[mike5100]

I know it's very slight but I reckon the handlebars are skewed by about 2 degrees. Oddly I noticed the demo bike about 3 weeks ago had exactly the same skew.
Is it important?
Mike

 

[Fster]

Mike loosen up your bar risers align the handlebars and re tighten the risers.

 

[black99S]

Tap front wheel against a post or hold front wheel between your knees and wrench the bars a bit until straight.
Faster than wrenching.

 

[superfunkomatic]

That's interesting. Mine are like that, too. The right side of the bar is slightly more towards me just like your photo.

 

[TMac99]

Mine is also. I thought it was due to a drop on the right side early in my bike's life, but perhaps it was always there and I just never noticed. Weird!!

 

[superfunkomatic]

I thought it was from when I tied the bike down when I brought it home. I wonder if there is a reason for the handlebar to be that way.

 

[crstep]

Mine is the same way, no drop. I also noticed my entire front plastics (fairing, headlight assembly, dash) are skewed off center.

 

[ATDCT]

It's just the risers that are misaligned. I work in a shop and most ATs are like this. If you loosen the risers load the handlebar to the left and retighten it will straighten out

 

[black99S]

It's just the risers that are misaligned. I work in a shop and most ATs are like this. If you loosen the risers load the handlebar to the left and retighten it will straighten out

Pretty standard with dirt bikes or bikes with rubber mounted bars like DR650. If you drop the bike off road the bars will most likely be crook'd again.
Waste of time loosening the risers or loosening front axle and triple clamps / pumping & realigning.
Fastest fix is - Front wheel between the knees and wrench the bars - test - repeat until you have the alignment you like.

 

[mike5100]

Thanks guys. Now all I need is someone with two good knees
Mike

 

[disco2]

Mine are also like this never been dropped, i loosened everything and pumped the suspension in an attempt to straighten them.. It didn't work i will try the risers tomorrow..

 

[mike5100]

Just a follow up on this - my new (2018) bike has also come with skewed handlbars but this time the other way - i would say about 3 degrees skewed to the left. I've tried forcing them against the steering lock but it hasn't shifted them. Guess I will have to slacken off the bar risers, but here's a question. How do we know it's the handlebars and not misalignment of the front forks. The tops and bottom bridges do not come as one piece, so surely it's very possible to get them out of line on assembly or re-assembly. I've checked the workshop manual and there's no guidance on this so maybe it's impossible to get them out of line for some reason?
Mike

 

[Shadowjack]

Usually the tolerances are tight enough that you can't get a top and bottom bridge out of alignment, unless something is very worn or bent. You CAN tighten everything up in the wrong sequence and get the forks to drag or bind on compression.

Loosen the bar clamps (they're tight as a tick). This will allow the rubber mounts at the bottom of the risers to normalize. Wiggle everything around until you're happy, then tighten the clamps.

 

[VaraderoTwin]

Mine was the handlebars too, forks were fine.

 

[nigelpugh7]

Hi Guys,

I know this is an old thread, but I have the same issue.

After a small low speed crash on wet grass at last weeks ABR event at ragley Hall, I can see when riding that I see more of one of the Air caps on the top of the shocks leading be to believe that as it went down on its left side it has caused a twist in the handlebar risers.

Are they easy to undo? I can't see how to get a socket and extension bar in there to slcaken them off?

Any other pointers, or should I also try the wheel against a kerb trick to see if I can force twist them straight?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Hood]

Just put the steering over to full lock, the way you need the bars to travel and then tug a bit more, that should move it on the rubber riser mounts and straighten it up.

 

[nigelpugh7]

Just put the steering over to full lock, the way you need the bars to travel and then tug a bit more, that should move it on the rubber riser mounts and straighten it up.

Thanks bud, I was thinking of trying that, but was a bit concerned that perhaps I would bend the handlebars and not actually straighten the part which is misaligned, which I assume is the risers ?

 

[Hood]

You must be a big lad if you think you can bend the bars by tugging on them

Seriously though the risers are mounted in the yoke with rubber inserts, this basically is a shock absorber so the bars wont bend or at least help prevent it if you drop the AT. If the AT falling on the bars didn't bend them then unlikely you will manage to bend them.

 

[Hood]

BTW it doesn't need much force to get them back in alignment, just a quick sharp tug is all that is needed. Trying to do it with slow steady pressure will not be nearly as effective.

 

[nigelpugh7]

You must be a big lad if you think you can bend the bars by tugging on them

Seriously though the risers are mounted in the yoke with rubber inserts, this basically is a shock absorber so the bars wont bend or at least help prevent it if you drop the AT. If the AT falling on the bars didn't bend them then unlikely you will manage to bend them.

Nope I was not implying that I am a mega fit powerfully built director who could crush other men with my bare hands, simply that on my previous enduro bikes like my old Yamaha WR450F, if that took a tumble it was just that easy to bend them straight again by hand!

But of course will try your suggestion today, I assume pulling one side and pushing on the other side will give me the greatest turning momentum?