Handlebars out of line with front wheel?

[Nig5]

I was pulling out of a parking space on Sunday and turned sharp right and went over a bump and nearly dropped the bike! wondered what the hell happened as the steering felt strange, it was only when I started riding in a straight line that I realised the handlebars were a few degrees to the right, I don`t mean the bars were twisted in themselves the whole yoke was out of line with the front wheel.
My only conclusion is that the pinch bolts on the yokes weren`t tight enough and the forks twisted in the yokes? on getting home I loosened the pinch bolts and centred the wheel as best I could, don`t know the correct procedure or torque for tightening the bolts but did the best I could to make sure it was safe.

Spoke to the dealer today and will take the bike in to see what he thinks, he said he had an idea but thought it might not be the pinch bolts? don`t know how else the bars can be out of line with the front wheel.
Bear in mind this wasn`t a violent manoeuvre and certainly nothing like the force you would encounter off road riding, in forty years of riding I have never had this happen before.

 

[Koinz]

Lots of threads on this here. I like bigbore's fix.

"If you decide to loosen anything, only loosen the lower triple clamp, leave the top. Usually loosening the lower and cycling the suspension up and down wil square everything, then re-torque the lower pinch bolts"

 

[Don in Lodi]

What was the last thing done to the bike? Go back months if needed.

 

[Nig5]

Bought new end of October, 6,000 mile service a couple of months ago by dealer,new tyres fitted a few weeks ago by dealer, I have done nothing except ride it! nearly 9,000 miles on it now.

 

[Don in Lodi]

Bought new end of October, 6,000 mile service a couple of months ago by dealer,new tyres fitted a few weeks ago by dealer, I have done nothing except ride it! nearly 9,000 miles on it now.

Hmm, tire install. 'Dealer has an idea'...
::017::

 

[88millimeter]

I have had the same issue since my first getoff, nothing a curb and a swift turn of the handle bars can't correct. Honestly i've tried the pinch bolt loosening thing and have actually completely loosened everything and did not get as good results as the curb method. To me the whole fork wheel assembly feels all loosy goosey to begin with, does not feel as tight as the forks on my sportbike.

 

[Combo]

I have had the same issue since my first getoff, nothing a curb and a swift turn of the handle bars can't correct. Honestly i've tried the pinch bolt loosening thing and have actually completely loosened everything and did not get as good results as the curb method. To me the whole fork wheel assembly feels all loosy goosey to begin with, does not feel as tight as the forks on my sportbike.

Your right 88...feels all loosy goosey to me too but mostly at slow speeds and more so two up. " weight" Try riding a gen 1 KLR. ??? The bang against curb or tree method has always worked for me also because most of the time they have not moved in the tree when caused. The twist most of the time is between the tree and axle. Just twist them back straight again just like on a small/big dirt bike. ::025::

 

[Mark R.]

My front end gets out of whack most times I drop the bike. Put the front wheel against a solid object, twist the bars back in the right direction and you are done.

 

[Nig5]

Hmm, tire install. 'Dealer has an idea'...
::017::

My thoughts exactly, the same dealer fitted and supplied the front tyre free as compensation for leaving the drain bolt on the final drive finger tight after the 6,000 mile service only noticed when I saw oil weeping out of the drain bolt and a thin film of oil on the rear rim

 

[martin_nj]

Are you planning to continue servicing at this dealer?

 

[bikerdoc]

Are you planning to continue servicing at this dealer?

::026::

::017::

 

[Nig5]

Are you planning to continue servicing at this dealer?

Three guesses

 

[Ramseybella]

Loosen the bottom clamp and then twist the front end in place.
Doing it without at least taking the pressure off the bottom forks will only transfer the pressure of the fork twist to your front axle resulting in off centering the axle to your wheel bearings.
You want to straiten your forks not the axle.
That old school Moto cross technique in a pinch worked on the trail but you still need to correct it proper or you can damage the wheel bearings.

 

[greg the pole]

Your right 88...feels all loosy goosey to me too but mostly at slow speeds and more so two up. " weight" Try riding a gen 1 KLR. ??? The bang against curb or tree method has always worked for me also because most of the time they have not moved in the tree when caused. The twist most of the time is between the tree and axle. Just twist them back straight again just like on a small/big dirt bike. ::025::

I have heard of previous fz09 owners having issues with 'accidental' wheelies twisting the forks a bit. Apparently the curb method works well.
Fz07 have no such issues

 

[Tyke]

this is all a bit concerning, its not something I've heard of before with this bike.

Surely it has to be a safety relates 'issue' and should be dealt with by a recall ???

 

[sander]

Just loosen the top fork clamp bolts and the front axle pinch bolts. Cycle the suspension a couple of times and torque everything to spec. While you're there check the torque on your lower triple tree as well.

Straightening your forks with a tree is a good trail side method. But you'll keep a lot of stress in the forks causing wear.

I always use the tree method during a ride and at the end I quickly straighten them properly.

Hope this helps.

 

[neilbarnwell]

I've had this problem with my bike - dropped it and now although the bars are still okay, the wheel no longer lines up with the yokes. I've bought a torque wrench for tightening up after the fixes proposed here, but I wondered - could it not be simply that the stanchions have twisted in the fork legs? In which case, would the technique of putting the tyre against the kerb and twisting not work just fine?

I have no qualifications to suggest such, it just occurred to me - what's to stop the stanchions turning around in the legs other than the flex resistance of the axle?

 

[V35A]

Just loosen the top fork clamp bolts and the front axle pinch bolts. Cycle the suspension a couple of times and torque everything to spec. While you're there check the torque on your lower triple tree as well.

Hate to ask the stupid question here, but which bolts are the "top fork clamp bolts"? Are they the pinch bolts that secure the two upper fork legs into the top triple clamp?

I have lots of experience wrenching on cars and aircraft, but I am still learning motorcycle terminology. I do have the Yamaha service manual. Thanks.

 

[Nig5]

Hate to ask the stupid question here, but which bolts are the "top fork clamp bolts"? Are they the pinch bolts that secure the two upper fork legs into the top triple clamp?

Yes, although the dealer didn`t tell me what they did I have a strong suspicion that the nut under the handlebars on top of the top yoke wasn`t torqued up properly, from what I have read on this forum some bikes may come from the factory like that but if the dealer had PDI`ed the bike properly it wouldn`t have happened :exclaim:
Guess I will be going to another dealer from now on