Hitchcocks Forum

Hi all, took a low speed tumble recently (loose gravel/left turn/cattle grid) resulting in a bent footrest,broken headlamp and very sore ribs. All straightened/replaced (except ribs, still sore.) Took bike for a spin (05bullet), everything OK,but noticed handlebars have to be turned a tad to the right to go straight ahead. There's no tendency of the bike pulling in either direction, even when riding hands off. I've slackened the pinch bolts on the forks and the steering head nut and tried to straighten things up with only partial success. It doesn't feel like anything's moving, but checking wheel alignment with a string line between the wheels indicates an improvement. Any help would be really great.

Hi Wilf, just stand in front of the bike and put the front wheel between your knees and jolt the handlebars in the required direction [left hand towards you, looking back at the bike in your case] and this will probably do the trick. Regards, Paul.

Thanks Paul,I've done what you suggested a couple of times. Even loosened the pinch bolts and steering headnut and given it a couple of sharp jolts. I seem to be getting there but wondered if there was something else to loosen to make it a bit easier.

Steering head nut??
You need to loosen the legs in the casquette (1/2" hex under the covers)

Sorry, that might not have made sense.
What I mean is the fork legs are screwed into the top of the casquette. You loosen them by removing the chrome slotted covers under which you will find the 1/2" hex socket. This is clockwise to loosen as you are working from above.

Ahaaa! Thanks PeteF, that seems to make sense (from the sofa). I'll give it a try tomorrow.

You don't needto loosen the legs in the casquet, or top yolk, if fitted, the stanchions dont have to turn, they only have to be able to move in the yokes, or more accurately, the yokes need to move around the legs.

Otherwise, as has been said, just slacken the pinch bolts, and stem top nut, not forgetting the clamp bolt at the back of the casquette that clamps it to the steering stem, and twist the bars whith the wheel between your
legs, when you think you are there, slacken the axle nut and clamp stud nuts and bounce the forks up and down a couple of times to make sure they are aligned with the wheel spindle, then re tighten.

Ray.

OK, I had to think about this a bit but Nettshubby is right.
I bet it's the clamp bolt at the back of the casquette that you missed.

Hi Ray, is the Allen headed bolt under the casquette the one you mean? I tried undoing this one,stem nut and pinch bolts,all just back to finger right, but can't get anything to budge.

That's the one, but it sounds like something is bent or twisted, maybe the axle? If the legs were just twisted in the yokes, they should want to spring back into place when released. Shouldn't have to force them.

Ray.