Crooked handlebars

[adunham1]

Hi guys,

My 61’ SR’s handlebars are significantly odd center when the bike is moving. They are turned more to the right as the bike is found straight. The handlebars are brand new.

Any ideas before I go and remove the front end and inspect the fork tubes for any bends? I’ll also remove the tubes from the yolks and if one goes, but not the other then I’ll know if they’re also bent.

Just wondering if anyone has run into a similar issue. Not a very pressing issue as it only gets started every few weeks and run up and down the driveway while it awaits me having time to strip the motor to check the sludge trap.

Picture shows the approximate position.

Thanks!

[Joolstacho]

The most obvious thing is misalignment, -the stanchions may not lined up parallel.
I would loosen off all the triple clamp bolts top nut and the wheel spindle.
Back off any mudguard stay bolts a bit.
Then, tighten the spindle, (hold on the front brake as you do this), next tighten the lower triple bolts
Next bounce the forks up and down a bit, and then tighten the top and the stays.
If the bars are still off centre you could try loosening the top triple, hold the wheel between your knees,
and see if you can pull/push the bars into line.
Anyway that's how I'd do it.

[ellis]

Hi adunham1.

I would do exactly the same as Joolstacho. This is an easy  fix for your out of line handlebars.

ELLIS

[adunham1]

A few more steps involved, but the last bit about putting the wheel between my knees and twisting things straight is what I used to do on my bicycle!

Thanks a ton guys. Fingers crossed this works when I give it a shot tomorrow.

[duTch]

 Yup- what said above...keeping in mind the worst possible that the frame is bent....but um that's not what you want to hear hey...

[muskrat]

G'day adunham1.
That's on of my pet hates.
As above. Loosen the top triple clamp pinch bolt, twist (putting the wheel between my knees and twisting things straight) then tighten the pinch bolt.
Cheers

[Greybeard]

A few more steps involved, but the last bit about putting the wheel between my knees and twisting things straight is what I used to do on my bicycle!

We all did that! 

[berger]

i found out my top yoke was bent many years ago and ended up with bars twisted like that because the forks pull up on the taper. the cure was to pull the yoke down onto a very thick piece of steel while it was heated up and then left to cool down, i'm not saying its whats wrong with yours but its just something to consider.

[adunham1]

Well, things got a bit better with everyones advice. I gave the bars a twist whole holding the wheel with my knees as far as I dared go, and that helped some.

Unfortunately something still feels and looks a bit off. I'll disassemble and see if I can find anything obvious.

Not a bad job for an afternoon!

[RichardL]

If things did not work out perfect, it's probably because you did not follow Muskrat's directions exactly. The wheel must be held between HIS knees. 

Richard L.

[adunham1]

Ha! How much for your knees, Muskrat?

Got one leg off and all seems well. The idea was that if I pull one leg out, the other would fall into its “natural” position without any tension from the other side and I wouldn’t be able to put the other leg back.

I was able to put the first one back without hassle. No smoking gun just yet...

I should have ordered some steering bearings while I’m in this far.

[jachenbach]

Long as it's that far apart, I imagine you'll be checking stanchions for straightness. It only takes a very slight bend to put the bars off center. It's sometimes possible to simply rotate the stanchions in the clamps and find the point at which it all lines up. Long as the axle and bushes don't bind and you still have free movement of the fork lowers it works okay.