Yeah, I said "whopsided".

Seven weeks ago, the last time I rode, I took a good spill and went over the bars. I didn't notice it that day because I was in mud all day, but today I took it out on the street, and sure enough, where the right side of my bars dug into the ground, well, they got "pushed in" about 1/4 of an inch or so. Kinda hard to go straight, mentally, when the bars are turned slightly to the right.

So, how to fix? Do I just loosen the nut on the steering stem and turn it straight again? The bars, themselves, are not bent, but they're just canted to the right. I can look at the base of the bar bracket and see that when I hold the bars to make the bike go straight, then that lines everything up fine, but then I'm sligtly going left.

Thanks!

 

Yep. . . that's how you do it! Torque for the spanner nut is 43 inch pounds and torque for the hex nut on top of it is 33 foot pounds. Make certain that you don't over-torque the spanner nut and that the steering turns freely and that the bearings are neither binding nor loose! These specs. are for '06, '07 models. My manual does not cover '09's.

 

Thanks.

Due to not owning such wrenches, I might just take it somewhere to have it done. In the end, it would ultimately be cheaper.

I tried to hold the wheel b/t my legs and pull on the bars, but realized that wasn't such a good idea. Yeah, I know, it ain't a bicycle.

 

haha no it not but didnt hurt to try

 

No, no, no no, no.
You've twisted the forks in the yokes.
All you have to do is remove the front wheel and refit like the Motopro article advises.
http://www.moto-pro.com/files/shopti..._alignment.pdf
The torque for the fork tubes is low for this reason. In a big spill the forks will "twist" and not bend. Follow the Motopro advice and refit the front wheel (correct wheel alignment) and torque it correctly.
CAUTION. Some of the clamp bolts on the front wheel are reallly low torque. Do not over tighten them, they will break. You have been warned..

 

+1 to WESTOZ and I'll warn you too about those pinch bolts on the bottom of the fork. Snug em up criscrossed........ top right,bottom left then top left,bottom right or vice versa it doesn't matter which way just get them all about the same tightness. That plate is only there to keep the front axle straight. The important torque is the axle itself not that plate so beware....... you CAN pull those bolts right out of the fork if you over tighten them.

 

I really don't think it's the forks. I can SEE that the bars are crooked. If the whole assembly is in the "straight" direction, the bars are canted slightly to the right. I figure this is due to the right side bar/barkbuster diving into the dirt.

It was a slow spill. I was just under 5mph when the front slipped out from under me on a debarked pine sapling.

I REALLY don't think it is the forks.

 

Hmmm, I've had some classic wipeouts and twisted the forks a couple times and bent my bars too.

If not the forks it must be the bars right?? You don't think you bent the triple clamp do ya?

Stop falling down so much.

 

I dunno. What you say makes sense. But his symptoms match mine exactly. I even went so far as to replace bars. When holding the "bent" bards out, along a horizontal surface on the ground, like a carpet or whatever...a straight line..they where definitely bent.

Thanks for the info though, as these new bars weren't closeout.. like last time@!!!

 

one good way to see if the forks are twisted in the triple clamps is to look at the front tire... if its centered under the front fender the forks didnt get twisted... if the tire is offset to one side ya twisted the forks. I saw a guy on a klx in FL dump it going like 40mph on a hard pack dirt road and twist the forks..... was kinda funny, knocked the wind outta him....