your are correct. If they are OEM they can't be great.