Bent something

[Blackcat]

Okay I posted a while back about having a bent frame. And today after not riding for 4 weeks I go to break in my new topend and noticed that my bike definatly likes to turn to the right better to the left. I thought that this was my imagination at first but today I noticed it again and I mostly notice it at walking speeds when i'm just using my body weight to turn. When I lean right it will just turn naturaly and when I turn left I have to lean and crank the handle bars. Now before I go out and buy a new frame I would like to eliminate the other cheaper things. So to my question. Is there a machine that can tell if the forks are bent? I think I would rather replace a front fork tube then a frame anyday. And I would definatly like to avoide buying a new frame only to find that the front fork was bent.

 

[adam728]

Are your handlebars straight?
Is your front wheel / forks aligned properly?
Rear wheel aligned properly in the swing arm?
Swing arm bearings free of play?
Headset bearings free of play? No tight spots / notchiness?

What would you have done to bend the frame? It takes some major force, and I am sure you would have obliderated some other parts on the bike to get it done! Look for cracked paint around the head tube area for signs of bending.

 

[Blackcat]

You know that's the thing the guy I bought the bike from wasn't a racer or anything. He bought the bike so he can ride along with his kids when they rode thier little quads. He wasn't taking it off of 60 foot doubles or anything. He didn't do maintenece on it but that's besides the fact. The pipe doesn't have any dents in it. The radiators are stock. Untill I bent them a few weeks back the handle bars where stock. Everything else you mentioned checks out and there is no signs of bending on the frame at all. I'm going to go check out the front wheel again and see if I see anything funny there. It honestly feels like the front wheel is sitting further to the disk break side of the axle. I'm going to get my manual out and take that apart and check it.

 

[76GMC1500]

Why don't you just take a ruler and measure the distance from the rim to the fork on either side?