What did I break?

[danh600]

Sunday I almost dumped the bike. I was making a sharp turn going just a few miles an hour. Had to brake for a car. I grabbed too much front brake. I was going slow enough I should have just used the rear. Anyway the bike almost dumped on me. I just did catch it, but it went way over. Luckily I got my feet planted solid and held it up.

I thought all was good then noticed this:


I don't think the handle bars are bent. The bike never hit the ground. I have a hard time believing and can't tell if that right side riser is bent. It's solid aluminum.

Could that rubber bushing just be damaged? Or you think I bent the threaded stud that that holds the riser in place?

[hdmatt29]

it looks like you need to re adjust yuor triple crown fork.   it used to happen to me when i rode downhill mtb bikes and would take a hard hit   loosen up the allen head bolts on the crown and u should be able to get everything back to normal.

[v65infla]

It is possible to bend the bars just under the weight of the bike, that is why you are told not to pick it up by the bars alone.  But, Matt has it right.  I would loosen everything on the top end that you can and try and shift it back over into place and then re-tighten.  That most likely will take care of it. 

[dt]

I have a hard time believing and can't tell if that right side riser is bent. It's solid aluminum.
Could that rubber bushing just be damaged? Or you think I bent the threaded stud that that holds the riser in place?

The left riser (right side in photo^) clearly looks like it went out on you. The riser itself doesn’t look bent. I’m betting on the stud. If you’re lucky it’s just loose. BUT, before trying to tighten it, I’d yank both risers out and inspect both carefully, and compare them side-by-side. I’d probably be real interested in whether the stud is still securely set in the riser body.

Triple looks okay to me in those photos. What are you guys seeing there? Do you think one of the forks slid up or down?

[hdmatt29]

in my experiance of working on front ends like that its better to looseen everything and try and restet it all at once than peice by peice.   

[danh600]

I think camera angle is distorting that picture from the front a bit. When you look at the bike from the front the riser on the left(right side of picture) looks fine. It's the one on the right that looks like it's bent back towards the back of the bike. You can also tell because now it's very close to the turn signal indicator light.

The bottom of the riser is just a locking nut, but the top looks like some special kind of tool that I don't have. I guess I could take the two locking nuts off and pull the bar up and at least inspect the studs and riser.

I have a hard time believing and can't tell if that right side riser is bent. It's solid aluminum.
Could that rubber bushing just be damaged? Or you think I bent the threaded stud that that holds the riser in place?

The left riser (right side in photo^) clearly looks like it went out on you. The riser itself doesn’t look bent. I’m betting on the stud. If you’re lucky it’s just loose. BUT, before trying to tighten it, I’d yank both risers out and inspect both carefully, and compare them side-by-side. I’d probably be real interested in whether the stud is still securely set in the riser body.

Triple looks okay to me in those photos. What are you guys seeing there? Do you think one of the forks slid up or down?

[Zarticus]

In the picture the riser on the left, you can clearly see where it sits into the triple tree it is out of place. looks like a rubber seat between the riser & tree, I bet if you lossen it and move it around a little it will go back into place. Then just re-tighten.

[danh600]

In the picture the riser on the left, you can clearly see where it sits into the triple tree it is out of place. looks like a rubber seat between the riser & tree, I bet if you lossen it and move it around a little it will go back into place. Then just re-tighten.

I hope this is the case. You can really tell that rubber is being mashed when you see the bike up close.

Can a locking nut be re-used?

[bagobones]

Looks like the right hand riser has been moved up and back. The rubber bushing seems to have unseated. I agree with unbolting the risers from the bottom and re-installing. It may re-seat with no problem. If the stud is bent, thats a different story. There will be no way to know of course without removing the risers.

Keep us posted.

[danh600]

Since I suck at being a mechanic I got someone to look at it. Loosened everything up and it all went right back into place. Well, about 95% back into place. You can't tell sitting on the bike or riding it, but if you stand over the bike you can see it's just a hair off. Rubber bushing might be a little damaged or the stud might have a slight bend, but it's good enough really.

Probably one of those things you would have to point out to someone for them to notice it. Pretty minor really.