Tire wear - SV650

[Drano]

I was looking over my tires after riding yesterday and noticed that I have completely scrubbed off the chicken strips on the front tire, yet still have roughly 1/4" of strips remaining on the rear tire.

2006 SV650S
RaceTech Gold Emulators w/ .85kg springs on the front and 10w oil
*2004+ GSXR1000 Rear Shock

The tires are Dunlop Q2s
Front: 120/60-ZR17
Rear: 160/60-ZR17

I have concerns that I'm coming dangerously close to washing out the front, and that I may be doing something wrong in the corner. I've read a few things that might indicate the need to have the suspension adjusted again, but since this is still my first year riding I would appreciate any helpful information you guys can provide. Thanks in advance.

[Snowman]

1. Does your tires have the same mileage on them?
2. How aggressive are your right turns?

[Drano]

1. Does your tires have the same mileage on them?
2. How aggressive are your right turns?

Both have the same mileage.

I would say that I'm pretty aggressive on right-handers. Yesterday, I took a right-hander a little too hot and leaned hard enough to grind the foot peg and brake pedal. It was a stupid move that I don't plan on repeating, but I survived.

[Sean]

IMO, chances are that your technique is wrong. If your technique was better, you'd still have chicken strips. Go to the track and find a coach. It's way cheaper than crashing in the canyon. Just my $.02

[Drano]

IMO, chances are that your technique is wrong. If your technique was better, you'd still have chicken strips. Go to the track and find a coach. It's way cheaper than crashing in the canyon. Just my $.02

It wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if that is the case. I have plans to get to the track as soon as I have the means to do so.

[mauser72]

Sounds like your setup is off prob. sag needs to be set sounds like the bike is sitting too low in the front or too high in the rear thus making your bike put most of its wheight on the front tire when in a corner, and yeah this will make it easy to lose the front

[Wrider]

Agreed with Mauser. It's very rare to see smaller chicken strips on the front than the rear.

[Bueller]

I have concerns that I'm coming dangerously close to washing out the front, and that I may be doing something wrong in the corner.

Yesterday, I took a right-hander a little too hot and leaned hard enough to grind the foot peg and brake pedal.

Way too much lean angle for street riding

IMO, chances are that your technique is wrong.

Would be my guess since it is the the most common cause for this type of problem.

I have had my stock ninja 650r at the track and can get after the corners in the canyons pretty good and I still have strips front and rear, and although I removed the huge peg feelers due to touching them down @ the track I have never come close to dragging pegs and /or levers. You don't necessarily need to go to a track but I would get some coaching from someone that actually knows what they are talking about (this isn't always easy). But in the meantime I would definitely dial it back a bit. As you already know crashing is not fun and is a lousy way to learn lessons.

[Drano]

I agree, it was definitely a pucker moment.

If, aside from that, I'm still leaning too much on the street I want to cut that out before I become a stain on the pavement.

[Bueller]

And I would check to see what the difference in length between the 2 shocks, could be a problem for sure.

[Drano]

And I would check to see what the difference in length between the 2 shocks, could be a problem for sure.

Could you elaborate for me? I'm a bit confused. Are you talking about the front forks and how far the cylinders extend from the housing tube?

[mauser72]

Tire wear like that indicates that your bike isnt balanced the rear shock may have been taller than your original so your rear end is jacked up in the air

[Drano]

Okay, thanks.

[cbrjohnny]

tire pressure? i like to run 10-15% less than whats on the tag on the bike front and rear.

[Zach929rr]

I got $5 on body positioning.

[Fumet5uNo]

+2 for bueller seems off to scrub front over rear .... No clue for cause without seeing bike or u ride,

[Fumet5uNo]

Just thinking but how is the balance on ur suspension? Even comp?

[Drano]

I really had to do some digging to figure out what rear shock I have. I didn't do the install, it was done by the original owner. From various images I have been able to view, it looks like it's from a 2004+ GSXR1000. On inspection, I can't find a part number, aside from a 65J stamped on the bottom mounting bracket. I found this list on SVrider.com https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/...COvG24gH#gid=1

I'll give you a rundown of my suspension changes. The original owner was really short and did a lot of his own modifications to the bike. Along with the rear shock, he also had lowering links installed. He had also toyed around with the front suspension by installing pvc spacers. The first thing I did was restore the original links. Afterwards I took the bike to John at Rocky Mountain Cycle Plaza to have the suspension adjusted. After I crashed last year, I had the Racetech springs and emulators installed by Jackel Motorsports. I haven't done anything to the suspension since then, but I will definitely have it looked at to make sure nothing has changed.

I keep my tire pressure at the recommended psi.

As far as technique goes, I've been practicing "slow in, fast out". I've read "The Pace" a couple of times, and watched the "Twist II" video. By no means am I implying that I know it all. However, what I try to do as I approach a corner is slow down, and brake when necessary. Once I turn in, I roll on the throttle as smoothly as I can. For body positioning, I don't hang off, I stay in the seat, but I position my head and upper body toward the side closest to the ground.

That's at least what I'm trying to do. There are likely all sorts of things I could be doing wrong and nothing would please me more than to get some personal instruction to improve my technique. When it comes to riding, I have no ego. I want to enjoy the ride, and learn to do so correctly.

[mauser72]

Try screwing your front preload adjusters in a couple lines and then take a look at how the tires are wearing. Technique is def. very important but I just dont see some one sitting on the bike so wrong that the tires would wear this way unless you are sitting on top of your tank in a corner. You could also put a ziptie around your fork tube and go ride to see how far the fork is compressing if you find your zip tie is almost at the bottom of the tube you have a setup issue if not it may be a body position thing.

[Slo]

Technique is def. very important but I just dont see some one sitting on the bike so wrong that the tires would wear this way unless you are sitting on top of your tank in a corner.

+1

I think you have suspension issues plus... what tires pressures were you running front and rear?

This may take an STM Dave to help you figure out the issue and help resolve it completely.

[Bueller]

Body position would be what could be causing the excessive lean angles resulting in dragging pegs and brake lever and from the sounds of it if the lowering links are still in place in conjunction with the possibility of a different shock length may have the rear of the the motorcycle totally F-ed up. I would try to get the chassis back to stock geometry. I have the stock links but I just sold the stock shock off of an '07.
Measure the eye to eye dimension on the installed shock and see how close it is to the 330mm SV shock and then measure the dimension on the links to compare to stock.

[cbrjohnny]

recommened tire pressure is for max load of the bike ie 2 riders... thats why i run mine a little lower. and i also check tp every 2 weeks or so.

[Drano]

what tires pressures were you running front and rear?

I keep my tire pressure at the manufacturer's setting. 33 Front 36 Rear

I would try to get the chassis back to stock geometry. I have the stock links but I just sold the stock shock off of an '07.
Measure the eye to eye dimension on the installed shock and see how close it is to the 330mm SV shock and then measure the dimension on the links to compare to stock.

That's one of the first things I had done. I removed the lowering links and installed the stock links. If the rear shock is from a 2004 GSXR1000 it should be 332.5mm. I don't have the stock shock as I didn't perform the install, the original owner did, so I can't place them side-by-side to verify.
When the front emulators were installed I asked that the front forks be set at the stock height as well. Since I'm 6'0" tall, I've worked to have the bike riding as close to stock as possible.

Once I have the funds I'll book an appointment with STM and figure out what's going on here. Thanks again for helping me figure this out. I sincerely appreciate it.

[rforsythe]

It's not hard to scrape stock pegs on an SV and still have a bunch of tire left, but yeah you need to address technique. The funky tire wear is most likely a mechanical issue (geometry, tire pressure, etc).