Wheel/chain alignment, tools, tips, tricks.

[weeksy]

Thought i'd created a thread about the 'laser monkey' thing on here, but must have been elsewhere.

Was going to buy one for alignment, but thought i'd go manual as the later ones are rated rubbish by some

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Motorcycle-M ... 2749.l2649

So bought one of these to try and see.

Not that i'm feeling anything wrong with either bike, but just curious to see really.

What do you use ?

[cheb]

Either long bits of wood with shorter bits screwed to them:



Or, once the wheels are correctly spaced, squinting along the chain works for me.

[Yorick]

With the bike on rear stand, put a long brush handle on bottom part of rear tyre. About 3 or 4 inches above the rim. It should reach the front tyre. Measure the gap between handle and front tyre. Do same on other side.

Adjust rear till get both sides the same.

Once you're used to this, can look down the rear tyre to see the front.

Always perfect results.


EDIT - similar to Cheb's idea, but less wood.

[Druid]

Single sided swing arms work for me

[Skub]

I have a Maxton ronometer.

A straight brush shaft does the same job

https://www.maxtonsuspension.co.uk/file ... gnment.htm

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Any straight edge will do, you can use a piece of string, tbh it isn't something I worry about, have a look at a Kawasaki ZRX 1200, you'll wonder whether it matters at all.

[Mr. Dazzle]

Single sided swing arms work for me

Just by shear coincidence it's been a while since I've owned a bike that wasn't SSSA.

But yeah - straight bit of something is what I use on conventional swing arm bikes. I've got the most ridiculously overspecced 'something' - a piece of carbon fibre driveshaft

[Taff]

a couple of pieces of string attached to the rear wheel stretched either side of the front wheel.

The only time that I need to do this is when I've taken the rear wheel adjuster bolts out completely to anti sieze grease them. (Tiger 800's have a habit of these bolts seizing)

[maccecht]

2m spirit level held onto the back wheel with a quick cramp and a measuring tape cant be arsed to find something as long and straight for the other side hence the tape

[GuzziPaul]

a couple of pieces of string attached to the rear wheel stretched either side of the front wheel.

The only time that I need to do this is when I've taken the rear wheel adjuster bolts out completely to anti sieze grease them. (Tiger 800's have a habit of these bolts seizing)

I do something similar but I have two wedge shap bits of wood attached to a bit of plywood. this fits each side of the front wheel. On top of each wedge is a nail, the distance between the nails is the same as the rear tyre.
String goes from each side of the rear of the tyre to its respect nail. The string should just graze the front of the rear tyre and be equi distant from the front and rear of the front tyre.

[weeksy]

Tool arrived, not had a chance to try it yet as i need to move bikes round the garage, but will do so later today.

Edit, tested on the ZX6R and we're pretty much 100% there, i'll check again when it's next out and i'm less in plaster, but it's pretty damn close to spot on. Tool is simple to use and easy to check/test.

[weeksy]

Used on the XSR today and either by luck or judgement, we're spot on there.

[The Spin Doctor]

The only time I had the rear wheel alignment adjusted with a proper tool, the bike didn't ride in a straight line afterwards.

[Yorick]

The only time I had the rear wheel alignment adjusted with a proper tool, the bike didn't ride in a straight line afterwards.

Rider error

[the_priest]

Shaft drive....

[The Spin Doctor]

The only time I had the rear wheel alignment adjusted with a proper tool, the bike didn't ride in a straight line afterwards.

Rider error

I can ride in a straight line... well, usually.

I had a dodgy back so took the bike in for a rear wheel removal / new tyre. They made a big thing about checking the wheel alignment after refitting the wheel with their special tool. It was miles out