crooked steering

b_eastep · June 23rd, 2009, 07:05 AM

so my lady has been foaming at the mouth for a bike for coupla years and she dont like riding my 04 honda aero and shes NOT gonna ride my Z1000 so i swapped my old 400EX for a 07 250. needs a little work but im almost there. so the tripple clamp is a little to the right when the wheel is straight so i loosend off the fork clamps and put the wheel agnst an unmovable object and pushed the bars to the left to get them straight while she tightened the clamps. got em pretty straight. then she dropped it a couple days later and im in the same position as i was before. crooked agn. my question is shouldnt the steering want to go back to straight if the clamps or loosened off? and since they dont something must be bent? is this a common prob with this gen 250's?

Alex · June 23rd, 2009, 09:57 AM

I'm not sure if it is a common problem, but it seems many people fix it by doing exactly what you've done, many times with the bike no more the worse for wear. If after loosening the clamps, straightening things as best as you can, and tightening them back up, things are still crooked; seems more likely that something was actually bent rather than just knocked out of alignment.

Wes · July 4th, 2009, 10:26 AM

Loosen the clamps (upper and lower), beat the wheel against a tree 'till it looks straight, tighten it back up. For more accurate straightening, place a piece of plate glass against the forks stanchion tubes. It should touch in four places; if it rocks, you're not straight.

Tighten the upper and lower triple clamp pinch bolts to 14.5 ft-lbs upper and 22 ft-lbs lower. Over tightening will encourage your triple clamp to bend on your next your crash (it's made of chocolate). Under tighetning will make it very easy to twist the forks in the triple clamps resulting in the problem you have now.

Wes

b_eastep · July 4th, 2009, 03:19 PM

i tried to straighten it that way and they dont want to go back. i have to hold it over and keep pressure on it while tightening clamps. which by the torque specs you have listed they are overtightned.

Wes · July 4th, 2009, 06:30 PM

Hit it harder. If it won't straighten, your lower triple clamp is probably bent.

But you need to get the wheel straight BEFORE tightening the pinch bolts, not after. And yes, the torque specs I listed are correct.

Wes

kkim · July 4th, 2009, 10:58 PM

In addition to what Wes has suggested, try taking off the fender and the metal bracket under it that they have that connects the forks. try it that way and see if the front end straightens out.

b_eastep · July 5th, 2009, 09:30 AM

will do guys.

June 23rd, 2009, 07:05 AM	#1
b_eastep ninjette.org member Name: Brad Location: Elmore City Oklahoma Join Date: Jun 2009 Motorcycle(s): 07 Z-1000, 07 Ninja 250, 04 Honda Aero Posts: 106	crooked steering so my lady has been foaming at the mouth for a bike for coupla years and she dont like riding my 04 honda aero and shes NOT gonna ride my Z1000 so i swapped my old 400EX for a 07 250. needs a little work but im almost there. so the tripple clamp is a little to the right when the wheel is straight so i loosend off the fork clamps and put the wheel agnst an unmovable object and pushed the bars to the left to get them straight while she tightened the clamps. got em pretty straight. then she dropped it a couple days later and im in the same position as i was before. crooked agn. my question is shouldnt the steering want to go back to straight if the clamps or loosened off? and since they dont something must be bent? is this a common prob with this gen 250's?

June 23rd, 2009, 09:57 AM	#2
Alex ninjette.org dude Name: 1 guess :-) Location: SF Bay Area Join Date: Jun 2008 Motorcycle(s): '13 Ninja 300 (white, the fastest color!), '13 R1200RT, '14 CRF250L, '12 TT-R125LE Posts: Too much. Blog Entries: 7	I'm not sure if it is a common problem, but it seems many people fix it by doing exactly what you've done, many times with the bike no more the worse for wear. If after loosening the clamps, straightening things as best as you can, and tightening them back up, things are still crooked; seems more likely that something was actually bent rather than just knocked out of alignment. __________________________________________________ Montgomery Street Motorcycle Club / cal24.com / crf250l.org / ninjette.org ninjette.org Terms of Service Shopping for motorcycle parts or equipment? Come here first. The friendliest Ninja 250R/300/400 forum on the internet! (especially Unregistered)

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
[superbikeplanet.com] - Stoner's Aim Crooked?	Ninjette Newsbot	Motorcycling News	0	January 29th, 2013 01:20 PM
Crooked Fairings	FollyUFO	2008 - 2012 Ninja 250R Tech Talk	5	August 11th, 2011 11:47 AM
[topix.net] - 'Steel Stampede' Cruises To Crooked River Ranch	Ninjette Newsbot	Motorcycling News	0	May 2nd, 2011 04:30 AM
crooked swingarm?	Rayme	2008 - 2012 Ninja 250R Tech Talk	10	July 27th, 2009 06:10 PM
Crooked handle bars	Rawr	2008 - 2012 Ninja 250R Tech Talk	11	April 26th, 2009 04:54 PM

July 4th, 2009, 10:26 AM	#3
Wes ninjette.org member Name: Wes Location: Kingston, ON Join Date: Jul 2009 Motorcycle(s): EX250-F14 Posts: 41	Loosen the clamps (upper and lower), beat the wheel against a tree 'till it looks straight, tighten it back up. For more accurate straightening, place a piece of plate glass against the forks stanchion tubes. It should touch in four places; if it rocks, you're not straight. Tighten the upper and lower triple clamp pinch bolts to 14.5 ft-lbs upper and 22 ft-lbs lower. Over tightening will encourage your triple clamp to bend on your next your crash (it's made of chocolate). Under tighetning will make it very easy to twist the forks in the triple clamps resulting in the problem you have now. Wes

July 4th, 2009, 03:19 PM	#4
b_eastep ninjette.org member Name: Brad Location: Elmore City Oklahoma Join Date: Jun 2009 Motorcycle(s): 07 Z-1000, 07 Ninja 250, 04 Honda Aero Posts: 106	i tried to straighten it that way and they dont want to go back. i have to hold it over and keep pressure on it while tightening clamps. which by the torque specs you have listed they are overtightned.

July 4th, 2009, 06:30 PM	#5
Wes ninjette.org member Name: Wes Location: Kingston, ON Join Date: Jul 2009 Motorcycle(s): EX250-F14 Posts: 41	Hit it harder. If it won't straighten, your lower triple clamp is probably bent. But you need to get the wheel straight BEFORE tightening the pinch bolts, not after. And yes, the torque specs I listed are correct. Wes

July 4th, 2009, 10:58 PM	#6
kkim Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: Too much.	In addition to what Wes has suggested, try taking off the fender and the metal bracket under it that they have that connects the forks. try it that way and see if the front end straightens out.

July 5th, 2009, 09:30 AM	#7
b_eastep ninjette.org member Name: Brad Location: Elmore City Oklahoma Join Date: Jun 2009 Motorcycle(s): 07 Z-1000, 07 Ninja 250, 04 Honda Aero Posts: 106	will do guys.