wheel "alignment"?

[bjamesw]

Sorry for the horribly bad form here.   I posted a topic on final drives only to discover that the very next thread in line already was discussing them.    And now, having  been away for a couple of years, I'm posting two topics within five minutes.   And it's probably been covered ad nauseum but I don't know how to search it..... anyway....

I was recently wondering why my R65 steers mildly to the right on it's own (hands off the bars).   I've accounted for road crown.  Happens on a flat parking lot, middle of the road, etc.  Another site suggested that if you don't have to lean your body any greater than six inches off center to correct the steering you're good to go.  I'm leaning about seven inches!  Dammit.    It's really not a big deal, but I'd like things to be perfect.  Most of the response at advrider.com 'leaned' toward not worrying about it.  

So I went out in the garage yesterday and took a very careful look at how the front and rear rims lined up when aimed perfectly forward.  I was a little suprised to note that the rear is approx 3/4 inch to the left of the front.   The bike has never been crashed.  The swingarm/frame gap is identical on both sides at the pivot.

Is this normal?   I"m especially bummed because I'd hoped at next tire change to go just a scooch wider on the rear using a spacer to clear the swingarm.  Unfortunately, that would just be adding to the 3/4 inch offset and probably not a good idea after all.  

[Barry]

3/4" sounds a lot although I can't say I've ever measured mine.

My understanding is that some offset is normal by design and as long as the track of the narrower front tire is contained within the wider track of the rear it should not be a problem. Doing the sums that should mean (4.00 - 3.25)  = .75 or 3/4" max offset so maybe you are OK.

[montmil]

...I was recently wondering why my R65 steers mildly to the right on it's own (hands off the bars). I've accounted for road crown. Happens on a flat parking lot, middle of the road, etc...

Check steering head bearings for proper load. Put the bike on center stand and center the front wheel. With just the slightest nudge, the wheel should fall to one side or the other. No fall away, too tight. Slamming into the fork stops? Means the bearing set needs some snugging attention.

No hands? For me, no thank you.

Back in college days, I worked for a BMW, Triumph & Honda dealer. Way back. The boss rode a spanking new, ivory-white R69S with a matching windshield. We -six of us as that's all the bikes we had in town- would take weekend tours around the North and West Texas areas. Two R69S, two BSA, my Turnip and a HD Sportster.
   Ol' boss Leon would tighten up the steering damper on the 69S, light a ciggy, scoot back onto the passenger portion of the seat, cross his stubby little legs and ride for miles just too see the looks from passing cars.

I'm still ATGATT and both hands on the wheel...


 

[crguy]

Hello, mine also tracks to the right, wondering if there's a factory alignment checking proceedure as well...

[nhmaf]

I can recall hearing of a procedure, and that the track of the wheels should be within about 1/2" on center, but cannot find it at the moment..
The swingarm alignmentmay be such that on your bike, exactly the same gap on either side at the swingarm pivots may be slightly off - the key thing is that the driveshaft be centered within the swingarm tube, which allows for some potential (slight) offset of front & back wheels.

The weight distribution of the bike would tend to put a bit more on the right side than the left due to the driveshaft and final drive components on the right hand side.   Sometimes riders find that they are indeed slightly favoring one side of the bike also, perhaps due to eye dominance, etc.    

Another thing to check into would be to make sure that your fork tube are moving freely and without stiction, and are the same length when extended (put bike on centerstand and take front wheel off)  If one tube binds a bit and/or appears to be longer than the other (broken fork spring, disintegrated rubber bushing, etc) it could cause a slight bias to one side.

It may well be nothing at all is wrong and you are just keenly sensitive to the slight weight bias of the bike on the driveshaft side.

[crguy]

Will check out the rear end and forks this weekend, thanks....

[Lucky_Lou]

Will check out the rear end and forks this weekend, thanks....

Check the rear wheel bearings, one of my pals said i looked like i was riding side saddle just before mine gave out i haddent particularly noticed my self as it was a "natural adjustment" to the ballance of the bike it was only when the back wheel started squirting about that i realized i had a problem
BTW ERVguy love the seat on that bike what is it .
Lou

[crguy]

Thanks Lou, its an aftermarket no name, went for a quasi cafe look this past winter, found some ebay pipes, seat, and blacked out some items, lowered the front and rear...just messed around for a change of things after 27 years of ownership....

[crguy]

Hey Lou, check in the gallery, one shot is from last year prior to alterations....and thanks for the bearing tip...