Problem Solvers Wanted...
Road Master
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 1,161
Likes: 296
From: TEXAS
Where I park my bike at work allows my bike to lean a little extra when on the jiffy stand. I have worked there for thirty years and more than a few bikes. Lean on jiffy stand and turn bars full left / muscle bars straight while lifting off stand has had this effect on all the Harley's I owned!
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 155
Likes: 12
From: Pittsburgh, PA
IMO, it's the forks that are out of parallel alignment.
Try jacking the bike up to the point that the front wheel is just about to leave the ground, but still barely touching, and then loosen the 4 pinch bolts on the triple tree where they grip the fork legs and the front axle pinch bolt. This will allow you (or a helper, which is easier) to hold the front wheel straight while twisting the fairing/bars into alignment, to the left in your case - they might even just spring back into perfect alignment on their own. Tighten the pinch bolts to the specified torque while holding the bars in the desired position & you're done. Loosen the pinch bolts just enough to let you accomplish this, not so much that the fork legs try to slide up or down.
I've had to do this on a couple of H-D's that I've owned and I've seen this same issue posted several other times by others on this and other forums. The MOCO's people are universally and totally clueless about this issue or how to deal with it, just like they are about pretty much everything else - they're not the brightest bulbs in the box even under the best of circumstances - so they just claim that "It's normal, they all do that" and cheerfully head back to their little cubicles. Pretty pathetic!
Good luck,
JP
Try jacking the bike up to the point that the front wheel is just about to leave the ground, but still barely touching, and then loosen the 4 pinch bolts on the triple tree where they grip the fork legs and the front axle pinch bolt. This will allow you (or a helper, which is easier) to hold the front wheel straight while twisting the fairing/bars into alignment, to the left in your case - they might even just spring back into perfect alignment on their own. Tighten the pinch bolts to the specified torque while holding the bars in the desired position & you're done. Loosen the pinch bolts just enough to let you accomplish this, not so much that the fork legs try to slide up or down.
I've had to do this on a couple of H-D's that I've owned and I've seen this same issue posted several other times by others on this and other forums. The MOCO's people are universally and totally clueless about this issue or how to deal with it, just like they are about pretty much everything else - they're not the brightest bulbs in the box even under the best of circumstances - so they just claim that "It's normal, they all do that" and cheerfully head back to their little cubicles. Pretty pathetic!
Good luck,
JP
Check this. The fairing may be straight but the handlebars are bent which makes the fairing look crooked. Level bike frame and put a straight edge along the ground on the front wheel to hold it straight. Take measurements. First you can measure bars from the fairing to give you an idea. Bars are easy to bend and could be from being used as a tie down point, lifting bike when tipped over etc. That's where I would start first and I'm looking at the picture thinking that. Also in your video the camera is not dead center of the bike it's off to the left which give an optical illusion to begin start with.
Friend of mine bought a new ('17) Tri Glide, he kept looking at it from the rear and it looked "off". He took it back to the dealer a few times, they finally brought in a factory rep who said the frame was out of alignment. Dealer re-aligned the frame (whatever that involved) and all is good...good luck!
True, it could be that the axle isn't set perfectly perpendicular to the swing arm. If that's the case, then it should try to turn if you momentarily let go of the bars on a straight, level road with no cross winds.
Try having a buddy ride (or drive) behind you to see if it's tracking straight. As far as it appears to be out of line in the video, it should be really obvious to the observer if this is the case. If it's not tracking straight, then adj. the rear axle till it does.
If it's already tracking straight, then try my suggestion outlined above.
Try having a buddy ride (or drive) behind you to see if it's tracking straight. As far as it appears to be out of line in the video, it should be really obvious to the observer if this is the case. If it's not tracking straight, then adj. the rear axle till it does.
If it's already tracking straight, then try my suggestion outlined above.
I appreciate everyone's advice. I will be trying some stuff this weekend and I'll keep you all posted. On a side note, does anybody know of a shop in the Pittsburgh or surrounding area that could put a second set of eyes on it? Just incase I am missing something.
Last edited by FireFighter200; Feb 22, 2017 at 11:40 AM.
The angle of your camera is misleading and if you look at the signal lamps they appear to be off as well indicating that the bars are turned slightly. Are you leaning to the left in this video? If you have to lean to have this go straight down the road I am thinking your alignment is out. Like other have said, check the rear swingarm. As far as the crashbar, there are a lot of reasons that could be 3/16" off (using a tape measure) that have nothing to do with alignment.
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 155
Likes: 12
From: Pittsburgh, PA
The angle of your camera is misleading and if you look at the signal lamps they appear to be off as well indicating that the bars are turned slightly. Are you leaning to the left in this video? If you have to lean to have this go straight down the road I am thinking your alignment is out. Like other have said, check the rear swingarm. As far as the crashbar, there are a lot of reasons that could be 3/16" off (using a tape measure) that have nothing to do with alignment.
I do plan on checking the swingarm once I get the bike back. I was using the tape measure to compare my bike against my friends and the others on the show room floor. While all of the other bikes I checked measured the same from side to side, mine does not. I am just trying to isolate the problem and get it fixed.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 2,530
Likes: 546
From: Wayne County, PA
Like a car a bike frame should have certain numbers and limits on the frame movement. If it's off one side to another either something is wrong with the frame or measuring point you used. Pull the crash bar and see how it looks compared to another one.
Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 203
Likes: 15
From: Victoria, Australia
Are your tyres wearing evenly?
I have noticed the fairing alignment appears out on all Rushmore batwings.
I have read on these forums this is more an optical illusion than actually out in measurement.
I have noticed the fairing alignment appears out on all Rushmore batwings.
I have read on these forums this is more an optical illusion than actually out in measurement.
I will agree that the camera angle was off a bit. It was kind of hard to get the video they were asking for while my wife was over my shoulder recording from the back. I was not leaning in the video as the road is pretty much flat but will long swooping hills. In the video, you can see I am running parallel with the center line.
I do plan on checking the swingarm once I get the bike back. I was using the tape measure to compare my bike against my friends and the others on the show room floor. While all of the other bikes I checked measured the same from side to side, mine does not. I am just trying to isolate the problem and get it fixed.
I do plan on checking the swingarm once I get the bike back. I was using the tape measure to compare my bike against my friends and the others on the show room floor. While all of the other bikes I checked measured the same from side to side, mine does not. I am just trying to isolate the problem and get it fixed.
From that angle then, it looks like the bars are slightly turned to the right. I don't see any disparity between the fairing and the rest of the front end, it all looks lined up from the neck out perspective. Have any video from someone following the bike? I think it would be interesting to see how it tracks.
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 2,217
Likes: 1,538
From: Ohio
After looking at the video and the comments about fork alignment, I agree with them.
My Sportster did the same thing and loosening the clamps and aligning the front wheel solved the problem.
My Sportster did the same thing and loosening the clamps and aligning the front wheel solved the problem.
