Help diagnosis this condition

wfopete

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On a recent road ride I notice a kinda strange, minor squirm/movement through the handle bars/front tire (Heidenau K60 Scout) in the last 5-10 mph to full stop. This is my third set of these tires and this was the first time I notice the condition. It kinda felt like the front brakes were pulling one side harder than the other. Tire is about 1/2 worn was running 35 psi (typically I run 40-45 psi). I would say that any cupping/wear at this time is minor. I pulled the front pads and checked for loose steering head bearing and both were in good shape. So with the front end in seemly happy, I increased the front tire pressure 10 psi to 45 psi. Went out and the condition was gone but I can feel some tire wear (cupping?) when turning at slow speed (5-10 mph) . Yamaha and Heidenau recommend the max front tire psi of 36 and again I typically run 40-45 psi.

Is this minor squirm/movement through the handle bar a common condition for this bike running around 35 psi? Or perhaps have I induced tire wear by running 45 psi that now rears it's head when the psi is dropped to 35 psi?

Is there a better front tire I should be considering to replace the Heidenau (I don't do much off road other than forest roads)?
 

Sierra1

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….Is there a better front tire I should be considering to replace the Heidenau (I don't do much off road other than forest roads)?
I haven't ever used 50/50 tires, so I don't know how they act at different pressures. You might want to switch to 90/10 tires.
 

wfopete

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I choose the K60 Scouts because I wanted a gnarly built tire that I could depend on when riding two up on gravel/dirt. I also understand that a lot of folks run higher pressure in these tires, some run as much as 50psi (rear). Jaxson (Ride on Adv) I think is one.
 
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OldRider

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Forget about the brakes. Dual calipers just make for more stopping power. A lot of bikes only have a caliper on one side and several other bikes with dual disk will only use one front caliper when the foot brake is applied.
 

HeliMark

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Sounds like it is the cupping in the tire. For me, I have found the K60, E07, and the GPS, all like to cup in the front when they have a lot of miles on them, and the slower speeds you can notice it. Also remember, in the slowing/stopping you are compressing the tire more, where the cupping will show up more. Putting the psi up that high, only "hides" it, as you are now pretty much just riding on the center of the tire.

If everything else is good, the real test would be a new tire on the front.
 

wfopete

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HeliMark, I agree and felt the same when I was testing for the condition. I have approx. 4500 on this front tire and I wonder how much more tire life could be expected from running say 35psi on a K60?
 

Don in Lodi

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My squirmy front end problem was fixed by a replacement rear tire. All I could figure was some kind of belt slip in the tire. Last 10% of tread life. Replacement tire did the same a year later. I don't run those any more.
 

EricV

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It's probably just the tire. K60s wear a little strange up front. The tread blocks become uneven, biased a bit to left or right side, then as it wears a bit more it balances out, then wears to the opposite side, etc. It's no big deal.

As to tire wear at 36 psi on the front, I nearly always got 20k miles plus from front K60s @36 psi and 12k miles from the rears, running 42 psi on the rear. Mostly running on the street for that. Maybe 10-20% off pavement at best.

If you prefer a 50/50 tire, the Mitas E07 Dakar is still available in the front and is even better than the K60.
 
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wfopete

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Interesting as I just had put on a new rear K60 and this was the first ride on it when I noted the front end condition!

Eric that is a pretty good mileage number for a rear K60, typicaly I get around 8500 at about the same 10-20% off road (read: forest roads). I am currently running 47psi on the rear K60 and I just went out and dropped it to 42psi. I may well go to a E07 in the near future.
 
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ballisticexchris

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Hi there Pete, I would highly recommend something with better traction than the K60 or E07. For now I would start adjusting pressures lower and see how that works out. For a next tire the Anakee Wild is a much better choice for all around safety on and off road. I’m at over 2000 miles on mine and I’m hoping to get 2000 more out of the rear.
 

HeliMark

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HeliMark, I agree and felt the same when I was testing for the condition. I have approx. 4500 on this front tire and I wonder how much more tire life could be expected from running say 35psi on a K60?
I had 36 psi in the front, and 42 psi in the rear. If I recall right, I changed them out at around 15K miles. Front still had some meat, but I was going on a long trip, and wanted new tires.

I have to admit, I am not a fan of the K60's. Never liked them in the rain, and the rear squared off pretty early with a lot of tread still on it. Rough ride due to it, for me.

When I was at the motorcycle show last month, I talked to the Heidenau guys about the tires. They said the K60 may get an update in a couple of years, as they are currently updating another tire (don't remember which one).

Sent from my Pixel 3 using Tapatalk
 

steve68steve

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Tires, steering head bearings, and wheel bearings.

It only takes a few seconds on the center stand to figure out if you have bad bearings in the steering head.
Wedge something under the bike to get the front wheel off the ground to check wheel bearings..

If you can rule out those two, it has to be the tire. I have had bad bearings in the steering head and replacing is a very noticeable improvement in handling. Having said that, crappy handling (especially at crawling speeds on pavement), is usually what gets me to finally replace a front tire. Even if they look like they have a lot of tread left the tread blocks are always feathered in such a way that the leading edges are worn down a millimeter or two more than the trailing edges. My guess is that this is what causes that weird feeling, and explains why slow speeds, high tire pressures, pavement, and blocky tread magnifies the problem.
 

EricV

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I had 36 psi in the front, and 42 psi in the rear. If I recall right, I changed them out at around 15K miles. Front still had some meat, but I was going on a long trip, and wanted new tires.

I have to admit, I am not a fan of the K60's. Never liked them in the rain, and the rear squared off pretty early with a lot of tread still on it. Rough ride due to it, for me.
When the rear squares off, wear slows down. It lasts a loooong time after that.
 
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