South West Bikers | Motorcycle Forum

Please nice peeps...

Is it possible that the front wheel can be out-of-line with the top yoke under normal use / circumstance ? (no thump or drop).

Seems to be slightly out from riding position but not really from front view. Rides fine, brakes fine.

Moi

If you run a long straight edge across the top of the forks, tight against them, somewhere below the top yoke, and another as low as possible (through the wheel) you can see if they are parallel with each other, and see if the forks are slightly twisted. I use one metre aly rods from B&Q, but you have to find straight ones! A long ruler will work if there is room to slide it through, especially for the lower one.
It is also possible the rear wheel is out of alignment, so the front wheel has to run offset to compensate. Do you know how to check front and rear wheel alignment? The simplest way is with string, but I made a tool to check mine, out of two long aly bars and long bolts.

Thanks AbD. I'll have a look a those tomorrow. Quite recent rear tyre so I'll start there.

A simple check for fork alignment would be to get the front wheel off the floor (using an abba-type stand or an under-the-yoke type, NOT one that lifts the bottom of the fork legs), remove the wheel and see if the spindle can be easily refitted to the empty legs. If something is amiss, the spindle holes won't align properly. If it goes straight back in without any effort then it's all straight.

MellowYellow wrote:Thanks AbD. I'll have a look a those tomorrow. Quite recent rear tyre so I'll start there.

That would be my first suspect. But of course, not the only one!

Being on my own and on the public highway, some procedures can be quite awkward.

I had a visual check at the ass end. Chain running straight and smooth, disc central and free in caliper.

So...I went for the bodge as a first try. Loosened axle retaining bolts and bottom yoke. Banged the front up and down violently a few times. Looked better and, as skies were darkening and coffee was calling, I tightened up again and...we'll see.

MellowYellow wrote:Being on my own and on the public highway, some procedures can be quite awkward.

I had a visual check at the ass end. Chain running straight and smooth, disc central and free in caliper.

So...I went for the bodge as a first try. Loosened axle retaining bolts and bottom yoke. Banged the front up and down violently a few times. Looked better and, as skies were darkening and coffee was calling, I tightened up again and...we'll see.

yup thats what i was gonna suggest , going for coffee sounds good to ,

My fairing is twisted, due to crashing and bending the mounting arms, so the screen is offcentre. Can't be bothered to remove it all and straighten it, but it does make everything else look twisted when I'm riding on the road. On track I have more important things to worry about!

Might just be me twisted. Seemed OK one day, felt and looked weird the next.

Did well over 200 miles on it last Sunday, some of it at nearly 69 mph, without any problem. Will see what it feel like next time out.

Deaf nut improvement. Maybe not purrfect but 99%.

Had a troll round Wells, Glasto, Street, Cheddar and (superb) chips at WsM doing timings for the Santas. Did appear and feel much straighter.

I should be in Cheddar /Weston next monday with the RD club , we will be smoking the gorge again .

Mervin wrote:I should be in Cheddar /Weston next monday with the RD club , we will be smoking the gorge again .

3 - way temp. traffic lights at junction A371 / A38. MASSIVE tail-backs. Loads of filtering required.