Hello all, this is my first bike. So I need some help.  I needed some new tires for my 94 GS so I ordered Pirelli Sport Demons.  Now the bike shop I go to will charge me $48 per wheel if I ride in my bike, if I just bring in my wheels in they will charge me $25 a wheel.  I currently have my bike apart because I'm painting it.  I'm not sure if I will be able to put it together fast enough to ride it to the shop.  My first question is how hard is it to take apart and re-align the real wheel?  How do you re-align the rear wheel?  How much mis-alignment can you have and still be safe?  Thanks 

There is a gun sight method i was taught by Suzuki SteveO.  Excellent way to do it.
Very hard to explain..but lets see if i can.

When you shoot say a shotgun.  You have those site V shape at back of gun you align with a small metal at the front end of the barrel.    When that small straight metal is aligned at the middle of V.. you can shoot the target and if nothing moves you hit the target..    K so this is the same method but you dont shoot anything.

Requires you to remove the chain cover.

You have to basically look at your chain with your face looking down onto the sprocket and chain thus your right shoulder should be touching wheel and your head will be very close to the wheel. When i get home tonight.. i will have my wife take picture.. if you want to really see what i mean.

You  use one of the top  chain link area to sight  one of the sprocket to one of the bottom of the chain.   So what you are trying to do is  Keep the top part of the sprocket in the center between the top of the chain link you are using to site and the bottom of the chain link.     The bottom chain link when you look from the top chain link will fit in the rectangle of the top chain link. Your job is to ensure that the top chain link the top of 1 sprocket and the bottom chain link are all aligned.   If you move the tire a bit left to right.. you will notice the misalignment.


I tried......  

There is also the string method which looks and sound really complicated...


If nothing else go buy one of those alignment tools.

ok that's it -  i'm making a video of the string method tomorrow. it will be full of mistakes, whimpering, and occasional drops of the bike, followed by bellowing in pain.

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to answer the question:

if you don't change the alignment settings, you're fine, assuming it was anywhere near aligned before you removed the rear wheel. you can just drop pull the axle, drop wheel, insert wheel, insert axle... KICK THE PISS out of the rear wheel after the axle is on to assure you're fully against the alignment doo-hickeies, then tighten the axle nut.

use whatever method you like, but there will be a video posted tomorrow night.

Yeah, there's nothing terribly tricky to it. It's not perfect, but sometimes I just try to gauge by using my fingers up the front of the tire between the tire and the swingarm. There's also little alignment marks on the swingarm where the axle bolts on.

If you're really looking to make a project out of it, you can look around on the internet and swap your own tires as well. You'd have to get some tire levers and wheel weights, but I'm sure you can do it.

and Bluehaze, I'd like to see a picture or two.

The string method is simple.  Use the rough marks on swing arm then check with the string method.

http://www.klr650.marknet.us/wheelalign.html

I agree with ttfour.  I don't see what's tough about it.  You just put the front wheel back on, simple.  The rear wheel is aligned with the marks on the axle.  I double-check to see that the rear wheel is centered in the swingarm.  Check it by coasting no-handed.  If you have to lean to keep the bike riding straight, the rear wheel isn't centered.

I am using that hanger to show you where i am looking at..   You need to be really close to the  chain.  The top link will look a little blurry but you can still see where you need to align the sprocket head and the bottom link.  The bottom link WILL fit in the rectangle you are looking through on the top link and you will see the sprocket head as well for alignment.  I hope that helps.









By using this along with the notches on the swingarm should get you where you want to be.  I am sure its not fool proof.. but this does not have to be rocket science.

Another option is the ProAligner tool described in the March (I believe) 2011 issue of Cycle World.  It's a ruler gizmo that substitutes for the string method.  See the link: http://proaligner.com/

Instruction come with the tool.  The instuctions described in Cycle World are even clearer.  The tool is pricey for what it is ($30 plus shipping for three plastic rulers rivetted together), but the value is in the task that it performs.

1 straight length of pine does the job for me...

any straight edge will do, as long as it will stretch the full length of the bike.  Just hold the edge along the rear tyre (touching the front and rear part of the rear tyre below the sprocket) and measure the distance between the edge and the front wheel with the bars held straight.  It's much easier with an assistant, but once you've done this once you'll know if the marks on the swingarm are straight...  ISTR from my first GS that the marks were notoriously inaccurate! If this is the case just mark your own datum points on each side of the swingarm then you will be able to set alignment with nothing other than a tape measure. 

That_Dude,

I've found that if I don't do anything stupid during the tire removal/install, I usually don't have to re-align the chain. Generally, I get it done once, and then I'm very careful to adjust both sides the same number of turns when adjusting the chain tension.

I use a cheap laser-level pushed against the rear tire edge to shoot a beam up to a ruler stuck against the front wheel.

Once I'm the same distance on either side it's good.

I don't understand all the hassle  , I've removed the rear wheel numerous time and never had any problem.



Tense the chaine so it look like the rear wheel is aligned, measure the distance in red and make sure it's the same both side (and if not adjust until it's good) and... that's it.

Why complicate (string stuff)?? 

I use a MK1 eyeball, never had a problem