bad news and good news on the suspesion front. only checked the front end settings and they were as per your suggustion jimmy. good news is, i dropped the front tyre pressure and rolled the bars back by by about an inch thus making it easier to get my weight over the back end . this and a little more familiarity with the bike seems to have solved the problem. however life is never that simple. all my attention is now focused on my on and off switch that they call a clutch. it never ends does it ? thanks again for all the info. i'm of to dredge the the threads of the 315 master cylinders, mitani clutch systems and something involving a grinder. now where's that beer?