What can happen when riding with bent forks? I took my bike out for a spin today, about 2 months since my crash, just to see how it would perform. Its constantly pushing to the right but its easy to counter and keep the bike going straight. but I can tell that I would have a hard time making a quick maneuver if needed because of how the forks and handle bar are bent. I want to start riding at least once a week to help save gas money and have a good time because I don't have the money to get anything fixed yet and I'm still waiting on my insurance which is in arbitration at the moment. thanks, Joe
See if this may remedy your situation. http://www.sacramentocrotchrockets.com/forums/showthread.php?t=919
No oil. Forgot to include that forks are bent inward from the lower triple clamp/tree thing down. If you can imagine your elbow bending slightly, your forearm being the lower part of the fork and your bicep being the part of the fork between the clamps. I think that will have to be replaced someday but I will try the link posted to untwist these forks and check for alignment. thanks guys
I have had many bent forks (and bent wheels, axels, triple clamps, frames, brake rotors, swing arms, sub frames for that matter) straigtened. I used to bring my stuff to Walt the Frame Man here in town, but now days I use Gerry Piazza (GP frame straightening) in Napa. If insurance is covering it, they will likely replace bent parts with new, but most things can be straightened if not too far gone. As far as riding on bent forks, besides the fact that the bike won't handle correctly and will do wierd things when you get on the brakes and such, you will wear out your fork bushings and seals prematurely, but who cares as it will all be replaced anyhow.
I loosened the triple clamps and played with the forks today, because they're both bent our of wack, even though I was able to straighten the wheel and forks, once I started tightening the clamps, everything shifted back to their bent position. what's a rough estimate for how much would it cost for forks to be straightened by someone local? I'm either going to do that if its cheap enough rather than buy new forks for like $100 off ebay. thanks
If you can get new forks for 100 bones, by all means get them, straightening will be more expensive. Anyways here is Gerry Piaza link, he is in Napa, He straightened my rear rim on my cbr after hitting a rock in Yosemite last year and you can not even tell where the bend was. http://www.gpframeandwheel.com/index.html
Word of advice even if e-bay says the forks are straight they probably aren't some times you get luck but when bikes get parted out it is usually for a reason. Try the frame man here in Sacramento. He straightened a set of forks for me have him look at him he might be able to fix them. Also you might want to have him look at your triple if tightening the forks is making them go out of whack http://www.motorcycleframeman.com/