Hey guys! new here...have some issues
 

Hey all, this is my first post. Hoping someone here has more knowledge of the 9 than I do. Just picked up a 97 9R that had been laid down. The bike was in great shape except for the left fairing (scratched not cracked) and the front wheel had a chunk out of it. Heres my issue: The wheelhits the bottom of the fairing.I had the forks checked, they looked straight by naked eye but shop said they were bent, soooo Ireplacedthe forks....Still hits. Replaced the trees even though they looked fine..slapped em on this evening...Still hitting. Ive checked the fairing mounts they all look fine an in place... Ive looked the whole frame over and couldnt find a bend a crack anything! I dont get it and im getting very frustrated. I was hoping someone who owns this bike would have more info on what generally gives and where. I could just put it back together and cut a chunk out of the fairing but I would rather have it right for safety sake. I can take pictures if needed incase im missing something. Thanks ALOT! -Josh
Anyone who has any ideas please spit em out before I give up on this beautiful 9.

RE: Hey guys! new here...have some issues
 

welcome to KF. don't give up bro. post sum pics we'll check it out.

RE: Hey guys! new here...have some issues
 

I assume you changed out the front wheel and tire when you did the forks and trees?

RE: Hey guys! new here...have some issues
 

Bent axle? Doesn't make a whole lot of sense really - unless your tire is too big (should be a 120/70/17)... there is actually a fair amount of distance between the fender and the rubber...

Here is mine (yes, a tire is on the way)

http://www.robak.net/images/bikes/sn...7/DSCF4556.jpg

RE: Hey guys! new here...have some issues
 

No, not the fender, the lower fairing. Ivepretty much summed it up to a bent frame which doesnt make sense for a frame to give before forks and trees but after looking a pictures my forks seem to be more straight up and down than 9's ive looked at in the pics. Im boggled since I cant see any damage to the frame. Is there any place in particular that the frame tends to stress? Thanks -Josh

RE: Hey guys! new here...have some issues
 

You did not answer Josh on if the wheel and tire were changed out.

RE: Hey guys! new here...have some issues
 

ok... that makes even less sense... tire should be nowhere near the fairing - especially as the fender would need to be in between :)

What part of the tire is rubbing on what part of the fairing?

A frame bent that severely should not even be able to hold plastic on as half the holes wouldn't line up. Sounds to me like it might be a bent or cracked steering knuckle & headset if the forks are true.

Rake angle should be 24 degrees - if it is anything less than that - then you have got issues for sure, and it could be rather dangerous to ride... so check the angle.

RE: Hey guys! new here...have some issues
 

No the wheel has not been changed yet due to not being able to find one local. You can spin the wheel and it hits the same all the way around, not as if it was oblong.I can see what youre saying about the fairing mounts butone is on the cradle andanother on the bottom backof the frame so it may not be difficult to line up, as it is not. The wholeheadsethas already been switched w/ no change in condition.How would I go about checking the rake? Im going to take a pictureso yall can see what I do. Thanksfor your advice sofar, I would love to get thisfixed to see what the ol'9 is capable of.

RE: Hey guys! new here...have some issues
 

Ok guys heres some pics , see if anyone can make anything of this mess. High res. camera so you should be able to blow up if need be. -Josh Also remember no radiator on right now.
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e3...ZX9Rresize.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e3...X9Rresize2.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e3...R006resize.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e3.../ZX9R007re.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e3.../ZX9R010re.jpg
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e3.../ZX9R009re.jpg

RE: Hey guys! new here...have some issues
 

Mine ('95) had a similar problem when I got it; had been wrecked and in a bone yard. I know you aren't wild about trimming the lowerfairing, but that was my solution. (Just enough to turn lock to lock.) I don't run the little triangular "scoop" at all. But, I also have an oversized radiator, too. (Go to my pics album.)
BTW, damn fine looking 9 you got there!

RE: Hey guys! new here...have some issues
 

Jeff, by the looks of your pics yours is just as bad as mine. Did you ever figure out what the problem was? Im just curious if the frames had a tendency to stress somewhere near the neck? Another thought was to lower the bike enough to get past the plastic but id kinda just rather fix the stupid thing right so I dont have to worry about putting my wife on the back ya know?

RE: Hey guys! new here...have some issues
 

from the pics it looks like your forks are standing straight up and down. i'd take it to a shop and have them check the frame. it looks like youe neck is bent.

RE: Hey guys! new here...have some issues
 

holy cracked rim batman - if it took a shot hard enough to shatter the rim - then something else is surely bent up and good.

When I said headset/knuckle earlier - I was referring to the neck... I would be willing to bet good coin that the neck is bent, and like I mentioned earlier - possibly cracked, if those forks are true.

As for checking the rake angle - get a protractor, a 2 foot length of thread or thin string, a fishing sinker/weight and a yardstick. Tie one end of the string through the tiny hole on the protractor, and tie the weight to the other end of the string. Tape the back of the protractor to the yard stick, making the end of the stick flush with the flat side of the protractor and centered on the 0 degree mark so it looks something like this:

D----------

The D represents the protractor and the ------- is the stick - which should be centered on protractor.

Hold the yardstick parallel to the fork with the protractor up at the top of the neck. Let the weight hang down and see where the string falls on the protractor for the degrees. I have a feeling it is WAY less than 24, judging by what I can see in the first picture.

Also - if you dont mind - post a side-profile shot of your bike which includes the ground, the forks and the neck... basically your standard side-view of the whole bike....

RE: Hey guys! new here...have some issues
 

AWESOME info srobak. Ill buy a protractor on the way home from work tomorrow. Im also betting on a frame but want to double check.Worst case snenario is a frame but hey im already half way ripped down anyways! Even after all my parts minus paint ill be at 2k so im think im still ok. Thanks -Josh

RE: Hey guys! new here...have some issues
 

I'm not convinced it's the frame. I think it may be the center post in the headstock being not parallel with the forks; i.e. the forks are straight, but thecenter of the bottom triple (where the post connects) is slightly bent. I think that's the "weak spot" in the steering, where the weight of the bike and the rake-plus-weight of the frontend (those upside-downers are heavy) cause the lower triple to "flex" in a crash. (Yes, I know the top triple creates a structural cage which strengthens the assembly.) The frame around the headstock is pretty stout on the '94'-97's, though. Heck, maybe even the bearings could be mushed.
However, having said all of that, I'll admit I could be way wrong...
I'll try the "string method" and report back tomorrow. Thanks for the advice.

RE: Hey guys! new here...have some issues
 

Hrm - is the lower triple aluminum like the top? I dont recall... heheh... too lazy to go outside and look. I guess it could have deformed, but I think that would cause some pinching and damage to the top of the fork tubes on the top triple then, or in the lower as well... who knows... I think if the bearings were crushed he would feel it when moving the bars... and also I dunno if it would swing it so many degrees as it looks in the one photo. That is a pretty drastic rake decrease... if I had to guess 17 to 19 degrees. Lemme know what it turns out as.

RE: Hey guys! new here...have some issues
 

Ouch, I am seeing what you are mentioning now. Some serious rake happening. Someone mentioned about the bearing being munched, I agree after seeing these pics. But I would say just take the front off. Place the stem shaft on centers and dial indicate it for concentrics, use a lazer to shoot through the neck and measure the rake or even a long shaft going through the neck. But you definitely have a short rake from the looks.

edit: forget about the wheel comment I made earlier in the thread. Was thinking just a bent rim and not a broken one!

RE: Hey guys! new here...have some issues
 

Sorry for not getting back sooner, I had 2 sets of trees so the pipe being bent going through the neck is out. Ended up the same on both, I havent had a chance to check the frame rake yet due to home renovations and I cant walk in my garage but im already looking for a frame (see wanted section if you have one). I did talk to the guy and found out he fibbed a little on "low speed crash" he laid the bike down on gravel in a turn at 45 and the rim nailed a culvert pipe hence the reason for missing a chunk of it. I think 45 would be enough to tweak the frame but that mean those forks and trees are more stout. One would hope to bend those first as to not have to buy and labor in a frame....oh this is going to be fun!!! -Josh