FXR150 - really strange problems

[jeremysprite]

K, about 2 months ago, (to the day tomorrow) my friend reversed his car into my bike, without seeing it. It snapped the kickstand, i think it bent a fork (ever so slightly, as its almost imperceptible, not sure if I'm imagining it or it really is bent) or steering head maybe, cause the steering faces to the right quite sharply when the wheel is straight, about 20 degrees? But the weirdest thing is how the engine doesn't sound tinny anymore, it sounds quite deep, a bit louder, but not as if i cut the exhaust off. The low down torque isn't really there anymore, it just winds through the gears, no 'powerband' (tongue in cheek) around 8k, only the one higher up at about 10k. FXR riders will know what I'm talking about, hopefully. This easy revving, crap torque until its in 4th, and then its okay, but I don't think top speeds are quite the same, haven't been able to check as its unwarranted and unregistered and the forks are off.
So I don't exactly know what, if anything is wrong with it. Steering is definitley bent, but i sent fork to bike shop and they said it was fine. Exhaust is not punctured anywhere along the pipe I can see. So what the hell could be wrong with it, from being knocked (heavily) onto the ground that could affect the engine.
Mucho perplexado,
JS

[skidMark]

bent triple clamp? , bent axle?

and the motor sounds owned...i suspect maybe stab in the dark the clutch is owned?

[jeremysprite]

yeah i was thinking bent 3 clamp too. How can I check? I looked down them, they seemed pretty straight. Clutch ain't slipping or anything, don't think its that.

[jeremysprite]

k so we tonight resolved that the steering head is screwed, the bearings inside are munched. But hey, it was fun doing those wheelies, totally worth it now you find out the damage to your bike? Yeah, great. So we need a 30mm socket to take the head off, otherwise its off to the bike shops, and there goes my hard earned cash.

[vtec]

With regard to your engine noises sounding deeper, I've got a couple of CBR250RR's. One that I've had for years, and dropped a few times, once it landed on its exhaust where it attaches to the exhaust pipe flange, and the flange got a little bit bent, enough to open up a tiny outlet. Makes the engine sound a lot throbbier and deeper than the normal CBR's, without really being much louder at all. I reckon it's the nicest sounding CBR250RR around. I like my bikes to run quietly.

[skidMark]

k so we tonight resolved that the steering head is screwed, the bearings inside are munched. But hey, it was fun doing those wheelies, totally worth it now you find out the damage to your bike? Yeah, great. So we need a 30mm socket to take the head off, otherwise its off to the bike shops, and there goes my hard earned cash.

old trade trick...use vice grips....clamp em on and undo it tap with a happer / mallet if you have to.... never munched one yet

[imdying]

Dunno what trade you're in. Mechanics ring up a parts shop and have them send the correct tool on a one hour courier.

[jeremysprite]

yeah tried the swing style vice grips clamped by the locking type. Its on real tight. Which piece is the flange? bit that connects to cylinder?

[FROSTY:Me]

JS--with the FXR theres a few things could be twisted/bent.
First off--the fairing could be skewiff which gives the impression of twisted front end
secondly bent handlebar will give the same impression.
otherwise it could be twisted in the triple clamps

[jeremysprite]

When the wheel is facing forward, not paying attention to any plastic cause its all held together by wire and tape, the steerings off to the right. I did a lowside on wet paint that morning as well, at about 20k, scratched the front disk a little, could that have wrecked the steering/3 clamp? It is a light bike.

We did the whole line up the forks with 2 straight planks below steering and triple clamp, and the bottom plank, triple clamp one, was off par.

Got the proper tool though and popped the top nut off last night, just before i went out. Will remove the head probably tonight or maybe next week. Looks like its the 3 clamp though.

JS

[gav]

Hmmm, sounds farked, tell ya what, seeing as I'm a good bastard, I'll take it off your hands, and even better I'll give ya $500 for it. No seriously, don't try and stop me, just a KB thing ya know.

[jeremysprite]

$500 aye? I don't think it'd qualify for the blackball challenge.

[jeremysprite]

removed the steering head yesterday, took a look at the thrust bearings. They seem pretty good, the top one is well greased, the bottom bearing's grease has gone black, and it doesn't spin too well. But none of the rollers or plates are twisted or broken so I don't see whats wrong with it!! Biggest problem with a problem is identifying the problem with the problem in the first place... or something like that. Will a slightly sticky bearing on the bottom make the triple clamps sit skew? I don't see how. I'll leave it a couple days, up to auckland on thursday, then I'll put it all back together and see if ive magically fixed it.