handlebar not exactly 90 degress towards bike

[marp68]

I noticed a peculiar thing with the bike today. When driving straight the handlebar does not seem exactly 90 degrees towards the bike. If you get what I mean.

When having the handlebar exactly 90 degrees, the bike tend to turn slightly.

How can this be? I thought that the forks lower part self adjusted to the wheels etc.

At the mandatory every two year inspection they didn't say anything about steering problems or aligning issues, and the bike doesn't wobble or anything else strange behavior. It just not going exactly straight when having the handlebar straight.

What have I missed? Is the bike twisted in some way or can it be fixed?

 

[Royboy]

Marp,

Not uncommon. Loosen the axle nut a bit, loosen fender bolts a bit, loosen lower triple clamp bolts a bit. Go around front of the bike, face the headlight, straddle the front wheel and hold it straight with your knees, reach forward to the bars and pull them straight (square). Retorque everything you loosened. If it's now straight you win, otherwise start looking for the bent tube, bent triple clamp or bent handle bar.

roy

 

[marp68]

Thanks. Will try. Wouldn't I need to loosen the upper tree clamp bolts as well?

Is it bad for the bike somehow to drive around like this?

 

[Royboy]

Shouldn't loosen top clamp unless you are supporting the weight of the bike with something other than, or in addition to, the centerstand. Gravity will take over and the tubes will go up through the clamps until the fender hits the lower. That's how I ruined a couple fenders over the years.

"Bad for the bike?" I don't know, but now that you've noticed the problem it will drive you crazy.

roy

 

[gggGary]

 

[marp68]

Haven't had time to test anything yet

But I sure hope that's not what have happened to my bke. I have had clubman handlebars so far and only noticed it now when I switched to a standard bar. If the tube is bent, it must have been that since I bought.

But if the tube is bent, should it not show somehow when driving the bike? And would it cause the handlebar mounting to not be exactly 90 degrees?

 

[angus67]

Before jumping to conclusions, follow gggary' instructions

 

[gggGary]

Think positive thoughts, the handlebars could be bent? You could have staright tubes and bent triples..... A front end can be bent enough to make the bars crooked with no obvious handling issues. Sure does feel weird though.