Help needed, I hope I havent bent my bike..

[jade]

ok about 1month ago I got knocked off my bike by a car, on a roundabout ...The damage wasnt bad, broken footpeg and swingarm bobbin and scuffed fairing all on left hand side

I readjusted my handlebar which had pivotd all the way to the tank, and with my hurt ankle, got bike home
got footpeg 3 days after, and continued to ride it for another week
Now heres where it gets tricky.
I AM CERTAIN MY BIKE WAS RIDING STRAIGHT,
i then took the bike to cycletreads where a young apprentice fitted my chain and sprockets (talon from here)
fitted them while I waited, then I left
This is when I noticed my bike riding off a little bit.
Riding Straight I can see that the YOKE is slightly turned to the right.
I thought it was my handlebars, but its not
The rear end of my bike is one place I havent played, eg - taking back wheel off, but I reckon he may have reasembled it wrong, or with the rear wheel off straight, Of course I checked the marks on the swingarm but They appear to be correct ?
Is there any bushes or washers or anything He may have put back in the wrong order ?

My main question is - what method can I use to see if my bike is straight ?
the yokes appear to be pointing slightly right when im riding, does this mean my rear would be off right or left?
(on the forward point)
Plz help, I knocked my swingarm but im 99.9pc sure it didnt bend anything, I would have noticed the minute I got back on it

The swingarm bobbin (for a paddock stand) broke off on the left side, meaning if in theory it did bend the swingarm, the wheel would be moved right (looking from the back) wouldnt that conflict my yoked being pulled slightly right to ride straight? ( <= that would be doing that
I hope I havent bent it, im sure it was straight in the time from the crash till when I got the sprocket put on
2000rs250.. sprocket left side

[jade]

can I get a wheel alignment ? will cycletreads do it ?

[merv]

Try loosening your triple clamp bolts holding against the forks and just tweaking the bars back in the direction it needs to go to make the yoke straight on top - even go slightly further. You do this by holding the front wheel between your legs and just yanking on the bars. Then bolt it up tight and just tweak it back a little bit so all is straight then go fo a ride and see if you are happy.

We end up doing this all the time with the dirt bikes because after you arse off the damn things are as crooked as a West Auckland criminal and feel weird to ride until you tweak them back again. Usually not a lot of harm done.

This all assumes what you say about the rear axle being lined up on the swing arm marks is fine and there is nothing wrong there.

[merv]

can I get a wheel alignment ? will cycletreads do it ?

If you are worried about alignment get a friend to ride behind you and just watch the bike going down the road. If its out of line it will be obviously crabbing along with the rear looking slightly offset compared to the front.

[FROSTY:Me]

Youve twisted the forks in the tripples as Merv said.
on top of that Ill bet you HAVENT got the clipons straight

[jade]

thanx guys ill try tomorow, thanx for the help, ill let you know the verdict

[smudge]

Straighten the forks as described, then put the bike on its centre stand (if it has one) and run a string around the bike so it is touching both sides of the rear tyreand around the front tyre. With the front wheel centered between the string you should be able to eyeball the string line to see if the wheels are aligned. Easier to do than I described it....

_______________________________
( rear wheel) (front wheel)

[jade]

havent had a chance so far with work, hopefully sat arvo Ill get to have a look... I sure hope it is this, it feels front end to me, but what makes you guys so sure that it is not the swingarm ?
the swingarm did take a knock..

(admittdly if it is the forks, that supports the way the handlebar was pushed back to the tank, and contradicts the way the swingarm would have moved)

[smudge]

twist relatively easily, swingarms are usually pretty strong and they can bend. If it is bent, chances are the axle will not be on the same plane as the swingarm bolt which would mean the wheel would not be perpendicular. For the wheel to be misaligned the other way both tines of the swingarm would have to be bent. Possible but check the basics first.

[jade]

what am I doing wrong ? have the yokes and tripple clamp bolts off..
twisting the forks by the bars... only the sleeve moves - not the sliders/wheel

[jade]

just got home from cycletreads, problem not fixed, they reckon the wheel alignment was ok (string)
we undid the front end then did it all back up again and I went for a short ride
that includes yokes triple clamp, forks, front wheel spindle etc
when riding straight the top yoke is still pulled right, and when I lean left a bit it just doesnt feel right
same sitting at the lights with the bars straight.. as I pull away the yokes pull right and it just feels fucked cornering..
anybody else have any suggestions ?
Could it be the steering hear bearings ? unlikely I would have thought
if I take my hands off the bars while going along it can hold a line but the yokes are still pulled right..

I think it is unlikely my swingarm is bent, but if it sustained a knock on the left side - which way would the bars be turned in order for it to ride straight ?
What do you suggest for my next step...

[riffer]

Just a thought dude, but are you absolutely sure your clipons haven't sustained any damage here? It sounds like they could be a bit twisted at the fork end.

[jade]

my left one is slightly bent downwards, fuck all tho, but it is not the clip ons that arent straight, its the top yoke while im riding

[merv]

Maybe one of the forks is actually bent slightly. When you loosen the triple clamps (yokes) you can loosen the clipons and then try rotating the forks i.e. just twisting them around with your hands. You'll soon tell if they are bent because they won't rotate too well.

[jade]

when I had the front elevated and the bolts loosened the fork sleeves turned freely, but I guess they could be bent below the triple clamps.. ? even the staunchion itself
Im going back to ct tomorow, I really want to know what it is...I hope they can help me
because if I dont find out it will be a strip down and a trip to H town to an engineer.. a mission when you dont have a licence a car a trailer or a clue lol
any other theories would be appreciate it
from riding it, it feels front end