Asymmetrical front tire wear

[Dr.D]

The front wheel and tire are offset by design by the manufacture. It is done to compensate for the torque, weight and design of the rest of the bike. It does not promote uneven tire wear. It actually prevents it and causes the bike to track more straight. The tire wear pattern you have is caused by another factor.

 

[atomsplitter]

The front wheel and tire are offset by design by the manufacture. It is done to compensate for the torque, weight and design of the rest of the bike. It does not promote uneven tire wear. It actually prevents it and causes the bike to track more straight. The tire wear pattern you have is caused by another factor.

Sounds like it's time to call Hinckley and get a definitive answer. Anyone got their number (and willing to make the call)?

 

[Kiwicol]

I think Jagster lives close by the factory, maybe could go in & ask?

 

[Jagster]

I think Jagster lives close by the factory, maybe could go in & ask?

Not that near, but if and when I next go to the visitor centre, I will try to ask to speak to somebody......don't hold your breath though.

In the meantime, anyone who can't wait that long can call them directly:


Triumph Motorcycles,
Normandy Way,
Hinckley, LE10 3BZ
+44 (0)1455 251700

 

[RUN666]

Ok. But it's not clear to me how you are able to conclude that those particular differences result in the steering geometry being out of alignment.
Surely you would need to take a line from the centre of the front and rear tyre (or rim) and reference from there to the centre of the axis of rotation of the headstock.
If the headstock axis is offset (in plan view) to the centre of the wheel rims when they are aligned with each other, then you could state that the bike has an offset, but it's a very difficult thing to measure, so i'm somewhat doubting your conclusion.
You might be right, but then again.......
I'm not suggesting that you just noticed the front mudguard being out of alignment with the tyre and declared the chassis as being out of alignment, but I think there's is more to this than what we have been discussing earlier in the thread.
I have to confess that I had noticed the mudguard offset etc.. before, on my bike about a year or so ago, when I was making my front fender extender, but I kinda just accepted it and then forgot about it.

Every shaft drive bike i've ever owned looked like it had some offset at the rear wheel, but i've never investigated it to any extent because it's difficult to do with any accuracy. Perhaps this kind of thing is more common than we are aware???

I conclude that the steering is not centered simply by noticing the asymmetrical wear of the tire... Add the engine's overturning torque to this difference and the explanation for this wear seems obvious to me. Afterwards it is very possible that the wheels are aligned in the longitudinal plane, or not, but I do not have the material means necessary for this verification. Now I make do with it like you with the mudguard and I would change my tires more often...

 

[Dr.D]

I did not call the company but when the new bikes came out my mechanic went to a week long school for the new bike. It was this mechanic that gave me the information.

 

[Renigma]

As you said, it's by design- all of our front wheels are offset on the 2.5s.

As far as wearing on the right, and this may contradict what someone said earlier about driving on the right side of the road, I was told by a mechanic years ago with my '98 Thunderbird Sport that this is normal due to our right turns being sharper than turning left.

What I suspect on the 2.5s is that the way it always wants to drift left (evident if you take your hands off handlebars) forces you to constantly apply just a slight amount of right turn pressure to compensate. This constant steering pressure to the right wears the right side of the tire more than the left. That's my theory and I'm sticking to it

Static balance on front and dynabeads in the rear

I think this is the best explanation.
My bike goes to the left when I take my hands off. I've also observed that the bike leans slightly towards rights when going straight to counteract the left going tendency. I gave my bike to brother and rode behind to observe this on multiple occasions and different roads. And that's why my front tire is quite clearly worn out more on the right side. The rear looks okay though. Seems completely symmetric.