Straightening Handlebars

[wickedrider]

The Honda 750 that I low sided and broke the screw in the frame, (yeah, it's me again) the handlebars were knocked out of line with th front wheel. How do I straighten them. I know on bicycles, we would just sit on the fender and straighten them. A 500 lb. bike is a little more difficult.

[Johnj]

If the handlebars are bent you'll need to straighten them out or replace them. Of course the accident may have tweaked the forks, and that is more involved. In that case try loosening everything up front, lining it back up and tightening it back up. If the fork tubes are bent then you'll need to replace the tubes.

[flw]

Other than a completely blown fork seal, you could have a slow leaker waiting till you hit a pot hole or something else. Assuming you can at least ride it, check where the outer forks meet the inner forks for any droplet size fluid there or that may have run down the fork shafts. If you have a slow leak it should show it self by riding it and hitting some normal bumps that you would normally just swerve around. This is to stress the seal a little more than usual. No dirt biking please or pot holes from hell.

I am assuming that you have enough fluid left to leak in my example above. If not, I would expect your front end to be bottoming out or very mushy depending on any inner spring strength if at all.

Handle bars are another story. To bend them without heat is asking for serious trouble (unseen cracks etc...). Too much heat and you can create new safety problems. Since handle bars are the most important safety item on your bike (that they don't brake while riding) I would take it to a pro. Depending on the time/money to take everything off and then back on the bars, I would then decide if I wanted it to be repaired or replaced.

[The549]

I had a similar issue (I believe I have a bent triple clamp, another big possibility with you) and got an enormous person to tension the wheel/forks straight as I loosened and re tightened the forks.

Check for oil leaks on the fork, scratches on the inner fork tube, triple clamp (if you can/want to), fork tube straightness (when you next remove), maybe more things that I'm missing.

[tim conroy]

get new handle bars.they are cheap and bent one are a pita to try to bend back to normal.You will never get them right.

[Sev]

Handlebars don't really like being bent. You're far better off just getting new ones, as bending them back may cause them to break.

[nrimkus]

I also have bars that do not line up right with the wheel. I just recently purchased my first street bike and the person before me had set it down pretty good. I know the handlebar is bent some but the Forks seem tweaked a little too. I plan to replace the handlebar when I get the money. I was wondering if the big nut in the center is what I should loosen and re tighten to straighten out the forks. There does not seem to be any damage to them have ridden it for some time now and not noticed any leaks. Any suggestions or tips would be appreciated. Thanks

[tanyaacatherine]

The handlebars are a separate part that can be changed out fairly easily. The one caveat I would have is that if the bike's geometry was designed with flat handlebars in mind, putting dropped bars on it might make for an uncomfortable riding position. A good bike shop should be willing to swap out the handlebars for you and let you 'test drive' the new configuration to see if it's to you liking.
------------------------
Tanyaa
Internet Marketing

[mydlyfkryzis]

If your handlebars are not bent, but don't line up with the forks, the forks may have twisted in the triple clamps.

If you loosen the front axle retainer bolts and the upper triple clamp bolts (leave the lower tight), you can twist the forks back to alignment. I dropped my CB360t once, and that is what happened.

After loosening the bolts, stand at the front of the bike with the front wheel held between your legs. You then can twist the handlebars back and forth until the forks are back in alignment. Retighten all bolts.

If the handlebars themselves are bent, they are relatively cheap, just replace them .