johnny savage

Member
Feb 13, 2007
14
0
First off I am pretty new to the dirt bike riding and motorcycles period. I took a spill the other day and the handlebars seemed to be cocked to the side. when the tire is straight the handle bars and the front fender are slightly turned to the side is there something that I can loosen and adjust? Thanks guys oh by the way the bike is an 04 230f
 

oldguy

Always Broken
Dec 26, 1999
9,419
0
That is a very common result after crashing. Easiest way to realign them is to stand facing the bike with the front wheel between your legs. Using your legs to hold the wheel in place give the bars a couple quick jerks in the direction you need them to move. You can also sit on the bike and use a solid object (tree, truck bumper..) to stop the wheel from turning and again give a couple good solid pulls on the bars.
If everything doesn't line up then you can loosen the bolts holding the fork legs (just take the torque out don't completely loosen them) and then give the bars a pull in the correct direction. When retightening the bolts be carefull because going to tight can damage the fork legs, It is best to use a torque wrench and get them to the correct setting
 
Last edited:

johnny savage

Member
Feb 13, 2007
14
0
Right on old guy! (feel kinda bad for callin u that but that's ur name!!) I will try that in the event that I have to let the torque out where can I find the torque specs to re-torque them? THanks again!
 

knowiam

~SPONSOR~
Oct 17, 2006
191
0
Get a manual

Johnny-

You can get the same manual for your bike that the Honda Mechanics use from: www.helminc.com

The manual that came with your bike should also have the torque specs.

My pinch bolts [CRF 450X] are spec at 15 lbf-ft lower and 16lbf-ft upper.

Have fun!

Ken
 

Someone

Member
Mar 12, 2001
865
0
They must be stock bars. All the new bikes I have owned (except my 05 YZ250), the bars were crap, and trashed after the first couple times of riding (I crash allot). Get yourself some better bars. I use Renthals, they've stood up to flips, trees, rocks, you name it. I wish grips and levers held up as good as the Renthal bars.
 

FruDaddy

Member
Aug 21, 2005
2,854
0
Someone said:
They must be stock bars. All the new bikes I have owned (except my 05 YZ250), the bars were crap, and trashed after the first couple times of riding (I crash allot). Get yourself some better bars. I use Renthals, they've stood up to flips, trees, rocks, you name it. I wish grips and levers held up as good as the Renthal bars.
This could be construed as good advice if the OP was talking about bent bars. He is not, he has just created the mis-alignnemt that we all experience sooner or later. Please note, that he also said that the fender is involved. This is obviously the result of the fork legs being out of alignment. Oldguy's advice is dead on, so I will not repeat it.

Also, while it doesn't really apply to the OP's bike, I think you should know that many (I hesitate to say most) late model MX bikes come with Renthal or ProTaper bars as stock parts.
 

johnny savage

Member
Feb 13, 2007
14
0
oldguy said:
That is a very common result after crashing. Easiest way to realign them is to stand facing the bike with the front wheel between your legs. Using your legs to hole the wheel n place give the bars a couple quick jerks in the direction you need them to move. You can also sit on the bike and use a solid object (tree, truck bumper..) to stop the wheel from turning and again give a couple good solid pulls on the bars.
If everything doesn't line up then you can loosen the bolts holding the fork legs (just take the torque out don't completely loosen them) and then give the bars a pull in the correct direction. When retightening the bolts be carefull because going to tight can damage the fork legs, It is best to use a torque wrench and get them to the correct setting


are these the bolts on the top or on the bottom? I assume that they are the three bolts on the top correct?
 

johnny savage

Member
Feb 13, 2007
14
0
thanks man I am going to take a look @ it tonight and see if I can get this taken care of so I can hopefully have it ready by this saturday! I'll keep you guys posted.
 

Someone

Member
Mar 12, 2001
865
0
FruDaddy said:
This could be construed as good advice if the OP was talking about bent bars. He is not, he has just created the mis-alignnemt that we all experience sooner or later. Please note, that he also said that the fender is involved. This is obviously the result of the fork legs being out of alignment. Oldguy's advice is dead on, so I will not repeat it.

Also, while it doesn't really apply to the OP's bike, I think you should know that many (I hesitate to say most) late model MX bikes come with Renthal or ProTaper bars as stock parts.

I misread his post, sorry. I wasn't sure if all newer bikes had better bars like my 05 YZ came with and jumped to the wrong conclusion.
 

johnny savage

Member
Feb 13, 2007
14
0
so I tried putting the fron tire between my legs(sounds bad!) and gave it quick firm tug to the way that it needs to go and it helped a bit. I think I need to put the tire against something a little sturdier than my legs. But I'm way straighter than I was b4 I tried that thanks fellas!
 
Top Bottom