Crooked handlebars

[midmoraider]

Hello all, I did a search about this but couldn't find anything that addresses this issue. When riding the bike, the handlebars are not straight, i.e. they are positioned towards the right side, but the bike tracks straight. Is there a way to adjust this? It seems to be the whole front end, because even the windscreen and turn signals are off center as well.

I know it's not my fork tubes being bent because when I dropped the front end, I rolled them both across a flat surface and there wasn't any kind of runout. Thanks.

 

[[email protected]]

Was it like that before you took apart the front end?

First, check the bars and make sure they are not bent.
I guess it could be possible for something to be out of alignment from incorrect assembly:confused2:

Check the bar riser assembly first. Make sure it is installed properly.
Loosen nut on top of the triple clamp.
Loosen lower pinch bolts. Leave the top ones tight.
Loosen pinch bolt on axle and axle.
See if things can be aligned.
Put some pressure on the front wheel, compress the forks, make sure there is no binding.
If things look better, tighten axle, pinch bolts, then top nut.

Hopefully nothing is bent! Let us know what you find out

 

[one2dmax]

Last time we had that they stem in the lower triple was bent. But, the bike had been through a crash though not half as bad as we had seen before.
Sean

 

[midmoraider]

Sorry it took so long to get back to this. The bike has never been in any kind of accident. I loosened everything up, tried to adjust it but it's still the same. When I am riding straight, the handlebars, turn signals and even the top of the triples seem to be offset to the right. However, the bike tracks straight, no wobble at any speed and even if I remove both hands, it doesn't veer one way or the other. Guess I'll just live with it. Thanks for the suggestions.

 

[SpecOps13]

You know it's always gonna bug you that the bars aren't pointing where they're supposed to.. It would me...:confused2:

 

[jfeagins]

You might research recent threads regarding laser frame alignments. Kind of an expensive venture, but some here on the forum seemed to think it money well spent.

 

[Woody]

i'd like to ride his bike. and see if i notice something.
hey midmo you ever get up to des moines?

 

[midmoraider]

Woody, I haven't been up that way for several years, since I went to Marshalltown to tour the Lennox plant. Spec, I know it's gonna bug me, I'm just trying to fool myself.:biglaugh:

 

[Dr. Satan]

Is there a crown in the road where you ride?

 

[midmoraider]

There is a crown on most roads around here, but I don't think that is it. I have gone so far as to stand up and look over the bars at the front wheel while going down the road to verify the crookedness. It seems like the triples are turned slightly to the right for whatever reason which is throwing everything else off. It rides great, so I really don't feel like tearing into it, at least not until it gets cold again.

 

[85vmax]

Since everything pointing right is connected to the top triple clamp, that needs adjusting...they/the forks can easily get out of shape when taken aprt/loosened up.
When you look down the forks while the wheel is pointed straight the right fork should to be twisted down and back and the left up and forward..

You need to loosen the top clamp bolts, secure the front tire against a wall or between your legs, and turn the bars in the opposite direction and straighten the legs out......snug, check and torque.
If its really bad you may also have to loosen the bottom clamps and do the same thing.

 

[midmoraider]

Ok tried loosening everything up, even took off the front wheel. Went so far as to remove my aftermarket fork brace. It looks like the problem is between the bottom triple and wheel being out of alignment with one another. Is there anyway to adjust the bottom triple? This issue is really starting to piss me off! :damn angry:

 

[alorio1]

Since everything pointing right is connected to the top triple clamp, that needs adjusting...they/the forks can easily get out of shape when taken aprt/loosened up.
When you look down the forks while the wheel is pointed straight the right fork should to be twisted down and back and the left up and forward..

You need to loosen the top clamp bolts, secure the front tire against a wall or between your legs, and turn the bars in the opposite direction and straighten the legs out......snug, check and torque.
If its really bad you may also have to loosen the bottom clamps and do the same thing.

If your tripple tree is not twisted 85vmax's method should work, but you have to put the front wheel back on. Was handle bars straight before you took it apart?

 

[midmoraider]

OK!! I finally figured it out. After much trial and error (and cussing) I put the wheel back on without the fender or fork brace. Everything lined up pretty good. I guess when I lowered the forks internally a while back, I tightened down the fork brace first, which looks like put the forks in enough of a bind to throw off the geometry.:confused2: This time I mounted and torqued the wheel without even starting the brace bolts. When all looked good, I then tightened down the aftermarket fork brace. Wouldn't think it would throw it off that much, but I guess stranger things have happened.

Mucho thanks to everybody who chimed in with suggestions. Hope my error will help someone else avoid this in the future.

 

[alorio1]

Happy to hear you have your problem solved............

 

[Dr. Satan]

Good to hear that you solved the problem.

 

[VMAX NV]

I just put the axle in without the wheel to keep the forks straight while I bolted on the brace/fender, then took it out, put it back in the wheel and installed the wheel...

 

[Redbone]

Glad to hear you got it "straightened" out!unk:

 

[Woody]

I still want to ride it. Maybe I'll head south. I've never been pulled over in mo. (yet)