Help..Handlebars Are Slightly off *PICS* first dirt bike?

Question

this is my first dirt bike and going at a slow speed i layed it out on its right side here are some pictures of it. Any suggestions on how to fix it would be appreciated.

http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/1144/dsc02326ln6.jpg

http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/9206/dsc02327zu5.jpg

http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/9493/dsc02328kq2.jpg

Answer 1

i think that it is your forks that are bend out a bit. to fix it put your front tyre up straight against a tree or post then turn your handlebars slightly and then it should go straight again

Answer 2

For future reference, always give year, make, engine size and model # when asking questions. We need all of that info to give an informed answer.

This one is a no brainer.

One of the handlebar clamps are bent.

Look at the 2nd picture.

Look at the handlebars in relation to the center of the fork tops.

Look at the right clamp in relation to the front of the top fork bridge.

The clamp is pushed back.

In the picture, you can't see the sides of the left handlebar clamp - you can see the sides of the right clamp.

The right clamp is twisted to the right - not pointing straight ahead.

The 1st picture is more pronounced than the 2nd.

It's hard to tell anything in the 3rd picture because the bike isn't standing

straight up - it's leaning to the left (shift lever side).

http://www.bikebandit.com/parts/

Go to - Honda - 1999 - CR250 - Handlebar - # 3

Replace both to be on the safe side.

If you're concerned about the bars being bent -

Remove them from the bike and lay them on a perfectly flat surface.

The part that clamps to the bike will be flat - if they are bent, one bar end will be touching and the other end will not.

If the bars are straight - both ends will be touching at the same time.

Answer 3

Bars look alright, they may just be a little tweaked in the trees.  Loosen them at the clamp then straighten.  Also your forks may not be straight.  Loosen your front tire then bounce the forks up and down a few times, this will straighten your forks out and should help you straighten out the bars.

Answer 4

I think you have more than bent handlebars. You need to remove them then do some measuring.

Answer 5

Nate" has got it right...Put your front tire up to something and turn the bars to smack the tire it will tweek it back..

Points go to Nate..

Answer 6

When you fall on a dirt bike this is normal just about every time. The answer of hitting it on a tree and the other loosen up the clamps are good answers. When most of us crash and the front gets out of wack we either have a buddy kick the wheel the opposite direction, or snap turn it hard against a tree or post etc. The proper way is to loosen up the eight bolts (Slightley) put the wheel between your  legs and wiggle the bars back and forth, compressing the front end up and down like the other guy answered is good but if you loosen your clamp bolts to much you may drop your tubes down. Before you loosen them up make note where the top of your fork tubes are in the top triple clamp, both need to be in the same place. Also on the Honda loosen the bolts that hold the bar mounts to the triple clamp (under side of the top Triple clamp) and loosen the s***w all the way up on the crossbar of the handlebar itself.  Refere to your manual for proper torque settings on the triple clamp bolts.  Your bars could be bent.

Answer 7

crash on the other side

. Its really not the ideal way to do it, and you may have to crash several times to get it right.  (oh darn, now it went too far)

Just try not to get hurt.

  Now that you have noticed its crooked, it well never be perfectly right again. Kinda like moving a piano for a woman. (" I know Ive made you move it 42 times, but now i think it would look better in the other room")

  At some point either your bike will stop running, or you will be so bloodied  from adjusting your handlebars, that it just wont seem that important anymore. Try not to obsess  about  if they are perfecly straight now  or maybe just 1/16 th of an inch to the left.

   That, or you could try the tree thing  those folks were talking about. That seems like a good idea.

   The important thing here is that you have learned to never move a piano for a woman.