Handlebar Off Center

[moby one]

As some of you may know I dropped my bike this week. I rode it for the first time since the f-up and noticed something funny (weird). It seems that the right bar is a little pushed back from before. Thats the side that it fell on. Check this out, I stand in front of the bike and align the tire which looks like to center, I then go to the cockpit and the triple tree and bars look a little to the right. I was going to post pics but it is so sublte that I didn't think that it would show. It was however significant enough that i noticed it right when i got on it after the drop. Do you think that i may have spun the triple tree on the forks or bent something? Nothing looks bent......WTF?

please advise,

mo

 

[Rogue]

That is too common. It's just twisted, loosen up the triple clamps and bump the tire against something solid (telephone poles work well) then tighten.

 

[Coyote]

Does it need to be a calibrated telephone pole?? :huh:

 

[FJRocket]

That used to happen occasionally to my dirt bikes about a hunert years ago. Crash the bike and then.. get out front, lock my knees around the wheel and haul ass twist on the bars to straighten the forks.

So now the trick it to figure out if it's twist in the forks or if the bar is actually bent. Even if it's subtle, you should be able to tell. And the phone pole trick will probably help no matter what. Otherwise, a 5 pound sledge will help. Or drop the bike on the other side to even it out.

I still wish someone made aftermarket adjustable bars for this thing. Various angles and set backs would be nice.

If my bike goes over (again) and it hits the bars, my Lenkers will probably move before the forks do. Lenkers should advertise that product advantage.

 

[moby one]

CoooooooOOOooooL, :dance:

Thanks, I will do the triple clamps tonight. My neighbor has a huge motorcycle hoist with a front wheel lock that will work slicker than snot on a doorknob. Are there any torque requirements? How 'bout are friend lock tight? I did think about dropping it on the other side but then i would have to deal with scratches on both sides. :dribble:

mo

 

[Rogue]

Are there any torque requirements? How 'bout are friend lock tight?

I wouldn't use Loc-Tight on threads into aluiminum, It can pull the treads out! :angry02:

I don't know the torque.

 

[yamahlr]

To align do you loosen the upper and lower clamps and them bump the front wheel?

 

[moby one]

Misson accomplished,

I think that it is more straight now than before. Is there a trick to get the gay-ass reflectors off of the front forks? Those nuts look kinda funky. They are attached to the front brakes. I put a wrench on them and they did not want to turn. i didn't want to force them too much. any suggestions?

mo

 

[fjrinbc]

moby one

The reflectors are not too hard to remove. First go around the back of the reflector and you will see a nut (10mm, I think it was) in the centre of it. Remove this and it will make things a whole lot easier. Make sure you have a 6-point 12mm socket and hold it square to those hollow caliper bolts. Give it a f-i-r-m twist and it should come loose. They are very tight from the factory. When putting things back together these bolts require 29 ft-lbs dry. I use about 22 ft-lbs because I use anti-seize on the threads. Good luck.

Len

 

[Grumpy]

Better than that, get your dramel and saw the ends of the damned reflectors off so you can get to the 12 mm bolts!

 

[Rogue]

Better than that, get your dramel and saw the ends of the damned reflectors off so you can get to the 12 mm bolts!

They bend real easy.

 

[madmike2]

8mm nut on the backside of the reflector. The bracket is under the caliper bolts. If you have ABS, left side bracket has a retainer for the sensor wire.

A number of owners have used their dremel tools and cut reliefs into the reflectors to facilitate removal of the caliper bolts.

 

[moby one]

Yep, mine is the ABS and i noticed the retainer hook on the left side. Thanks again for assistance.

Raining today, probably not riding.

mo

 

[rpoole0987]

does anyone know if the reflectors on the saddlebags can be removed? if so, how?

thanks

 

[radman]

A heat gun (or hair dryer on high) on the back side (inside) softens the glue. A piece of fish line is then used as a saw to get a corner started. A steady pull should get it off if it's not real old. A little brake cleaner to get the bit of adhesive off, a little light rubbing compound to polish things up, you'll never know they were there.

 

[rpoole0987]

thanks radman!