Handelbars are not straight

[hardtail84]

Can anyone tell me what would make a front fork twist to one side? I have my old 84 softail and the front end angles to the right a little bit. I did all the usual things like loosen the triple trees and put the wheel against the garage door and straighten things up but as soon as I move the front end around it goes right back to where it was. I've tried rotating the fork tubes 180 degrees thinking they might be bent just a little but it made no difference. I don't know what else it could be, any ideas? Help me, help me, LOL

[ModelABob]

hardtail84,

Sounds like your triple trees might be a little out of alinement caused by a slight bend
somewhere maybe?  I think every Harley I've ever owned has had a slight tweak to
the frontend causing it to run a little out of center.  Do you ever ride without your hands on the bars?  How does the scoot track?

AMF/Ride Safe

[Trip]

Yep...never seen a glide yet that didnt favor one side or the other....

[hardtail84]

The bike seems to track staight and I can ride hands off with no problems. Is it possible for an axle to be bent a little?

[ModelABob]

hardtail84,

Bro, when you talk about a Harley-Davidson...ANYTHING is possible! If the scoot
tracks right and you feel safe about it.  I wouldn't worry about it.

AMF/Ride Safe

[Trip]

Bingo......................................sometimes the handlbar clamp can play tricks with your eyes .....welcome to Harley Davidson...(lol)

[Caper]

Did you try loosening the riser bushings,set the bars straight and tighten them up evenly. BTW if they are still original bushings it would be a good time to replace them

[rbonner]

I would pull the headlight cans again and remove the tank to get it out of the way.  If you can get it up on a lift I would do that.  I have one just like at the dealer, if you have somebody who has one, head there.  Clamp up the front tire and Take a set of 2X4's and place them against the tires, shift the rear until it is inline.

Start looking over the front end frame and all.   Make sure the frame itself is not twisted or cracked.  Look over the fender for bends in the mounting.  Make sure the triple trees are "RIGHT".  The only way the wheel will flop to one side is if the trees or fork tubes arent right.  It should self center again if the trees are straight.  Make sure the thing is really grabbing the tubes.  There's always the chance of a broken bolt or cracked clamp on the lower tree.  Your eyeball will tell you a lot.  Also being an 84, if she's a high miler she might have the inside of the sliders worn out.

A nasty bump into a car bumper at a stoplight could bend back the tubes and setup your problem too.

Back in the extended fork tube days we used tweek bars to keep the forks right.  MY 78 1/2 has a tweek bar on even an FXS fork.  Like the other gentleman mentioned check the handlebar bushings.

The axel itself, whew that would be tough to bend an axel, seen a lot of tweeked frames, but you could also see that with the parts opened up.

I wouldnt go major riding without sorting out this problem, since you KNOW something is wrong.  It might be wear, busted or tweeked.  If you have to dealer it to clamp it up, I would then.  Let us know what happens, BOB.

[sneakypete]

When you look at the forks from the side dose it actually appear that one is out of line with the other? If that's the case I would say the problem might be a bent fork tube of a triple tree which could be bent. You might try pulling the forks apart and rolling the slider tube on a flat surface.
Other wise, those rubber handle bar bushings are most likely the culprits. They will not last for ever and that's what they tend to do when worn out. You said the bike tracks straight when you let go of the handlebars, I don't think that would be the case if there were a bent fork tube or triple tree. sp

[Trip]

Remember also....you could spend 6 months chasin ghosts to....

[Grayrider]

If you have risers that are extended and pullback, these are tought to line up as the slightest twist changes the position of the bars. I have someone sit on the bike and line up the front a rear tires and check the handlebar position. If needed to adjust I loosen the riser bolts just enough to be able to turn the riser slightly one a time until the bars look good then i measure from the tip of the bar to the floor to verify they are even. Mke sure they are centered in the knurl as well as some bars start their bend very fast.

[hardtail84]

OK men thanks for all the responces. First off I have been riding and wrenching for over 40 years. What I,m trying to say is yes I know a lot of Harleys run a little off center and I have new handlebar bushings and yes they cock a little to the right, but my problem is otherwise. I have lined it up with a straight board from the rear wheel to the front, and all looks pretty good. This whole thing is just something that bugs the "Potty mouth" out of me because when I ride it and look down at the forks, the caps on the sliders are not even to the tanks ya know? Don,t say the tanks are not simetrical because I,ve had three sets on it and it never changes. When I look across the tubes they look perfect, so I guess i'll tear it all apart this winter and check everything. When I figure it out I'll let you all know. Thanks all, Mike

[Blazing Saddles]

This may be a little out there but....do you wear glasses and have astigmatism?? I do and sometimes things just do not look lined up, even etc. when in reality they are. LOL

Blazin'

[hardtail84]

Nevermind