Best way to straighten the forks?

[Andy 0]

The bike is a XR650L. The trees are a few degrees left when I'm going straight. Is there a preferred method of straightening out the forks? Should I loosen the tree clamps and use the spin-and-brake method on the front wheel to let things pull themselves straight again? Oh, and yes I'm sure it's not just bent handlebars. Everything works just fine, it just needs to be realigned.

[bikeslut 1]

that happened last time too... Put the tire against a wall, and tweak it back... Uh... Assuming they're just tweaked and not actually bent.

[Zenosan 2]

that happened last time too... Put the tire against a wall, and tweak it back... Uh... Assuming they're just tweaked and not actually bent.

If you loosen the tripple clamps you can do it with the front wheel between your knees.

Traditional way of aligning front and back wheels was to use a string line from the edges of the back wheel out to the front. Measure the distance from each edge of the front wheel and make sure they are the same.

[Andy 0]

If something was out of alignment last time, I didn't notice it. In any case, it's noticeably out of whack this time around. I highly doubt I physically bent anything - if the components can't stand up to the mild beating my newbie ass administers, I'd imagine they could use some more engineering.

[bikeslut 1]

then I would ride up to a sturdy tree, and tweak them right. You can loosen the triples if you want, but I never have... I think Don is smarter than I am, though

[Zenosan 2]

then I would ride up to a sturdy tree, and tweak them right. You can loosen the triples if you want, but I never have... I think Don is smarter than I am, though

Personally I use the tree method myself Bob. I used the string method on my old Huskys when I knew it mattered and I was going to be going damn fast. I don't go damn fast anymore so I am back to the tree method.

[bikeslut 1]

see? Told you he was smarter than me!!

[Zenosan 2]

see? Told you he was smarter than me!!

Nope-just the aging process.

[bikeslut 1]

that explains your crusty personality and museum bikes any way!

[Zenosan 2]

that explains your crusty personality and museum bikes any way!

Can't argue with that!

But if you would ever like to try going Damn Fast some day I would be happy to let you try my Vintage 79 Husky 390WR.

[bikeslut 1]

I would actually LOVE that!!

[Zenosan 2]

I would actually LOVE that!!

Your're on. We will need a long flat wide open stretch like the air strip at Ocotillo. That is the last place I opened it up. When you hit the pipe at around 6000 rpm the the G forces will rip the handlebars out of your hands. You will be doing about 115 mph in about 6 seconds. No BS.

You sure you want to do this?