I hit a small tree log

Adrian · Spanner Monkey Joined: 05 Mar 2009 Karma :

Hi guys,

On my way back from work yesterday, I was riding at around 40 mph took a left-hand bend and hit a small tree log Shocked

. I honestly don't know how I managed to stay on...The hit was quite violent and I was close to jumping off the bike.

Anyway, pulled over to check the bike and noticed the front extender mudguard flew off and there's a dent in the rim of the front wheel.

Checked under the bke and there seems to be no damage however when I ride I can hear a on and off griding noise from the front and back brake discs.

The bike rides and brakes fine, theres no wobble or anything else but i'm worried about that sound that comes from the wheels.

My question is do I need a new wheel now or can I bend the one I have now back into shape? What is the worse I could of damaged on the bike from such a thing? Would it be safe to ride to a Honda dealer (its a 2008 hornet) or should I try and fix it myself and save some money? I want to avoid claiming off the insurance.

I checked the front forks but i'm not sure if the movement is the actual forks compressing or the bearing fu**ed.

Any ideas?

Thank's a lot!
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DAS 18/06/09 Off The Kerb Motorcycle Training. Proud owner of a Honda CG125 & a Honda Hornet

Kickstart · The Oracle Joined: 04 Feb 2002 Karma :

Hi

How much of a ding is there in the rim. There is a small allowance for the MOT but from just a glance you are unlikely to see a ding that small.

With a cast wheel don't try and straighten it yourself. People like Hagon can do it, but it would be easy to crack the rim (or miss a crack).

Not sure what would cause the noise from the brakes as nothing should have touched them.

All the best

Keith
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Adrian · Spanner Monkey Joined: 05 Mar 2009 Karma :

Hi Keith,

The dent is thumb size...

Would the wheels be unalligned now and therefore causing the disk brakes to hit the pads on and off as there would be a slight wobble?

Is there a tool or way to check the wheel have no wobble whatsoever? Or is it possible that sound was there since I bought it (new) and now i'm getting paranoid...
____________________
DAS 18/06/09 Off The Kerb Motorcycle Training. Proud owner of a Honda CG125 & a Honda Hornet

Kickstart · The Oracle Joined: 04 Feb 2002 Karma :

Hi

By thumb size do you mean length (around the wheel rim) or depth? If depth then don't even think about riding it and I am surprised it still holed air.

If the wheel was out of line it would still spin without wobbling. To wobble the wheel would need to be bent. To be bent enough for the disk to wobble would mean the centre of the wheel being bent (unlikely).

You can mount a dial gauge on the forks and rotate the wheel to check for wobble in the rim, but for a rough idea support the front wheel, hold a screw driver JUST off the wheel rim and braced against the fork and then spin the wheel. As the gap between the screw driver and the wheel rim is tiny any small change in it becomes obvious.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

Paxovasa · World Chat Champion Joined: 25 Apr 2010 Karma :

Sounds like the wheel has a slight buckle in it.

Do as Kickstart suggested with a screw driver. Thumbs Up

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Adrian · Spanner Monkey Joined: 05 Mar 2009 Karma :

Thank's a lot for the replys guys.

Thumb size in lenght...not depth Smile

I'll try the trick with the screw driver and see how that goes. Any chance of the fork bearing being damaged or the actual forks bent?
____________________
DAS 18/06/09 Off The Kerb Motorcycle Training. Proud owner of a Honda CG125 & a Honda Hornet

Clanger · Stirrer Joined: 27 May 2004 Karma :

Slightly off topic/ sorry to be pedantic, but isn't a log how you'd describe a bit of wood that is no longer considered a tree? If you hit a tree stump or a tree branch, that would make more sense. IMO.
Thinking

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Adrian · Spanner Monkey Joined: 05 Mar 2009 Karma :

https://www.shortcourses.com/naturelog/beavers01.jpg

Something like this Smile

____________________
DAS 18/06/09 Off The Kerb Motorcycle Training. Proud owner of a Honda CG125 & a Honda Hornet

Kickstart · The Oracle Joined: 04 Feb 2002 Karma :

Vincent · Banned Joined: 16 Oct 2006 Karma :

With a post like this, pics would be really helpful. It's not easy to say how safe something is when you havn't got an idea what it looks like Confused

dextersaurus · World Chat Champion Joined: 25 Mar 2009 Karma :

If it's a grinding noise... wheel bearings?

You SURE it's coming from the breaks? sit with the front wheel off the ground and turn it, see if the disk is warped as this is what could be grinding....

I still think it could be an absolutely fudged wheel bearing though...

Dunc

Damon · World Chat Champion Joined: 24 Aug 2007 Karma :

Could it be a slighty bent spindle putting everything off line?

Adrian · Spanner Monkey Joined: 05 Mar 2009 Karma :

Right...i've done all the checks I possibly could on the bike and everything seems fine apart from the wheel. Suspension is fine on it, brakes perfectly well, took it for a ride and there's no wobble or anything.

I've sent Hagon an email asking if they can fix the wheel or not and how much it would cost...maybe it's better just getting a new one.
____________________
DAS 18/06/09 Off The Kerb Motorcycle Training. Proud owner of a Honda CG125 & a Honda Hornet