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DDR_Fan · 10-20-2009, 03:17 AM

Hi, I have this oldschool German bike "AWO 425 Touren".
It was manufactured in 1956 and shares almost everything in its design with another German bike - BMW R25.

Now, I am a newbie who is willing to learn how to ride.
And I intend to do that on that old bike.

What puzzles me is the steering of this oldtimer.
When you grab the handle bars and start rotating the front fork left and right, you can feel that the fork kind of "snaps" in place when its position is dead center.
I guess this helps a lot when you are driving on straight streets and highways.

BUT!

I have heard that when you are trying to take a turn at high speed you have to slightly twist the front wheel in the opposite direction of the turn.
How am I supposed to do that when the front wheel is "snapped" in place and holds itself straightforward?
Don't get me wrong - no, it is not hard to un-snap it, but this still bears the risks of twisting the front wheel too much because it kind of "pops out" with sudden force out of its snapped position.

I tried to loosen the tightness of the steering system (there is a screw for this job) but this doesen't loosen the snapped position.

Is this all OK?
_

pplassm · 10-20-2009, 03:21 AM

You have worn steering head bearings. These must be replaced before you ride the bike.

Strongly suggest you find an inexpensive biike to learn on so you do not risk that relic on the street.

DDR_Fan · 10-20-2009, 03:35 AM

Damn... Are you sure that this is a deffect and not something that was intentionally engineered this way?
I mean, the snapping of the front fork occurs in dead center. I thought that this is not just a coincidence.
Maybe it is supposed to snap in there but just slightly?
I will change the bearing for sure.
It is a WONDERFUL classic bike indeed and I don't want to crash and burn it due to my inexperience.

_

longride · 10-20-2009, 04:24 AM

"Now, I am a newbie who is willing to learn how to ride."

If you want to learn how to ride, don't do it on that thing. Get a more modern bike that steers and brakes correctly.

CaptCrash · 10-20-2009, 05:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by longride

"Now, I am a newbie who is willing to learn how to ride."

If you want to learn how to ride, don't do it on that thing. Get a more modern bike that steers and brakes correctly.

+1

It's kinda like saying: "I got this great 63 corvette for my kid to learn to drive with!"

Take a course. Get a newbie friendly bike.

DDR_Fan · 10-20-2009, 07:45 AM

OK, I will learn on another bike.
But my question about the center-snap that occurs with the steering system on my old German bike still remains unanswered.
Is this really a deffect?

longride · 10-20-2009, 07:57 AM

Have someone that knows what they are looking at diagnose it. t would impossible to say with any certainty on the Internet what the cause is.

The_AirHawk · 10-20-2009, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DDR_Fan

OK, I will learn on another bike.
But my question about the center-snap that occurs with the steering system on my old German bike still remains unanswered.
Is this really a deffect?

Not a "defect". Just worn steering-stem bearings. It happens to "modern" bikes as well - and exactly as you describe it.

If this thing has been restored, it's quite-possible the one who restored it either didn't know about it (unlikely), didn't care about it because their intention wans't to actually ride the bike (possibly), or was unable to find a proper bearing to replace the worn one (probably).

Good Luck, with an old bike - you're gonna need it.

DDR_Fan · 10-20-2009, 08:26 AM

^ It's a "barn fresh" that I managed to get running.
But apparently it needs some more tweaking here and there.

pushrod · 10-20-2009, 08:39 AM

It probably sat for quite awhile with the steering aimed straight-ish. The bearings may have corroded in place, leaving a 'divot' in the race(s).

So, you will feel a 'detent' when the front is in that old familiar position. It probably drags everywhere else, but you don't know it well enough to tell.

+1 on not using the ol' machine as a learner. I understand you can get a Buell Blast quite cheap now...

10-20-2009, 03:17 AM	#1
DDR_Fan Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 24	Newbie question about the steering of an oldtimer bike Hi, I have this oldschool German bike "AWO 425 Touren". It was manufactured in 1956 and shares almost everything in its design with another German bike - BMW R25. Now, I am a newbie who is willing to learn how to ride. And I intend to do that on that old bike. What puzzles me is the steering of this oldtimer. When you grab the handle bars and start rotating the front fork left and right, you can feel that the fork kind of "snaps" in place when its position is dead center. I guess this helps a lot when you are driving on straight streets and highways. BUT! I have heard that when you are trying to take a turn at high speed you have to slightly twist the front wheel in the opposite direction of the turn. How am I supposed to do that when the front wheel is "snapped" in place and holds itself straightforward? Don't get me wrong - no, it is not hard to un-snap it, but this still bears the risks of twisting the front wheel too much because it kind of "pops out" with sudden force out of its snapped position. I tried to loosen the tightness of the steering system (there is a screw for this job) but this doesen't loosen the snapped position. Is this all OK? _

10-20-2009, 03:21 AM	#2
pplassm Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Posts: 3,875	You have worn steering head bearings. These must be replaced before you ride the bike. Strongly suggest you find an inexpensive biike to learn on so you do not risk that relic on the street. __________________ Mongo just pawn in game of life.

10-20-2009, 04:24 AM	#4
longride Super Duper Mod Man Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Anywhere they let me Posts: 10,484	"Now, I am a newbie who is willing to learn how to ride." If you want to learn how to ride, don't do it on that thing. Get a more modern bike that steers and brakes correctly. __________________ I'm a knucklehead

10-20-2009, 07:57 AM	#7
longride Super Duper Mod Man Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Anywhere they let me Posts: 10,484	Have someone that knows what they are looking at diagnose it. t would impossible to say with any certainty on the Internet what the cause is. __________________ I'm a knucklehead

10-20-2009, 08:39 AM	#10
pushrod Founding Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Baja 'Bama Posts: 3,478	It probably sat for quite awhile with the steering aimed straight-ish. The bearings may have corroded in place, leaving a 'divot' in the race(s). So, you will feel a 'detent' when the front is in that old familiar position. It probably drags everywhere else, but you don't know it well enough to tell. +1 on not using the ol' machine as a learner. I understand you can get a Buell Blast quite cheap now... __________________ You would not understand, this is not how I am... I have become - Comfortably Numb.

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10-20-2009, 03:35 AM	#3
DDR_Fan Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 24	Damn... Are you sure that this is a deffect and not something that was intentionally engineered this way? I mean, the snapping of the front fork occurs in dead center. I thought that this is not just a coincidence. Maybe it is supposed to snap in there but just slightly? I will change the bearing for sure. It is a WONDERFUL classic bike indeed and I don't want to crash and burn it due to my inexperience. _

10-20-2009, 07:45 AM	#6
DDR_Fan Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 24	OK, I will learn on another bike. But my question about the center-snap that occurs with the steering system on my old German bike still remains unanswered. Is this really a deffect?

10-20-2009, 08:26 AM	#9
DDR_Fan Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 24	^ It's a "barn fresh" that I managed to get running. But apparently it needs some more tweaking here and there.