[ace.cafe]

I just thought of another possibility.

Roads are "crowned" so that they are higher in the middle. In the US we drive on the right side of the road. So, it would be natural for the bike to have a slight drift to the right on a road like that. But on a flat parking lot, it should go straight.

[1thump]

Definitely not riding position as it doesn't happen on my other bikes, also not the crown on the road as I've tried it multiple times. Maybe I'll have to get the alignment checked.

[Arizoni]

I might point out, the torpedo that came on my G5 does weigh over 10 pounds.  Its one heavy dude!

I, for one wouldn't be surprised that it is the cause of the right hand drift.

[1thump]

I was looking at this exhaust as I think the stock looks too big also.

http://carpyscaferacers.com/shop/cafe-racer-motorcycle-parts/megaphone-continental-gt/

Anyone have any experience with it? Looks like a straight pipe to me

[p144]

Just measure from the center point of the swing arm pivot bolt to the center of the rear axle bolt on both sides to check alignment. If those measurements are the same,... then there's trouble somewhere else. Maybe the weight of the pipe. Maybe the crown of the road, or maybe a bent frame. I'd break out a tape measure and eliminate at least one possibility within a few minutes.

[Dave73]

I was looking at this exhaust as I think the stock looks too big also.

http://carpyscaferacers.com/shop/cafe-racer-motorcycle-parts/megaphone-continental-gt/

Anyone have any experience with it? Looks like a straight pipe to me

I have that exhaust installed on my bike...  It's much lighter than stock.  And yes, it's basically a straight pipe.  It has a plate welded in towards the end of the exhaust but as far as I could tell that was the only baffling.

[gizzo]

I might point out, the torpedo that came on my G5 does weigh over 10 pounds.  Its one heavy dude!

I, for one wouldn't be surprised that it is the cause of the right hand drift.

I sometimes hang an ammo case pannier on one side of my Suzuki bobber. Doesn't make any difference and it doesn't pull to that side with all that weight and drag.  YMMV.

[p144]

According to Keith Code in "The Twist of the Wrist", the weight won't cause it to driftspeed  when at speed. Even having a rider shift theor weight extremely to one side of a motorcyle won't adjust it's course IF the handlebars stay stationary. It's all about counter steer.

[olhogrider]

According to Keith Code in "The Twist of the Wrist", the weight won't cause it to driftspeed  when at speed. Even having a rider shift theor weight extremely to one side of a motorcyle won't adjust it's course IF the handlebars stay stationary. It's all about counter steer.

First of all, Congrats on the new bike! Do you still have the alcoholic Fireball?

In my Harley days, I could stand on a floorboard and the bike would track straight. When I got a Ducati, I could change direction by weighting one footpeg or the other, no hands on the bar. Take that, Keith Code! What Mr. Code is trying to show with his "NO BS" bike is how effective countersteering is. It is a good lesson, but not the final word.

[1thump]

Alcoholic fireball?

Still trying to figure out what the cause of the drift is. Can other GT owners chime in, when you let go of the bars while riding, does the bike veer right?

[gizzo]

Nope. It will drift with the camber of the road, that's all. I paid special attention while I was riding the other night after reading this post.

[p144]

Same here. Just a slight rightward drift. I guess I need to find a long stretch of road that I can see who's coming and switch to the other lane and see if it has a leftward drift...

[1thump]

Ok because mine definetly pulls right, I have to shift my weight way left for it to track straight

[Chuck D]

First of all, Congrats on the new bike! Do you still have the alcoholic Fireball?

In my Harley days, I could stand on a floorboard and the bike would track straight. When I got a Ducati, I could change direction by weighting one footpeg or the other, no hands on the bar. Take that, Keith Code! What Mr. Code is trying to show with his "NO BS" bike is how effective countersteering is. It is a good lesson, but not the final word.

Wrong 1thump. 

[p144]

First of all, Congrats on the new bike! Do you still have the alcoholic Fireball?

In my Harley days, I could stand on a floorboard and the bike would track straight. When I got a Ducati, I could change direction by weighting one footpeg or the other, no hands on the bar. Take that, Keith Code! What Mr. Code is trying to show with his "NO BS" bike is how effective countersteering is. It is a good lesson, but not the final word.

I'm sure the bars on the Ducati were in fact moving (negative steering) as you shifted weight. The point Mr Code was making was that it's not weight that changes direction. If you hold the bars straight and shift weight to one side or the other, you'll still track pretty straight. Now if you truly held the bars in a static position and the bike changed direction by shifting weight, then that would disprove his point.