Just finishing a rebuild on a 1986 KDX 200 I bought last fall. Everything fit great until I looked at the rear wheel in relationship to the rear fender. The rear wheel is centered in the swingarm and the chain on the front and rear sprocket are straight. All the spacers are correct per the manual but the rear wheel looks like it is an inch or so to the right of the rear fender. Nothing seems twisted or bent on the frame. I've measured from the axle to the frame and everything seems square. Is this the way it was designed?
Sounds like the fender is foobarred. If the wheel seems to be correctly positioned, then it's time to tweak the fender/mounts. That is, if it bothers you enough.
The fender isn't twisted or in bad shape. If I take a plumb bob and go from the rear frame at the fender mounts the rear wheel is too the right. But everything goes together real easy. The rear wheel and the spacers, the rear fender, the seat. Nothing appears twisted or bent?????????????????
Maybe the rear wheel has been rebuilt incorrectly at some time and the rim is not centered to the hub (spokes tightened badly when the wheel was laced up). Could be wrong but it's worth checking it. Another way to check if it's all straight is to put the bike on a box so the wheels are off the ground and let the tires down and put a long straight edge against the rear rim on the right and measure the gap between the straight edge and the side of the front rim, then repeat the process on the left and see if the measurements are the same. Also get someone to ride the bike directly towards you (from a reasonable distance) so you can see if the bike looks crabbed or misaligned.
Agreed, subframe is probably bent. If the rear sprocket lines up with the counter sprocket it's in the right place. Something else is in the wrong place. The sprockets MUST line up first and foremost.
Agreed, subframe is probably bent. If the rear sprocket lines up with the counter sprocket it's in the right place. Something else is in the wrong place. The sprockets MUST line up first and foremost.
I agree the subframe is probably bent and the sprockets must line up, but, I would make sure the wheels (hubs and rims) line up first before I started bending the subframe to suit where the wheel is. That's just incase some dumb a$$ laced the wheel badly with the rim off center (not likely but hey, we have seen stupid things before). Then if you bend the subframe to suit poor rim placement you will have quite a mess.
1. Check fender is not bent
2. Sprockets line up
3. Rims are in the center of the hub
4. Check subframe for straightness
+1 on the possibility of the rim being incorrectly laced to the hub. If the rim has ever been replaced, it's a precise job getting it to sit on the correct offset. The correct position is not usually the middle of the hub, but off to one side slightly. One way to check correct rim position would be to take the tyre off, tighten the wheel into position and see whether the centre of the rim is in line with the top tube of the frame coming from the steering head. Draw a line down the middle of the top tube. This is the bike's centre line that the rear wheel must align with. If this is all good, start bending the subframe...
Joburble said:
I agree the subframe is probably bent and the sprockets must line up, but, I would make sure the wheels (hubs and rims) line up first before I started bending the subframe to suit where the wheel is. That's just incase some dumb a$$ laced the wheel badly with the rim off center (not likely but hey, we have seen stupid things before). Then if you bend the subframe to suit poor rim placement you will have quite a mess.
1. Check fender is not bent
2. Sprockets line up
3. Rims are in the center of the hub
4. Check subframe for straightness