Guys - I am not sure if my eyes are playing tricks on me, but it seems as though my front wheel is ever so slightly crooked. It looks as though it goes to the left just a little bit, and is not perfectly straight lined up with the forks. As a result, when I am riding, the handlebars are cocked just a little bit to the right in order for the bike to go straight. It's not bad, nor does it really affect my riding, but it's annoying. My question is 1 - is this even possible with the front tire? Or are my eyes playing tricks on me? If so how do I adjust it? If it's not the front tire, what would cause the front fork / handlebar assembly to be slanted to the right when I ride?

 

What kind of bike? Assuming its a new bike?? Could alignment of the rear tire or the bars aren't straight in the triple trees.. You should try and eye the dars to the tree's to see if they are straight. You can loosen the 3/4 bolts under the tree and try and straighten the bars. If it is a alignment issue thats a little more involved. In any event if it is brand new, take it back to the dealer and have them straighten out the issue.

 

Its an 03 Softail Standard. Not new, but only 2,500 miles.

I just tried adjusting the 3/4 bolts that you mentioned. I was able to make some adjustments, but it almost seems like the entire fork assembly is not straight when the wheel is straight.

 

The tree's are the two flat pieces that attach to your sliders of front forks. So the upper tree has two holes in the center that the handle bar riser comes up from.. Its at that point look underneath and you will see two 3/4 bolts. Take a straight edge and place it on the front of your risers and look at the edge and compare it to the face of the tree. If the face os the straight edge is in line with the face of the tree than its not the handle bars. Take a look at that first.

I suggest you buy a service manual. They give pretty good instructions how to do all this stuff.

 

Thanks - I am trying to adjust it by myself but it's tough. I'll get some help tomorrow and see if someone is holding the handlebars in place while I tighten down if that helps.