Hello everyone

I have a newly acquired 2012 zx14r, 55,000 km, beautiful shape. After the first several rides I started noticing the feeling of a bit of looseness in the steering only a very low speeds over uneven pavement. I had the bike at the shop about a week later for a new front tire, they checked the front wheel bearing and it was fine. The new tire which is a road smart 3 is great but I still feel what seems like a bit of looseness steering at very low speeds over uneven pavement. At speed it's not noticeable at all.
Next week the bike is going back to the shop for some new fork seals as one is leaking a bit and I'm going to have the fork bushings replaced at the same time, thinking a slightly worn bushing may be the issue.
The bike has the 190 series rear tire, I recall a number of years ago reading that the 190 series caused some odd handling behavior.
Any suggestions?

* Last updated by: db65 on 7/8/2022 @ 11:13 PM *

The stem bearings may just need service and adjust per spec and not bearings

Pls let us know what happened

Thanks cruderudy, will do!

I had the service completed last Thursday, they replaced the fork seals cleaned the four components refilled with new fork oil reassembled.
They check the wheel bearing again and they checked the stem bearings, they found no looseness.
They suggested that what I'm feeling is the front tire communicating everything that's going on, especially uneven pavement. It's been a while since I've been on a sport bike with a front end that communicates so much, I guess I'll need to get used to it again. I've never had a bike that was so communicative!

Cheers,

Since you have not records of the front end steering needing a repack and inspect, indented bearing races tend to stick in the middle. In other words, the front end would more lock in that position, then steer as if the front end wont move out of that indent, then it's sketchy to steer.

If you can get the front wheel off ground, move the bars in the middle and then push with a finger at the bar end, see if you can sense a smooth feel from center to fork lock. Then from the lock to the one side, finger push it to the middle again, and if it swings over to the other side, no indent to the center stopping it, then figure it's not damaged steering bearings needing replacement.

Tires should be replaced as a set. There too is a handling variable with new and used.

Depends on how bad is the fork seal leak, so as to have a pogo stick with spring only, and no oil to slow the bouncing movement.

Rear wheel misalignment and low speed direction corrections.

Tire press in the 30's psi range. More like 42 psi as a ice skate blade for less friction hitting the road.
Low pressure is a U shape, more precise slicing is the V shape profile of the tire.

Hi Hub,

Interesting ideas, I'll do the stem bearing check when I can figure out how to safely lift the front wheel.
I always run 42 psi in both tires, per the manual.
I'll check the rear wheel alignment.
If I find any problems, I'll report here.
Thanks again!