Randall, I've read the rattlebars explanation, but I dont believe the distance making a left verses a right putting on that much more mileage so as to wear the left that much more. I believe it to be a combination maybe of that and the fact that we ride the left side a little compensating for the extra weight on the exhaust side. That weight on the exhaust side "pulls" the bike to the right. Heavier the exhaust, the more you lean the bike left to keep it going straight down the road. We compensate without thinking about it... it's just a matter of balancing. That "compensation" has us riding leaned a little left. You will notice this easily if you try to go straight down the road with no hands, throttle locked. You will veer to the right. Put weight in the left saddlebag to "balance" the bike side to side, you will go straight down the road. A few pounds too many on he left side, you will veer left, unless shifting your body to balance it. Possibly, the crown in the road may contribute a little, probably less than 5% though, considering the small grade of crowns on our roads. I figure the wear is from about 50% on the rattlebars left/right turn distance theory, and 50% of my side weight compensation theory. Here is a post on the veering issue Cisco K was asking about in another post:
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Re: Steering Drift
« Reply #2 on: 2006-05-22, 16:47:15
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Pretty regular, from my observation. The last 100,000 miles I've put on motorcycles has been with a throttle lock. I instantly realized that, once you let go of the bars, you must lean or reposition your butt to the left. About one and a half inches to the left does it for me. Never realize much of a pull with your hand on the bar...You "automatically" correct without thinking. I believe the underlying cause to be the same reason the left (when you're sittin' on it ) side of the front tire wears more than the right, not purely because of the crown in the road, but because of all the extra weight on the right side from the heavy stock exhaust. You have to ride "leaned" to the left to "balance" the bike if your hands are not doing the "balancing" on the bars, or shift your weight left of center.
You don't really notice this effect unless you ride with your hands completely off the bars, and it doesn't seem as strong a pull to the right if you have lighter exhaust on.
This 1800 is the second honda in a row since I started using the throttle lock. The last a Shadow 1100,
Try this, it "balances" mine. Put Bricks in the left saddlebag, about 70 LBS (assuming you have bags and they will hold the weight. Mine rides straight forward with equal weight on each side. It was just an idea, but it proved out to me. If it balances yours, take the bricks out, and don't worry about it as I don't anymore. JUST LOOK FOR THE TREAD WEAR MORE ON THE LEFT SIDE WHEN CHECKING YOUR TIRES. They do wear more on the left, the front seemingly a little more than the rear.
You wanna ride no hands, shift your butt to the left. Still have to lean a little, but....
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My 2 $ worth
