I crashed, handlebar tilted or bent?

[Oxxa]

Hello everyone,

 

Today was a good day, 10 hours of offroad but I dropped the bike and the handlebar is now tilted. I am pissed off.

 

It’s doesn’t look like it’s bent from the center. The whole handlebar completely in one line, but just tilted. I know this because I have my quadlock on the dead center and the phone is tilted also when I am riding…

Should I replace part #14 in the diagam attached to this post? Or is it something else?

 

any help is appreciated! Going to the stealership is my last resort, bunch of children mechanics will make it worse.

 

 

Edited April 2, 2023 by Oxxa
Edit

[Lunch]

I won't be able to offer any suggestions due to my inexperience, but I imagine a photo of the bent bars themselves might help someone troubleshoot with you. 

[Oxxa]

14 minutes ago, Lunch said:

I won't be able to offer any suggestions due to my inexperience, but I imagine a photo of the bent bars themselves might help someone troubleshoot with you. 

i will try to take some pictures tomorrow.
 

However, an experienced person that has seen this before will know what the problem is if the handlebar is not bent in the middle but is straight, and is titled on one side while the wheel is straight

[winddown]

17 minutes ago, Oxxa said:

an experienced person that has seen this before will know what the problem

 

An experienced person could give you an educated guess but as an experienced person in another field I would always insist on seeing the subject matter myself before drawing conclusions myself.

 

I had a similar experience dropping a little 650 Katana many years back.  We were way out in the country.  The bars were offset from the front wheel and we assumed I had bent the forks.  At a little country workshop we pulled them, rolled them on a flat surface and they were fine.  When we reassembled the bike everything was straight again?  Turns out the forks were twisted in the clamps somehow.  Of course back in those days the forks were inverted as compared to today's arrangement so apples and oranges.

[williestreet]

1 hour ago, Oxxa said:

Hello everyone,

 

Today was a good day, 10 hours of offroad but I dropped the bike and the handlebar is now tilted. I am pissed off.

 

It’s doesn’t look like it’s bent from the center. The whole handlebar completely in one line, but just tilted. I know this because I have my quadlock on the dead center and the phone is tilted also when I am riding…

Should I replace part #14 in the diagam attached to this post? Or is it something else?

 

any help is appreciated! Going to the stealership is my last resort, bunch of children mechanics will make it worse.

 

 

Often when you have a drop it will twist the bars which bends the thin support piece between the posts.  This support  piece then prevents it from going back to the straight position.

 

Take part 14 off the bike and put it upside down on something flat like a piece of glass. You will then be able to see the twist caused by the drop.  Put the part in a vice and bend it back until it sits properly on the piece of glass or flat surface.

 

When you get this part straight you will only then be able to tell if your bars are still straight or if you are good to go.

 

[Oxxa]

5 minutes ago, williestreet said:

Often when you have a drop it will twist the bars which bends the thin support piece between the posts.  This support  piece then prevents it from going back to the straight position.

 

Take part 14 off the bike and put it upside down on something flat like a piece of glass. You will then be able to see the twist caused by the drop.  Put the part in a vice and bend it back until it sits properly on the piece of glass or flat surface.

 

When you get this part straight you will only then be able to tell if your bars are still straight or if you are good to go.

 

Thank you. How do i bend them back on a vice though?

[norei]

Have you seen this thread "https://www.tenere700.net/topic/2380-laid-it-downhandlebars-knocked-crooked/#comment-71980"?

[Windblown]

Pretty common for the mounts to get tweaked even if the bars aren't bent. The best way IMHO is to start to disassemble and look at each piece as you go.  

 

FWIW a few companies make one-piece tops for the handlebar mounts which adds considerable strength to the assembly and helps prevent just this sort of problem.

[Goody Boy]

Just loosen the bottom 4 bolts of the fork brace, put the front wheel securely in between your legs, and pull on the handlebars in the direction it needs to straighten. It has happened to me numerous times. It takes a while to master how much pull you need to do, but after a few times, you'll know. It'll make a sound like a chiropractor cracking someone's neck.

[Oxxa]

Update:

 

i removed the handlebar riser and its not bent. I think the wheel has lost alignment so im going to do that

 

update 2: the wheel needs an alignment. Solved

Edited April 6, 2023 by Oxxa

[Hollybrook]

On 4/2/2023 at 6:49 PM, Windblown said:

Pretty common for the mounts to get tweaked even if the bars aren't bent. The best way IMHO is to start to disassemble and look at each piece as you go.  

 

FWIW a few companies make one-piece tops for the handlebar mounts which adds considerable strength to the assembly and helps prevent just this sort of problem.

@Windblown after bending my riser, I gave this some thought and am not sure I agree. Adding a top plate above the bars would only help if the clamps allowed the bar to rotate in one of them. After looking at all the parts, in my case, it appears that the bases moved, not the clamps. 

 

I do have a Scott's steering stabilizer with Triple Clamp mount, which uses thinner washers that could have been responsible for the movement. The one on the side that was hit was cupped quite a bit and needed to be flattened. 

[Oxxa]

On 4/3/2023 at 1:47 AM, Goody Boy said:

Just loosen the bottom 4 bolts of the fork brace, put the front wheel securely in between your legs, and pull on the handlebars in the direction it needs to straighten. It has happened to me numerous times. It takes a while to master how much pull you need to do, but after a few times, you'll know. It'll make a sound like a chiropractor cracking someone's neck.

Why loosen the 4 bolts of the fork brace, when the cyllinder inside the fork can rotate freely, what is the point?

[Lewie]

Why ask then question?

[Oxxa]

28 minutes ago, Lewie said:

Why ask then question?

Ok fair point but i am confused of everyone saying different things. 
 

Some video guides loosen the center nut, lower triple clamp bolts, axle nut + bolts

 

some other videos do the same without loosening the  center nut.

 

do i or do i not loosen the main center nut of the triple clamps

[Alan M]

58 minutes ago, Oxxa said:

Why loosen the 4 bolts of the fork brace, when the cyllinder inside the fork can rotate freely, what is the point?

If forks could rotate freely how do you reckon the steering works .

 

The forks are joined by an axle.

 

Just watch a YouTube video

[Oxxa]

12 minutes ago, Alan M said:

If forks could rotate freely how do you reckon the steering works .

 

The forks are joined by an axle.

 

Just watch a YouTube video

Freely when the axle is not there

[Alan M]

6 minutes ago, Oxxa said:

Freely when the axle is not there

Pointless, I give up

[sshat]

Looks like the OP has fixed the problem, here are some suggestions for anyone else with similar issues.

 

Been there many times. Dropped bike, crooked bars. Could be a couple things, here is the order I've found to be the best to get things lined up right. If the bars have been bent, not tweaked out of alignment, this stuff doesn't help. New bars are in order if that's the case. 

 

1.Since the bar supports are rubber mounted, a drop will sometimes skew the supports on the rubber mounts a bit. No problem. If the bars look twisted, or facing a bit to they right let's say when the wheel is straight forward, turn the bars full lock to the left, then give a good extra nudge (or a good whack left onto the steering stops). This will twist the bar supports back center. Try this right/left on your bike now if it's straight and you'll see how you can off center the bars a little back and forth with a bit of persuasion. No need to loosen the mount bolts for this one.

 

2. If that's doesn't fix the alignment, loosen the 4 bar mount bolts on top. The drop may have just twisted the bars a bit in the mounts. Loosening the bolts will get things free and straight. Tighten them back up when straight, good to go.

 

3. If the bars are straight at the top, but the wheel is not in the right direction, loosen upper and lower triple clamp bolts and axle and axle pinch bolts. Align and retighten according to the manual. I've done it in the "wild", worried about torque specs when I got home. Or you could follow what the motocross guys do and kick the front wheel sideways until it's kind of aligned again and keep riding. Nasty bunch that group though. 

 

4. If all this has failed. The lower bar supports are bent. Takes a bigger hit, but it happens. Bigger job, best done at home, can be fixed with some simple tools. Get the lower bar supports off. If you've got a nice flat surface, it helps, I use a nice flat piece of glass or a steel plate. Flip the bar support/riser upside down on the flat surface and see if it sits flat, or is able to rock back and forth. If it rocks, it's bent. Get it in a vice and persuade it back so it sits flat. The support isn't hard to bend back, the metal is fairly soft.

 

If all that doesn't fix alignment, your forks need some love. That takes a big get off though. 

 

For most small drop/tip overs/ lack of talent type incidents, the above steps should do it.

 

Hope this helps!

 

 

Edited April 6, 2023 by sshat

[Oxxa]

1 hour ago, sshat said:

Looks like the OP has fixed the problem, here are some suggestions for anyone else with similar issues.

 

Been there many times. Dropped bike, crooked bars. Could be a couple things, here is the order I've found to be the best to get things lined up right. If the bars have been bent, not tweaked out of alignment, this stuff doesn't help. New bars are in order if that's the case. 

 

1.Since the bar supports are rubber mounted, a drop will sometimes skew the supports on the rubber mounts a bit. No problem. If the bars look twisted, or facing a bit to they right let's say when the wheel is straight forward, turn the bars full lock to the left, then give a good extra nudge (or a good whack left onto the steering stops). This will twist the bar supports back center. Try this right/left on your bike now if it's straight and you'll see how you can off center the bars a little back and forth with a bit of persuasion. No need to loosen the mount bolts for this one.

 

2. If that's doesn't fix the alignment, loosen the 4 bar mount bolts on top. The drop may have just twisted the bars a bit in the mounts. Loosening the bolts will get things free and straight. Tighten them back up when straight, good to go.

 

3. If the bars are straight at the top, but the wheel is not in the right direction, loosen upper and lower triple clamp bolts and axle and axle pinch bolts. Align and retighten according to the manual. I've done it in the "wild", worried about torque specs when I got home. Or you could follow what the motocross guys do and kick the front wheel sideways until it's kind of aligned again and keep riding. Nasty bunch that group though. 

 

4. If all this has failed. The lower bar supports are bent. Takes a bigger hit, but it happens. Bigger job, best done at home, can be fixed with some simple tools. Get the lower bar supports off. If you've got a nice flat surface, it helps, I use a nice flat piece of glass or a steel plate. Flip the bar support/riser upside down on the flat surface and see if it sits flat, or is able to rock back and forth. If it rocks, it's bent. Get it in a vice and persuade it back so it sits flat. The support isn't hard to bend back, the metal is fairly soft.

 

If all that doesn't fix alignment, your forks need some love. That takes a big get off though. 

 

For most small drop/tip overs/ lack of talent type incidents, the above steps should do it.

 

Hope this helps!

 

 

This is the first time i see someone recommend to loosen both upper and lower triple clamps. Most guides recommend only loosening the lower triple clamp bolts

[winddown]

3 hours ago, Oxxa said:

Freely when the axle is not there

 

Goody Boy suggested you 

Quote

Just loosen the bottom 4 bolts of the fork brace, put the front wheel securely in between your legs, and pull on the handlebars in the direction it needs to straighten.

 

Just give it try and see what happens, it's a hell of a lot easier than pulling the bars and messing with all the other stuff.  As I said in my post above, that is essentially what we did on the road and it worked, though we went and pulled the forks out too, which was unnecessary.

[sshat]

1 hour ago, Oxxa said:

This is the first time i see someone recommend to loosen both upper and lower triple clamps. Most guides recommend only loosening the lower triple clamp bolts

Correct. Didn't get into that much detail. Sometimes it's just the bottom clamp, sometimes the top. Sometimes it's both. Depends on how hard you hit and how much of a reset is needed. This is all depends on the situation, doesn't matter what you try first. Sometimes you have to admit defeat and call for a trailer home.

[Windblown]

8 hours ago, Hollybrook said:

@Windblown after bending my riser, I gave this some thought and am not sure I agree. Adding a top plate above the bars would only help if the clamps allowed the bar to rotate in one of them. After looking at all the parts, in my case, it appears that the bases moved, not the clamps. 

 

I do have a Scott's steering stabilizer with Triple Clamp mount, which uses thinner washers that could have been responsible for the movement. The one on the side that was hit was cupped quite a bit and needed to be flattened. 

 

It may not be a factor on the T700. I have twisted the exact same handlebar mount style many times on KTM dirt bikes though and the fork alignment still be fine. Adding a stout cross piece between them that does not rely on the clamp pressure onto a round bar to prevent torsional twist made all the difference.  I've also seen the bolts into the triples shift if rubber bushing mounted and everything else still be true ( I usually switch to metal bushings when this happens so it only happens to me once). And of course the forks getting tweaked in the triples is common. 

 

That's why I suggested the op just starting to disassembling until the issue was found, it can be a combination of things. Well, and the way I normally fix that sort of issue until I'm pulling a full maintenance gives some folks nightmares so I didn't go there...

[Oxxa]

1 hour ago, sshat said:

Correct. Didn't get into that much detail. Sometimes it's just the bottom clamp, sometimes the top. Sometimes it's both. Depends on how hard you hit and how much of a reset is needed. This is all depends on the situation, doesn't matter what you try first. Sometimes you have to admit defeat and call for a trailer home.

How necessary is loosening the upper triple clamp just for the sake of doing it right even after you get the handlbar straight-ish?

Edited April 6, 2023 by Oxxa

[sshat]

Loosening the top may not be necessary. Certainly easier to keep it simple if possible. Mix and match the "fixes", make it your own way. Don't need to follow all those steps, that wasn't what I was intending for anyone to have to do. If the first thing works, stop there. If you have to remove the entire front end, that's what you gotta do. We arent flying to the moon here, we're having fun and staying safe on a motorcycle. Best suggestion would be if you want the perfect fix for this is don't fall in the first place I suppose, but that's no fun, eh?

[Oxxa]

4 minutes ago, sshat said:

Loosening the top may not be necessary. Certainly easier to keep it simple if possible. Mix and match the "fixes", make it your own way. Don't need to follow all those steps, that wasn't what I was intending for anyone to have to do. If the first thing works, stop there. If you have to remove the entire front end, that's what you gotta do. We arent flying to the moon here, we're having fun and staying safe on a motorcycle. Best suggestion would be if you want the perfect fix for this is don't fall in the first place I suppose, but that's no fun, eh?

Instructions unclear, got my bike stuck in the elevator. 
 

im still questioning why i was rally riding on difficult trails and broke the daily bike drop record. Adrenaline i guess

 

thank god we have forums to help us fix things when we get loose ourselves

Edited April 6, 2023 by Oxxa