Front Forks... Is this right?

[DannyMoto07]

On my RT180, I took the forks downtubes out to change out the pink boots for black ones when I noticed that the tops of the tubes were bent slightly. I've looked online and noticed that on some other modles, the front suspension is slightly cocked inward towards the frame... this is mainly on older style oil-filled shocks.

Like on this Honda:

Notice how at the bottom of the tripple trees the forks jet inward towards the frame slightly.

Is this supposed to be that way? It was really hard to get the front wheel lined up again after taking out the tubes due to this bend... I figure if both shocks were bend that way, and they were exactly the same, then it was either a fairly even impact that caused it, or they were supposed to be that way from the factory.

The reason I ask is that I found a new set of shocks for 50 bucks and would like to jump on them if my shocks are really that screwed up.

Dan

 

[2strokerfun]

Jump on them. I'm guessing it was a fairly even impact that caused the bend. Yours should have been straight from the factory. Always good to have an extra set you on standby even if you don't use them immediately. And that's a good price if they are new, or even used and staight.

 

[DannyMoto07]

Ok thanks... Good to know! Yeah, aparantly they're off a 96' so there a tad newer than mine... they're straight, have the boots, and don't leak. All plusses in my book.

Dan

 

[Chili]

My guess in that Honda photo is it's the angle of the photo or something, they should not be bent.