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misaligned forks
Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 2:25 pm
by Robert Bordasch
A few months ago I bought a new KLR650 (first bike I've owned since
1965). I now have about 2000 miles on it. After about 500 miles I
noticed that the front forks seemed to be out of alignment a little.
When traveling straight down he road, you can see a misalignment of
the instruments with the windshield, but only by a degree or so. But
this is enough to be annoying (like a slightly misaligned picture on a
wall). The dealer tried to straighten it by forcing the handlebars
with the front wheel fixed agains a wall. Didn't work. I think it
was this way when I bought it, but not sure. Doesn't seem to cause
any problems, but just annoying. Do I have any reason for concern?
Is there an easy way to straighten them? Thanks.
misaligned forks
Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 3:34 pm
by Jud Jones
--- In
DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Robert Bordasch" wrote:
>
> A few months ago I bought a new KLR650 (first bike I've owned since
> 1965). I now have about 2000 miles on it. After about 500 miles I
> noticed that the front forks seemed to be out of alignment a little.
> When traveling straight down he road, you can see a misalignment of
> the instruments with the windshield, but only by a degree or so. But
> this is enough to be annoying (like a slightly misaligned picture on a
> wall). The dealer tried to straighten it by forcing the handlebars
> with the front wheel fixed agains a wall. Didn't work. I think it
> was this way when I bought it, but not sure. Doesn't seem to cause
> any problems, but just annoying. Do I have any reason for concern?
> Is there an easy way to straighten them? Thanks.
It could be the fairing that is out of alignment. It is not at all uncommon for the brackets to
be tweaked from a fall, or even from the factory.
misaligned forks
Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 3:41 pm
by Arden Kysely
How hard did the dealer push on the bars? It takes a real good whack
if you don't loosen the triple clamp bolts on the forks. Try loosening
them enough so there's some flexibility in the front end, but not so
much that the fork tubes slide up, then wiggle the bars back and forth
a bit, wiggling less and less until you stop. The wheel will pretty
much self center.
But...before you go through all this, make sure the front fairing
frame isn't bent and throwing off your sense of straight.
__Arden
--- In
DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Robert Bordasch"
wrote:
>
> A few months ago I bought a new KLR650 (first bike I've owned since
> 1965). I now have about 2000 miles on it. After about 500 miles I
> noticed that the front forks seemed to be out of alignment a
little.
> When traveling straight down he road, you can see a misalignment of
> the instruments with the windshield, but only by a degree or so.
But
> this is enough to be annoying (like a slightly misaligned picture on
a
> wall). The dealer tried to straighten it by forcing the handlebars
> with the front wheel fixed agains a wall. Didn't work. I think it
> was this way when I bought it, but not sure. Doesn't seem to cause
> any problems, but just annoying. Do I have any reason for concern?
> Is there an easy way to straighten them? Thanks.
>
misaligned forks
Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 4:30 pm
by E.L. Green
--- In
DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Robert Bordasch" wrote:
> A few months ago I bought a new KLR650 (first bike I've owned since
> 1965). I now have about 2000 miles on it. After about 500 miles I
> noticed that the front forks seemed to be out of alignment a little.
> When traveling straight down he road, you can see a misalignment of
> the instruments with the windshield, but only by a degree or so.
Pop the bike up on a lift, loosen the bottom triple clamp bolts on
both forks, and force them open a bit to let the forks move in them.
Wiggle the bars then let the forks seek the straight and narrow. Then
tighten back up to factory spec torque. Voila!
Note that the problem may not be the forks tho. My KLR came from the
factory with a miswelded fairing bracket. My fairing was crooked from
day one. So my forks were facing straight down the road, but my
windshield wasn't! A replacement fairing bracket off of eBay fixed
that one. Check your windshield and make sure it faces straight down
the road. If your bracket isn't completely miswelded, it should be
easily straightened.
-E
misaligned forks
Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 8:13 pm
by Spike55
My instrument cluster seems out of center too. Also the left hand grip
seems further away than the right. Just the opposite of what I need
since my right arm is longer from a broken collar bone in 1991.
Don R100, A6F
--- In
DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Robert Bordasch"
wrote:
>
> A few months ago I bought a new KLR650 (first bike I've owned since
> 1965). I now have about 2000 miles on it. After about 500 miles I
> noticed that the front forks seemed to be out of alignment a little.
> When traveling straight down he road, you can see a misalignment of
> the instruments with the windshield, but only by a degree or so. But
> this is enough to be annoying (like a slightly misaligned picture on
a
> wall). The dealer tried to straighten it by forcing the handlebars
> with the front wheel fixed agains a wall. Didn't work. I think it
> was this way when I bought it, but not sure. Doesn't seem to cause
> any problems, but just annoying. Do I have any reason for concern?
> Is there an easy way to straighten them? Thanks.
>
misaligned forks
Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 8:24 pm
by Norm Keller
>noticed that the front forks seemed to be out of >alignment a little.
>When traveling straight down he road, you can >see a misalignment of
>the instruments with the windshield, but only by >a degree or so. But
>this is enough to be annoying (like a slightly >misaligned picture on a
>wall). The dealer tried to straighten it by >forcing the handlebars
>with the front wheel fixed against a wall.
It sounds like the common result of a mild dump/crash. What happens is that the front fork tubes rotate and the front axle is positioned out of alignment.
I'm surprised that your dealer failed to resolve the issue and suggest that you evaluate their competence. My 10 year old knows how to straighten this symptom.
You may need to block the bike up to take weight off the front wheel. Be advised that the KLR is tall and top heavy while on its wheels but far more so when blocked up!
When the front wheel is unloaded, loosen the fork tube clamp bolts until they are just snug. Stand with one leg on each side of the front wheel and use the handle bars to align the bars with the front wheel. Using a string or laser off the rear wheel is a more accurate means but IMO doing a super accurate alignment will condemn you to dumping it again (VBG).
Check Mark's site as it has a number of very useful procedures documented with pictures. He's done a very professional job!
HIH
Norm
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
misaligned forks
Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2006 9:15 am
by Bob Bordasch
Thanks to everyone who responded. I took another look at my forks and now I am not sure if it is the forks or the fairing. So before I do anything I need to figure this out. Thanks again.
usa1911a1 wrote: Mine is the same way (2006). I just change the gas. I think it must be the
plastic cowling.
Bob
----- Original Message -----
From: "Robert Bordasch"
To:
Sent: Monday, September 18, 2006 3:09 PM
Subject: [DSN_KLR650] misaligned forks
> A few months ago I bought a new KLR650 (first bike I've owned since
> 1965). I now have about 2000 miles on it. After about 500 miles I
> noticed that the front forks seemed to be out of alignment a little.
> When traveling straight down he road, you can see a misalignment of
> the instruments with the windshield, but only by a degree or so. But
> this is enough to be annoying (like a slightly misaligned picture on a
> wall). The dealer tried to straighten it by forcing the handlebars
> with the front wheel fixed agains a wall. Didn't work. I think it
> was this way when I bought it, but not sure. Doesn't seem to cause
> any problems, but just annoying. Do I have any reason for concern?
> Is there an easy way to straighten them? Thanks.
>
>
>
>
>
>
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
misaligned forks
Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2006 11:06 am
by dooden
Bike on lift, triples loosened a little bit, spin wheel as fast as you
can (forward), and grab the front brake to make the wheel stop fast..
Using the centrifical force and sudden stop should make everything
bout as straight as KHI designed it.
Of course re-torque triple bolts. (Look up torque value)
Worked for me anyway.
Dooden
A15 Green Ape
--- In
DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Robert Bordasch" wrote:
>
> A few months ago I bought a new KLR650 (first bike I've owned since
> 1965). I now have about 2000 miles on it. After about 500 miles I
> noticed that the front forks seemed to be out of alignment a little.
> When traveling straight down he road, you can see a misalignment of
> the instruments with the windshield, but only by a degree or so. But
> this is enough to be annoying (like a slightly misaligned picture on a
> wall). The dealer tried to straighten it by forcing the handlebars
> with the front wheel fixed agains a wall. Didn't work. I think it
> was this way when I bought it, but not sure. Doesn't seem to cause
> any problems, but just annoying. Do I have any reason for concern?
> Is there an easy way to straighten them? Thanks.
>
hot grips and longer skid plate
Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2006 9:31 pm
by Hedrek
Someone mentioned once that a vendor (Arrowhead
Motorsports?) will sell a longer skid plate for use
without a center stand, is that the place?
Anyone use Hot Grips? I want heated grips I can use
with Maier probably Woods Pro Hand guards, will this
work?
Thanks.
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