When I'm riding down the road, the top triple tree is off to the right.  I feel like my handlebars are pointing right also, but I have ruled out bent handlebars because the top triple tree is pointing to the right.  If I even try to move it to where the top triple tree is alligned the bike feels like it is going to go out of control.  If it is in the garage, I can put it on center stand, then point the top triple tree to where it is alligned and walk in front of the bike and the wheel is noticably off to the left.  Also, if I'm sitting on the bike I can see that the forks are not alligned, the one on my right is out in front more than the one on my left. 

I have had a bike mechanic to the house and he thought it might be the front end needed adjusting.  Didnt work.  I just got it back from the Suzuki shop and even though they said it was fixed, it is not.  They said they just loosened up the front end and everything falls into place.  That didnt happen.  I asked if they had test driven it and they said they did.  Regardless, it is still not fixed.

So here is my question.  I want to keep this bike (GS500F yellow there are pics of mine on this site somewhere) and I would like to have this problem fixed, although it is something I can live with I suppose.  I just dont want to put a bunch of money toward it again.  Figure the mechanic and the shop have cost me about $300 and have not fixed this problem.  I'm not sure what I'm asking.  If someone knows somewhere here in Ohio, close to Dayton or the vicinity, that specializes in front end alligning/fork/triple tree stuff, I would appreciate contact information.  If you guys have contact information or pricing on somewhere I can ship the front end to have whatever fixed, I would appreciate that.  If someone here does somethign like that and would want to mess with it over the winter, I would appreciate knowing.  Like I said, it is something I can live with, but it is my bike and so its kind of a pride thing.  No one else rides it, but even though its just me, it is something that bothers me a bit.

If anyone wonders if I have wrecked it or dropped it, the answer is no.  The previous owner that I purchased it from said that he put it down in gravel, which is why I posted the pics of the new paint job.

Are you sure the "butt dyno" is right? Maybe it is aligned correctly.

I get that same misalignment feeling from time to time, but then I notice the wind beating down on me or a slanted road or some such nonsense.

There's a metal plate on top of the fender that holds the forks together down there. Check that out, if it's bent I'd peg that as the culprit. Check to make sure it has all the little bolts too.

Check the top of the forks to see that they are level in the triples. (One might be further up than the other?)

Even though the bike shop said they did it I'd loosen the triples MYSELF (with the bike supported properly so it doesn't drop straight down the tubes! YIKES!) and see if that fixed it. (This is not hard AT ALL) and 300 bucks? You could have gotten a used front off somebody for that, and if nothing else works that might be your best bet.

put it on the center stand loosen off all the bolts holding the fork legs in place as well as the axle and mud guard, allign every thing bak to center and then retighten every thing,
thats all you can do and should solve your problem unless something is bent

I am not visualizing your misalignment problem.

It is possible to have the tubes corrrectly inserted into the clamps but rotated as a pair and causing misalignment. There is no connecting member between the clamp asssemblies other than the tubes. They share the steering stem, but only because of the stem nut.

The spacer plate -- actually nothing more than a fender mount -- adds little to front end rigidity or alignment. On my 90 project, I have two of them stacked up and may add a third before I'm finished. A proper aftermarket clamp/fender mount would probably sell well if the price could be made reasonable.

The handle bars and mount are held onto the top clamp with two bolts surrounded by rubber dampers. Make sure they are tight.

Pictures would help here is you can post.

Alright GET READY TO CRINGE!

I took this picture straight on in line with the body/frame of the bike....the front wheel looks like this if I have the triple tree on top (handlebars and triple tree) alligned straight w bike:





And here is what I am seeing when I allign the handlebars/top triple tree....see the forks...the right one is out further than the left....YES, it is noticable

So you see why the bike makes me ride w the steering mechanism turned to the right.  Lined up straight (or what should be straight) it would send me in a bad angle off to the left. 

I am replacing the cowling arm and windshield this week.  I should be able to take better pics of the wheel thing, but that should make my situation pretty plain to see.

seems the left fork is up and the right one down twisting the wheel to the left. bad springs and or seals or even a bent fork. had it been down or hit any thing?

that guy lied he hit somthing with it, and the forks are bent, if you have full coverage i could clame you hit a dog and it needs to be fixed. other wise look for some new forks or used.

loosen up the bolts and do as i say, your bottom yolk isn't alligned with the top one, :d

Quote from: hmmmnz on September 26, 2006, 09:31:45 AM
loosen up the bolts and do as i say, your bottom yolk isn't alligned with the top one, :d

+1 with this idea. Thanks for the pics and wow is that misaligned! 
How can you even ride like that?

What hmmmnz is saying make sense. I said that the tube can be rotated, but really meant that the two tube yolks -- clamps -- can be misaligned causing this. They are not locked together and only have the steering stem and fork tubes as connecting members. Since all three are round -- and I'm also +1 with rangerbrown on this -- I think the bike impacted something and torqued the assembly.

CLICK HERE  for an OEM breakdown of the steering head with bolt torque values.

This is for the US pre-2003 model and if you had your body panels off, I suspect what you need to adjust would be more obvious. Sounds like you are onto it. Let us know if you need more information.

The front axle is in backwards, someone has had that apart.  Looks like maybe too much twist to just spring back in place, something could be bent.  I'd put on centerstand and put blocks under exhaust pipes to hang front end.  Remove front wheel (check for bent axle), remove fork brace and fender, and loosen fork tube clamps and the bolt at top of steering stem.  Then rotate fork tubes too see if straight or bent.  They can be a bit tight in the loosened clamps but you can rotate with 1/2 drive ratchet in tube top cap socket.

If tubes are straight, tighten up and put back together.  Be a good idea to look at parts fiche to make sure all parts are there and in right places.

Pics I took tonite after removing the fairing.  It turns out the cowling arm (fairing support) is not bent, rather the part on the frame that it bolts onto.  Here is the bike with the top triple tree alligned.  Clear to see why I have to ride w bars facing to the right.  Its scary I rode this thing at 80, 90, 100 mph.





Closer pic of how bad it is off.





I took this at what should be the right angle when the top triple tree is alligned.  I think the left (sitting on the bike facing forward) fork is bent.  Just a theory right now.





Lastly, this is what is on the fork assembly at the bottom.  Does anyone know what this symbol is?  I'm thinking these forks are not even Suzuki!  Motherfucker!  I would like to sue the @$$hole I bought this bike off of.

Ok , I get it, the axle (bar that runs through the wheel, is probably bent.  I hope that is what youre saying. 

starwalt, those parts to the left and right of "G" in the link you provided do not appear to even be there....

I'll try to get the rest apart.  It is seriously $%&$ up. 

One more thing, what is the yolk?  Sorry, I'm not good at bike part identification. 

Thanks guys.

Front axle is the part the wheel rotates on, part 4 here:

http://images.powersportsnetwork.com/fiche/images/Suzuki/2004/Motorcycles/7247_46.gif

Those don't look like Suzuki forks, here's pic in parts fiche. 

http://images.powersportsnetwork.com/fiche/images/Suzuki/2004/Motorcycles/7247_44A.gif

Find parts here:

http://www.mrcycles.com/fiche_select.asp?vcc=Motorcycles&mfg=Suzuki&year=2004

Cripes, so if they are not suzuki forks, the axle I may or may not need I have no idea, right?  This really sucks now. 

If anyone has an inkling on where to get a good set of new or used forks for less than an arm, please let me know.  I couldnt even find them on the parts supplier web site, but I'm guessing they're pretty expensive.

gsJack, I see what you are talking about now.  The axle really is backwards, I wonder if that makes a difference?  How the HELL could they charge me at the Suzuki dealership for a front end "tweak" and this is what I have?  How could they not see this crap?

One last thing....is there any legal action I could take to get money back from the seller for this bullcrap?  He said he had droppped it in gravel.  Clearly a lie.  I'm wondering what the insurance co, the title dept, the bmv, the bank, etc would have to say.  Should I approach him or get a lawyer?  I'm so pissed right now I cant see straight...........

those are factory foks guys i have the same grafic on mine.


i still say this bike has been down and or hit a curb at some point

That's good news, my newest GS500 is an 02 and the fork sliders don't have that grafic; they started assemblying the GS's in Spain about the time the F model came out and forks were purchased from a EU supplier after that.

middlem2 , don't get too upset till you check this out; I bought my 02 from a dealer with a twist in the forks like that but not as bad.  Saw it when I test rode it and knew how simple the fix was since I had straightened up my 97 GS front by loosening up the parts as described above.  It also had a bent foot peg on the left side and I had already straightened one on the 97 GS after the 03 crash and it was rather simple to do also.

The axle in backwards shouldn't cause the problem, just indicates it's been apart before.  It's slightly possible the axle is bent but much more likely a fork tube is bent if anything.  Gotta loosen it all up and check it out.   Do that first to see how you stand on this.

I think its a bent tube, they usually bend at the weakest spot about an inch or so above the fork leg. A slight bend is very difficult to determine by eye. Get the forks off and apart and roll the tubes on a very flat surface, a sheet of glass is ideal but a flat table top will do just as well . Any bends or distortion will be obvious. Do the same thing with the axlebolt but if it is bent it will be difficult to remove as it will be out of line with the wheel bearings. At the same time check the clamps for hairline cracks and junk them if they are. Plenty of specialist firms will straighten forks for you, I did a quick search and found this outfit.
http://www.motorcycleframeman.com/sport001.html

ya the guy could have jumped a curb, it wouldnt cause him to go down but maybe enough to bend the forks. Hope you get it fixed some times soon.

Problem is found.  We checked the forks, after pulling them...they are straight.  The axle WAS in backwards AND it is horribly bent and twisted.  This caused the forks to twist to accomodate it, I believe.  This is great news, as it is a $25 part.  I will be getting back into it today a little.  Part is on order.  Thanks guys!

I cant believe a supposedly experienced mechanic did not pick up on this when he made the initial examination. I would be demanding to know how and why he missed something as obvious as a bent axlebolt.