Author Topic: Symmetrical, forks and fairings?  (Read 10426 times)

Offline Khrome

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Symmetrical, forks and fairings?
« on: September 17, 2011, 09:31:22 AM »
Ok stupid question time... When you sit on your C14 and are riding in a straight line, are the bars, front forks and fairing all lined up symmetrically? Something seems slightly off to me.

Khrome
« Last Edit: September 18, 2011, 08:59:56 AM by VirginiaJim »
Khrome 2011 C14...09 Kaw Voyager...08 Yam WR250X...07 Yam FJR...06 Suz M109...04 Yam RoadStar...03 Kaw ZZR 1200... 02Kaw ZRX1200...01 KTM LC4...00 Kaw KLR 650...99 Kaw C10...98 Kaw ZRX 1100...94 Kaw Zephyr 750...85 Kaw 454LTD...79 Honda XL250S

Offline lather

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Re: Symmetrical
« Reply #1 on: September 17, 2011, 10:31:08 AM »
I have never noticed any asymetry on mine but its not a stupid question. I beleive it is possible for the front axle to get out of alignment with the front forks which would make the bars look out of line. TRy rolling forward in a perfectly straight line and check if the bars are cocked at all.

The manual has a front wheel installation procedure which may be intended to prevent this.

here is the procedure in case you don't have the manual:

•Before tightening the axle clamp bolts on the right front
fork leg, pump the front fork up and down [A] 4 or 5 times
to all on the right front fork leg to seat on the front axle.
NOTE
○Put a block in front of the front wheel to stop moving.
•Tighten the axle clamp bolts on the right fork leg first.
Next, tighten the left axle clamp bolts.
Torque - Front Axle Clamp Bolts: 20 N·m(2.0 kgf·m, 15 ft·lb)
NOTE
○Tighten the two clamp bolts alternately two times to ensure
even tightening torque.
Nothing worse than having your balls go missing.

Offline Ga. Cycle Rider

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Re: Symmetrical
« Reply #2 on: September 17, 2011, 11:21:58 AM »
You could also string it. That is put it up on the center stand and wrap a string or cord around the front and back wheels like they do to align rear wheels on chain drive bikes without single sided swing arms.

Your back wheel if attatched properly should have no variables in its location. when you align your front wheel within the string so that you know both front and rear are exactly staight then you can inspect the bar and forks to see where the possible problem is.

I hope that did not confuse you, but the string method is a long time sure fire way to align the rear as I said on bikes with adjusters on both sides and would at least give you a point of reference to start your inspection of the front end.
Riding big bore in line fours and v-4 hondas and such since 1976. Lost count of the miles, but it is more than 500 thousand. Currently in the garage...1999 vfr800, keeper forever. 2006 klr 650, forest road thrasher, 2011 C-14 ICBM.

Offline robnwalker

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Re: Symmetrical
« Reply #3 on: September 17, 2011, 12:08:48 PM »
It seems my instruments are slanted to the left.  I thought I was seeing things and have never asked anyone what they thought.  All other items seem symmetrical thou.

Offline basmntdweller

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Re: Symmetrical
« Reply #4 on: September 17, 2011, 01:33:35 PM »
I was reading this thread just before I got off work. Riding home, I checked to see if mine was off any. My instrument cluster is ever so slightly shifted to the left but it is straight/square with the rest of the bike. Had I never looked at it this closely, I never would have noticed it, at least until I read this thread. Now it is gonna be glaring at me  :-\  :)

Matt
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'98 DR-350
'11 Suzuki C50T wife's ride since she hates my Connie
'03 Honda CBR600RR track bike

Offline Khrome

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Re: Symmetrical
« Reply #5 on: September 17, 2011, 01:39:32 PM »
I was reading this thread just before I got off work. Riding home, I checked to see if mine was off any. My instrument cluster is ever so slightly shifted to the left but it is straight/square with the rest of the bike. Had I never looked at it this closely, I never would have noticed it, at least until I read this thread. Now it is gonna be glaring at me  :-\  :)

Matt

LoL glad I'm not alone. 

Thanks much for the replies so far.  I'm going to try and check it closer.  After just getting it I haven't wanted to know if it was off because I would be compelled to do something.
Khrome 2011 C14...09 Kaw Voyager...08 Yam WR250X...07 Yam FJR...06 Suz M109...04 Yam RoadStar...03 Kaw ZZR 1200... 02Kaw ZRX1200...01 KTM LC4...00 Kaw KLR 650...99 Kaw C10...98 Kaw ZRX 1100...94 Kaw Zephyr 750...85 Kaw 454LTD...79 Honda XL250S

Offline lather

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Re: Symmetrical
« Reply #6 on: September 17, 2011, 05:29:44 PM »
All who grew up on dirt bikes probably remember taking a spill and having the bars come out tweaked. I would stand in front of the bike and hold the front wheel with my knees and yank the bars back straight. I figure the same problem could occur with a streetbike  for a variety of reasons although the same solution probably won't work with forks as big as the C14's.

I had a Blackbird  and whenever the rear chain was not properly adjusted the error would be very visibile in the bars to cockpit angles. Was far more accurate chain adjusting method than the marks on the axle cam.
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Offline gonzosc1

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Re: Symmetrical, forks and fairings?
« Reply #7 on: September 18, 2011, 09:09:41 AM »
Ok stupid question time... When you sit on your C14 and are riding in a straight line, are the bars, front forks and fairing all lined up symmetrically? Something seems slightly off to me.

Khrome

its odd that you bring this. just the other day I swear I noticed that my foot pegs are in sightly different positions. one knee rides higher on the tank then the other.  regular cruising its not to noticible but when I get up on the tank for the twisties it really shows up.

Offline lather

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Re: Symmetrical, forks and fairings?
« Reply #8 on: September 18, 2011, 09:24:23 AM »
its odd that you bring this. just the other day I swear I noticed that my foot pegs are in sightly different positions. one knee rides higher on the tank then the other.  regular cruising its not to noticible but when I get up on the tank for the twisties it really shows up.
Maybe one leg is longer than the other  ;D My left arm is 3/8" shorter than the right :-\
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Offline Khrome

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Re: Symmetrical, forks and fairings?
« Reply #9 on: September 18, 2011, 11:29:56 AM »
Mine is like the top of the right fork is pulled ever so slightly back, so it looks slightly off... still not sure.  I need someone to take a pic looking at the bars from your normal view centered so I can compare.  :-\
Khrome 2011 C14...09 Kaw Voyager...08 Yam WR250X...07 Yam FJR...06 Suz M109...04 Yam RoadStar...03 Kaw ZZR 1200... 02Kaw ZRX1200...01 KTM LC4...00 Kaw KLR 650...99 Kaw C10...98 Kaw ZRX 1100...94 Kaw Zephyr 750...85 Kaw 454LTD...79 Honda XL250S

Offline Gsun

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Re: Symmetrical, forks and fairings?
« Reply #10 on: September 18, 2011, 11:52:42 AM »
Mine is the same way.  It has been bugging me forever!
« Last Edit: September 18, 2011, 07:47:45 PM by Gsun »

Offline MAN OF BLUES

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Re: Symmetrical, forks and fairings?
« Reply #11 on: September 18, 2011, 01:24:12 PM »
well if that drives you nuts, here's another place to look....

stand behind the bike @ about 6 ft away, allign yourself by looking at the back of the bike, bags, and bars, so you are looking right down the centerline....
then glance down at the bottom point on the fender and see how it lines up with the center of the rear tire.....
I am sure my bike isn't the only one that looks off by about an inch...an it's never hit the ground...

lemme know how yours looks...you may hate me for pointing this out. :'(
mine is an 08, but I don't see where that would matter much.

46 YEARS OF KAW.....  47 years of DEVO..

valkmc

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Re: Symmetrical
« Reply #12 on: September 18, 2011, 01:26:08 PM »
It seems my instruments are slanted to the left.  I thought I was seeing things and have never asked anyone what they thought.  All other items seem symmetrical thou.

I thought I was seeing things after I got mine back from the dealer and I noticed my gauges seemed to be off to the left slightly. I put my bike up on the center stand and used a straight edge to make sure the front tire and rear tire were aligned. I measured the distance from the ground to the edge of each mirror and the right mirror was 1/2 inch higher. The floor was level.

I dropped my bike and broke the right mirror off and scratched up the plastic and had the dealer repair it, I swear either something inside is bent or they failed to put it back together right. I am about to take it apart and look. When I dropped it and broke off the mirror the bracket that runs from side to side broke and I do not thnk it is on straight.

My whole Kawasaki experience has been a pain in the butt. Final drive issues, issues with 3 dealerships, and Kawai Customer service. I guess I should not have left Honda after 24 years.

Offline B.D.F.

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Re: Symmetrical
« Reply #13 on: September 18, 2011, 04:26:06 PM »
I once saw a signature in someone's post on the Internet that addressed situations like yours.... oh wait, it is YOUR signature.

"Blame no one, Expect nothing, Do something!!!"

Brian



<snip>

My whole Kawasaki experience has been a pain in the butt. Final drive issues, issues with 3 dealerships, and Kawai Customer service. I guess I should not have left Honda after 24 years.
Homo Sapiens Sapiens and just a tad of Neanderthal but it usually does not show....  My Private mail is blocked; it is not you, it is me, just like that dating partner said all those years ago. Please send an e-mail if you want to contact me privately.

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Offline Ga. Cycle Rider

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Re: Symmetrical, forks and fairings?
« Reply #14 on: September 18, 2011, 05:26:34 PM »
Re I shouldnt have left honda after 24 years.  I also have had a long standing preference to honda products. Heck, I have had  73,74,76, and 80 cb750's. 81 cb900f, 83 1100f and 750 interceptor. plus a 87 cbr600 hurricane and 99 vfr800. The 99 VFR was the end of the line on Hondas after continuing to search for something that gets my undivided attention. As I got a little older the cbr,s were out of the question and even though they are great bikes the st-1100 and st-1300 bored the sh*t out of me. Its like st stood for So tired.

Then along came the FJR. a 7 year 50k plus mile run on an 05 fjr made the Honda worship thing fade a little.

Now that the FJR has massaged the same platform for almost 10 years...Thats the 02 that came out in europe and the 03 forward for the states, it has also lost its place on top of the pile of japaneese affordable (under 15k for the most part) super sport touring bikes.

So here I am, a 99 vfr for sale never, a 06 dirt road bashing KLR 650 and the new King Of The Throne...C-14.

Maybe one day Honda will come out with a 160+ h.p. gear driven cam V-4 sport tourer that will draw me back in. The new VFR did not tug on me and it will take a big pull to get me off my new Silver Bullet.
Riding big bore in line fours and v-4 hondas and such since 1976. Lost count of the miles, but it is more than 500 thousand. Currently in the garage...1999 vfr800, keeper forever. 2006 klr 650, forest road thrasher, 2011 C-14 ICBM.

valkmc

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Re: Symmetrical
« Reply #15 on: September 18, 2011, 05:59:17 PM »
I once saw a signature in someone's post on the Internet that addressed situations like yours.... oh wait, it is YOUR signature.

"Blame no one, Expect nothing, Do something!!!"

Brian

I don't blame anyone but myself, It was my decsion to buy this bike and mine alone. I do love the bike but I have had a very bad experince with Kawasaki. I am sure many have had a great experience or they would not be selling bikes like they do.

I am doing something, the entire fairings are off the bike so I can figure out why it is not straight and I can fix the buzzing in the console. I will be trying some of the things I have read about on this forum and thank who ever posted them for that. I have also sent a formal complaint to Kawasaki concerning two of their dealerships, one who took 10 days to fix a final drive while I was stuck in a hotel, and the other who put my bike back together incorrectly and left out parts like the inside winshield bolts which I discovered today while taking the bike apart.

You are right that I should not expect much but I think almost $10,000 gives me the right to expect basic services from the company who built the bike. I do stand by the statement about Honda, but I am not complaining as much as I was wondering if anyone else thought the same about their experince with Kawasaki, I guess I should of stated that it was just my opinion and really is only important to me and my decsion making process when I decide to buy a different bike.

Offline B.D.F.

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Re: Symmetrical
« Reply #16 on: September 18, 2011, 07:55:09 PM »
OFFTOPIC:

My basic point was that coming to a Kawasaki Concours forum and lamenting how much better another brand is does not seem to be a reasonable course of action. I would not go to a Valkerie forum and comment how much better my C-14 is regardless of the fact that I feel it is so.

No ill will nor hard feelings toward you but I find the C-14 to be just about ideal and I am simply not going to agree that Honda makes a better product. Both of us may be but one of us must be wrong: I just do not think this is the venue where you can win with a pro- Honda, con- Kawasaki opinion.

Brian


I don't blame anyone but myself, It was my decsion to buy this bike and mine alone. I do love the bike but I have had a very bad experince with Kawasaki. I am sure many have had a great experience or they would not be selling bikes like they do.

<snip>

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Offline stevewfl

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Re: Symmetrical, forks and fairings?
« Reply #17 on: September 18, 2011, 07:58:53 PM »
I'm not a Kawasaki fanboy either, but I've had more motorcycles than I can count and this C14 is the only one I've had ZERO *issues* with ( >41,000 miles).
“The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” St. Augustine

Offline B.D.F.

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Re: Symmetrical, forks and fairings?
« Reply #18 on: September 18, 2011, 08:02:45 PM »
Most things bolted to the bike are somewhat 'negotiable' in the specific position they occupy. Virtually all of the holes for fasteners have some clearance and the entire bike is the result of these tolerance / clearance stack-ups. So in reality I don't think your thoughts regarding symmetry are stupid, in fact it is almost surprising that anything bolted together from so many pieces could be straight.

The basic frame and frame parts should be reasonably close to in-line, and there is not much to be done to align those parts anyway. I would do what others have said and take a good look at the bike from the back and see if you can notice what seems to be out of alignment. It might be something very simple like the handlebars were biased to one side when they were tightened; the handlebar stanchions have a fair amount of clearance and if both sides were pushed in opposite directions when the fasteners were tightened, that along might make the bike seem a bit crooked.

Of course it is certainly possible that some component(s) are out of tolerance or not correctly bolted to the bike. Unfortunately I do not know of any method or technique to determine this other than very careful measurement from some fixed points on the frame.

Best of luck finding the problem and with a little luck, it will be something fairly straightforward and isolated.

Brian


Ok stupid question time... When you sit on your C14 and are riding in a straight line, are the bars, front forks and fairing all lined up symmetrically? Something seems slightly off to me.

Khrome
Homo Sapiens Sapiens and just a tad of Neanderthal but it usually does not show....  My Private mail is blocked; it is not you, it is me, just like that dating partner said all those years ago. Please send an e-mail if you want to contact me privately.

KiPass keeping you up at night? Fuel gauge warning burning your retinas? Get unlimited peace and harmony here: www.incontrolne.com

valkmc

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Re: Symmetrical, forks and fairings?
« Reply #19 on: September 18, 2011, 08:07:10 PM »
I'm not a Kawasaki fanboy either, but I've had more motorcycles than I can count and this C14 is the only one I've had ZERO *issues* with ( >41,000 miles).

Thats cool, I too have owned tons of motorcycles, lots of brands and have never had to take one in for a warranty issue until now and that goes back to 1976. It also includes my ill fated attempt to own a HD. Again I love the bike but if you cant express your frustration with the COMPANY on the forum that makes the bike, then I guess you are just suppose to shut up and go away quietly. I am not that type. Kawasaki has heard from me by phone and now in writing, maybe they look at this forum occassionaly. Who knows.