frame checking ??

[haynesvfr750]

can anybody help with anywere in cornwall to get my frame checked ?? cheers

[Diggler]

Motoliner, they are the best in the business but there at Maidstone Kent

[jam]

With the bike on its wheels, use a length of string from around the back of the rear tyre, and then bring it alongside the bike to passed the front wheel, then bring the string in until it just touches the front sides of the rear tyre. Check the distance between the string and each side of the front wheel this will tell you if the wheel is central. You will need to make sure the rear wheel is perfectly lined up after adjusting the chain. Do not worry too much if there is a little offset between the front and rear wheels, there usually is, and on some bikes can be anything up to 20mm, this is normal, what you are looking for is the wheels being not vertical with each other, use a spirit level and a friend to get the bike upright and ensure the rear wheel is vertical with the spirit level, then check the front wheel is the same, if these values differ then the frame is likely twisted, and will need looking at, but before you go pulling it apart and running off to Maidstone motoliner with it a few simple checks you can do with the aid of a friend will give you an idea of whether you need to spend any money getting it on a jig.
Most bikes come from the factory slightly out of the manufacturers exact specs, it doesn't always make them difficult to ride, as long as wheels are vertically inline it doesn't matter about offset between front and rear and in many cases it is deliberate and helps to keep the bike tracking correctly over white lines etc, some of the big Kawasakis were upto 20mm offset, especially the shaft drive models.
It takes a fair bit of force to bend a frame significantly, check around the welds for eveidence of stress, check mounting points for evidence of elongation of the holes which would suggest misalignment. Ride the bike and see what it feels like. Slacken off the pinch bolts and stem nut on the yokes and allow them to settle, remove any mudguard that has a brace inside to aid this, as a small knock can slightly twist the forks in the yokes without bending them, and they just need slackening off and tweaking back to square.

[Stikley]

As Jammo said, check it yourself before taking it to somebody.

[Diggler]

You obviously have cause for concern or you wouldn’t be putting a post up. If you did do the bit of string along the length of the wheels whilst your mate keeps the bike upright using a spirit level (and don’t go by the chain adjuster markings to aline the rear wheel) are you going to be 100% sure either way ?? Take the plastics and tank off and get it checked professionally, at least for peace of mind, itll cost you all of £50. The last thing I would want is to be racing a bike and the thing handle like a pig and not know why, this goes for the same on the road.

[badgerKDD]

Is this your blade frame you are talking about? do you want to check it before you sell it?

Or have you got your eye on something else but it might be twisted ;)

[GIXXER KID]

seeing as hayner hasnt updated this, it is the fireblade frame, last he said to me is he wants to sell it, its a cat D but i said if he has paperwork to say the frame is spot on then he will sell it much easier as the bike itself is abit messy to say the least

[haynesvfr750]

hi guys soz for late reply, i cant do the string thing as front forks n bottom yoke r snapped so wheel will not go straight ! Think i may of found someone with a jig not to far away, and badger yes it is my blade and im lookin at doin up now as road legal track bike so day light mot and keepin for myself cheers for the quick replies tho

[graham22]

Silly comment time - but isn't there very little to a 00/01 Fireblade frame. Swinging arm mounts to engine or are there 'hidden' mounts? between frame/swinging arm?

Once the engine's out & subframes off, surely you're just left with a couple of beams? Isn't that small enough to have couriered/posted somewhere for checking?

If it's stripped down, are there 2 symentrical points that you can measure from and to headstock etc?

Can't you borrow another front end (your dads's?) just to put in the frame to take measurements from?

[haynesvfr750]

Sounds like alot o work when can just tke somewere and get it checked, rather just do tht and dads bike i stowed awaas thy movin to france in a few months so gta get this sorted asap

[badgerKDD]

I'm pretty busy at the moment but if you need a hand with anything give me a shout and if i'm free i'm happy to twirl a few spanners for you

haynes back on the road, bring it on