Hi guys,

I have a problem with my handlebars on my 2006 Street Bob.

I had an accident with it and my front end was bent. I had the front fender, handlebars and the two front fork tubes replaced with brand new ones at the dealer (insurance policy).

After the repair i felt that the handlebars were off to the right. Everybody told me it wasn't. The dealer who fixed the bike showed me it could be crooked because when you loosen the triple tree clamps, you can rotate the fork tubes. If the trees were bent you couldn't do this they said. The new front fender also mounted without problems, as well as the front axle. They assured me nothing else is bent in my front end.

Still when I drive straight and i try to hold the handlebars how i feel is the right way, the bike goes to the left. I can even feel my left arm stretch out more.

So I had the rubber bushings replaced with solid metal ones and I installed a brand new dragbar with new 6 inch risers. Everything is solid mounted now, so there is no movement possible. Still to me it looks like the handlebars are rotated a bit to the right. When i look over the front part of my tank it shows a bigger part of the lower left forks than the right one. Everyone who rode my bike says it doesn't. The dealer even checked the wheel allignment just to be shure the frame isn't bent.

Before the accident everything was straight to my eyes, so am i going nuts?

It's so bad I'm thinking of selling my bike, but I really don't want to. What else can I check?

 

Have you checked the alignment on the back wheel?

 

I had this problem once with one of my bikes, though NOT because of an accident. Loosening the top clamp and tightening it again fixed it for me. It was the order in which the 4 bolts were tightened did the trick. Have the bolts close to snug then experiment with tightening one or the other bolt and then the rest and see if that sets your bars straight. This fixed my issue, I hope it fixes yours too.

 

Aint it weird how little stuff like that can make a big diff

 

You ain't kidding. I put new risers on last weekend and they were crooked. Had a friend over to help me yesterday and we kept trying to loosen and retighten the big bottom bolts to staighten the handlebars. Then figured why not try the top clamp bolts. Just had to mess with them a little. Too weird. It works though. They are fine now. lol

 

It doesn't. It's weird how the imagination can make such a difference. It does not matter what order you torque the clamps in, if it did the factory would give you a sequence.

If your front fender was tweaked the front end took a hit, I'd check everything very closely. Just because they say everything seems straight doesn't mean it is. When there is any question I pull the forks apart and measure runout on the tubes, they're a lot easier to bend than you might think. It's pretty obvious when the trees are tweaked, the tubes are very difficult to get in and out of the trees.

Also, the only way to really straighten your risers is to loosen the handlebar clamp also. The risers can't turn if the handlebar clamp is holding them in a certain position.

I've done hundreds of crash repairs and front ends and my bike has been crashed 3 times. It's not rocket science or magic, just needs thorough, intelligent inspection and repair.

 

Any chance that the new handlebar itself is bent? I bought a brand new handlebar from Flanders and after internally wiring and mounting it, discovered that the bends were not symmetrical, and when I measured was off by the better part of an inch.

Also, in my experience, many HD's are slightly off and maybe you're even more sensitive to it due to the accident.

 

Slightly loosen the axle pinch bolts, triple clamp pinch bolts, and the riser handlebar clamp bolts. You sit on the bike and hold the bars where u want them while a man stands over the front wheel holding the front wheel position. As he is holding the front wheel and you are holding the handlebars have him snug the bolts starting at the axle pinch and moving up, to clamp pinches, then riser handlebar clamp bolts.

Usually what happens is when you torque the steer stem nut the top clamp shifts slightly to the right. I have seen this on many many bikes. I try and hold my handlebars to the left lock instead of allowing the front end to rest on the right lock,when tightening the steer stem nut to prevent this.

 

Is it possible that the handlebars are slightly bent or twisted?

Never mind...I did not see that you had replaced them in your OP...

 

Look down the bars and compare the triple tree with the bars. Are they in line with each other.
I have to tweek a lot of bikes for folks. When the forks are removed it is easy not to check the alignment.
All you have to do is loosen the top triple tree bolts. Either place your front tire against something solid-protect your fender- or have a friend put the front tire between their legs to hold it in place. Turn the bars in the direction that needs to be corrected. May take several attempts. Tighten the bolts on the top triple tree. You would be surprised at how many bikes need the forks tweeked.
Forgot, if the bars and triple tree are not in line the bridge is off center or some other issue. Although you are using solid mounts instead of rubber bushings, It could still be the problem. If they are drilled off center it will do the same thing.
When you tweek the triple tree and bars all you are doing is twisting them to put them in alignment.
It could also be the bridge like another poster suggested.