Fred's YBR 250 ;-))

[Fred]

Hey Euphonius, thanks a lot for taking the time to write all this.

I understand what you mean, no way I'm giving up the fight, even though yes, it's really mafan after 3 months of yelling at the dealership...

This morning I'm going with 1 of the mechanic to the Traffic police bureau on Hami lu to get the final plates (I had temporary 1 month plates until now). It'll be a long paperwork process and it'll give me time to inspect the front of the bike much more, in daylight for once.
I'll check if the forks didn't turn on the T (to straighten the steering) or if there's another problem with the wheel alignment.

I'll update this thread when I know more. I'll be sure to ask for some technical info if needed too.
Thanks again.

[ZMC888]

Fred, I've been reading this thread for quite a while. Sounds like the dealer is an utter doosh. Anyhow it's impossible to see what's wrong with the bike for us on the internet.

Check all the bolts are tight on the front end first. You can do hard braking with a new brake system, it's the hard braking heat cycles that bed in the pads. Do some fairly hard stops on a smooth clean empty road to make sure the front end tracks straight. If you're feeling brave briefly remove your hands from the bar at speed to see if there is any wobble.

Sounds like the bike damage was known about by the dealer before he bought it and got a nice discount on the grounds he'd have to fix it.

[Fred]

As I go through everything which could cause the problem, can any ybr 250 owners tell me if they have a bolt at the bottom end of the left front fork, on the outside ? I don't but it maybe normal.

[ChinaV]

Perhaps a pic of where you think the missing bolt is would help us Fred.

If you're worried about the front end, put the bike on the centerstand, loosen all of the triple clamp bolts holding the forks, as well as the front axel. Put the front wheel between your legs and pull and push on the handlebars until things appear in alignment, then tighten everything back up. If the bike got dropped and the forks twisted, this should fix it. If they're still out of whack, you may have a bigger problem in the front end. One other thing to check is the front axel, it may be bent.

Cheers!
ChinaV

[Fred]

Perhaps a pic of where you think the missing bolt is would help us Fred.

If you're worried about the front end, put the bike on the centerstand, loosen all of the triple clamp bolts holding the forks, as well as the front axel. Put the front wheel between your legs and pull and push on the handlebars until things appear in alignment, then tighten everything back up. If the bike got dropped and the forks twisted, this should fix it. If they're still out of whack, you may have a bigger problem in the front end. One other thing to check is the front axel, it may be bent.

Cheers!
ChinaV

Hehe, that's exactly what i wanted to do : the pic and the adjustment as you described, this is what I meant when I wrote that I'll check if the forks didn't turn in the T.
I took the pic with the mobile phone and intended to attach it when writing the post above, but I didn't succeed... So here it is now :
Attachment 5698
The quality is crap, and for some reason you have to click on it, it doesn't appear like the one below...
The question is for YBR 250 owners, do you have a bolt at the bottom end of the left fork (red circle), or just the end of the screw from the axle, without bolt ?

So, coming back from the Traffic Police bureau, I asked my mechanic to unscrew a bit the bolts (as ChinaV described basically) in order to straighten the steering, to see if it would solve the problem.
As soon as he took his tools and prepared to loosen the fist bolt, we saw at the same time one problem that we didn't spot before in the dark : the left fork tube was tighten a little bit higher than the right one.
I'll try to explain in a better way : the top part of each tube ends at the T, the metal part where the handlebars are attached too. Well, the top of the left tube was higher there than the right one. Not by a lot, maybe 2-3mm, but maybe enough to "disturb" the steering and my feeling through the handlebars.
He loosened everything, and put everything back at the exact same height, we both checked it. I tried the bike, then went home with it.

Now, the "steering" problem was very very slight to begin with, but I usually feel very tiny changes or problems like that. Now, after this "fix", I cannot tell yet. I seem to feel that it's ok now, but I need more time on the bike to be sure. Right now it's raining, people are driving as usual (like major asses), I have a headache, so I'll check this a little bit later.

Euphonius, this kind of problem with one fork slightly higher than the other at the T is consistent with what you describe : a fall on the fork when the bike was without a front wheel. But the thing is that the left fork was higher, which could mean an impact of the bottom of the left fork. But the dent in the tank and the broken plastic cover were on the right side, and consistent with an object impacting the bike while upstraight. Moreover, there're no others impacts or scratches on the right side...

Let me add a pic of the dent on the tank and the broken plastic that I took at the time.
IMAG0092.jpg

The dent is vertical, maybe the bike fell on something with the same shape, but as I wrote, nothing else has scratches.

Right now I'm just relieved a bit : I finally have the plates on the bike and the problem seems to be ok. I hope it's just that...

Anyway, thanks a lot for your help guys, I'll update you ASAP, when I will test it longer.

Cheers,

Fred

[ChinaV]

The question is for YBR 250 owners, do you have a bolt at the bottom end of the left fork (red circle), or just the end of the screw from the axle, without bolt ?

I don't think there should be a bolt there. Most of the bikes I have seen have a threaded fork tube for the axel.

1060740.jpg

Cheers!
ChinaV

[Fred]

Yeah, I checked Soberpete thread too, and it seems that it's normal, there's no bolt there. Thanks anyway ChinaV.

ZMC888, i did some heavy braking today at the traffic police place, I was bored waiting for the plates...
I did around ten heavy braking with the front brake, to the point of sliding very slightly the front tire on the dry asphalt, and I'm pleased to report that everything is perfect and works as it should. No vibrations, no pulling to one side while braking, everything seem fine.
Then, while stopped, I applied the front brake and "pumped" the front forks down hard. Once again, no problem at all, no blocking points, nothing strange. The front suspension is coming back up smoothly.

I did some heavy braking with the rear too, also to the point of sliding it for around 5 meters. Everything is ok too.
Same for very tight figure 8 maneuvers, I don't spot any problem.


On a side note, while waiting at the Traffic Police thing, somebody brought over a BMW 1200 GS to be plated too. It's big and impressive and all, but I must admit I'm really not into that kind of bike in terms of look...

[Nuhaus]

I'm pleased to report that everything is perfect and works as it should.

Good to hear. Glad it's working out for you.

On a side note, while waiting at the Traffic Police thing, somebody brought over a BMW 1200 GS to be plated too.

Did you ask him the way to Starbucks?

Sent from my ipad via Starbucks wifi.

[Fred]

Haha, no didn't ask him the way to the Starbucks, so BTW where's this Starbucks which accept motorcycles ? ;-))
Jingan district ?

[marcomagica]

Hi Fred,

Glad to know you fixed all your wenti. Sorry I didn't help with that bolt info, but I'm traveling, so I couldn't see my bike for that particular.

You plan to do some mods or put some gadgets to the bike? I'm in full swing on taobao for mine