MOT disaster - wheel alignment out - how to fix? *FIXED*

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Lad's Varadero XL125V just had MOT fail.

Guy logged onto the database and saw a serious damaged flag against the bike. He say bike probably been written off (so Cat-D, Cat-C?) and then put back on road.

So he looked over bike very carefully. Found wheels out of alignment. Not by a little but by a lot.

So either been through dodgy MOT to get back on road or my lad's come off (certainly once, maybe twice) and knackered it.

So asking advice how to sort. Obviously something is bent. Wanted to know what to check for. I'm thinking if chain run straight then swingarm and the back end ok. So that'd be the head that's bent. If so how to fix?

As the bars on this are wide it wouldn't surprise me if when bike goes down they're the first point of contact and maybe that damages the head.

If it's the back end also is there and easy fix.

I'm reluctant to strip the bike down too much but it needs to get back on the road. Maybe find out where it gained the last MOT?

Any pointers appreciated as this has rather put a dent in the day. The bank balance can't really afford expensive fix either.
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...and the whirlwind is in the thorn trees, it's hard for thee to kick against the pricks...
Gibbs, what did Duckie look like when he was younger?

[CaNsA]

Loosen the yokes a little, straighten the forks.

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[P.]

I'm sure its not as serious as you make it out. My TTR600 front wheel was MILES out of line to the rear. Sometimes, it might be that way for a reason, unknown as to why but most TTR600 owners argued the same thing.

Perhaps he means the wheels themselves are not aligned and you've spazzed up the rear wheel alignment and the spacers or equally silly things.

Crashed a fair few bikes and never had a problem with stuff being out of line to the point of an MOT fail.

[Rogerborg]

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[P.]

Definitely would check the rear wheel alignment, would cause weird handling issues but yeah, I'd start at the back and work my way to the front

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A quick way of straightening twisted forks is to loosen the lower yoke, keep the top yoke tight and bounce the bike up and down on the front brake a few times. Then tighten up the bottom yoke again.

Has the rear wheel alignment been properly checked? Don't just rely on the little markers on the chain adjusters, I measure the amount of the thread sticking out of the back of the chain adjuster with a vernier gauge.

Also, when they check the alignment, I'm guessing they put the bars in a straight position. Check the bars by putting 2 long solid objects, one each side of the wheels to hold them in the same line and measure from the tip of each bar to the back of the bike.
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[P.]

Loosen nut on spindle.
Unwind the chain adjusters, measure centre of spindle to centre of swingarm bolt.

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[mudcow007]

surely if it was that outta line the tyre(s) would be getting all kinds of weird n' wonderful wear to them?

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[Rogerborg]

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[stinkwheel]

[mentalboy]

How's about trying with a 7' straight edge yourself (old sail battens are great for that, as are 50mmx6mm strips of metal)?
Edit: Remembering that unless you have two identical width tyres that you need to keep bike very still and measure both sides noting the distances at front and rear touch points on the front wheel, if you land one edge of the front tyre on the straight edge the other edge will almost certainly not touch the straight edge.

If tyre wear appears normal how about taking the beast for a quick ride? If the front end has fork/yolk misalignment it'll handle differently going round left corners than it will right and will most probably have a very odd feel handling generally if you're used to riding a 'straight' bike.
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Make mine a Corona.

[stinkwheel]

[mentalboy]

And upon reading Mr Borg's links it would appear that the garage need not measure the difference, just 'estimate the gap' and that Mr MOT man should take bike for a test ride to if he considers the misalignment excessive
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Make mine a Corona.

[mentalboy]

[Rogerborg]

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Update:
Had a look tonight. I found that
wheels are as picture 3 in RogerBorg's post above.
Using what I had to hand, an old plank, I put this against the rear tyre rim.
Repeated on both sides. About an inch, I didn't measure, gap on the right side.
Left side it touched front tyre.

I could see no uneven wear on the front and back tyres.

Thr lad rode it and said handling ok. I have rode in the past, after any accidents and found handling ok. In fact I rather like.

So any advice on getter front more central appreciated.

In the meantime looking at that vosa text and contemplating taking elsewhere. It does need some other work first (brake discs) so would have fail if not picked up alignment.


____________________
...and the whirlwind is in the thorn trees, it's hard for thee to kick against the pricks...
Gibbs, what did Duckie look like when he was younger?

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<edit>Remove double post - damn tablet</edit>
____________________
...and the whirlwind is in the thorn trees, it's hard for thee to kick against the pricks...
Gibbs, what did Duckie look like when he was younger?

[Rogerborg]

Rear wheel parts.

Any chance some genius has stuck both spacers on one side or otherwise spacked it up?

Are the front and rear sprockets aligned, i.e. does the chain run straight?
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[Pete.]