This is going to be explained badly...be prepared. I've had a wobble/pull to the right for a while now. Its nothing dangerously out of whack (If it were i wouldnt have put 2k+ mi on it) and I mentioned in another thread that my buddy rode my bike. He's been a long long time rider of pretty much every motorized vehicle you can imagine from mopeds/scooters to semis. He himself has a honda 650 single enduro something or other that he races like a madman. He didnt even notice it until i told him to put it in nuetral while he was riding and remove his hands from the bars but I notice it and while it isnt at all bad it is irritating. I did the gs450 cast wheel mod and I can only imagine my spacing is wrong on the axles. Which one is the question. The front wheel is slightly (about 1 mm . Had to jerry rig the front spacers) off center between the forks. That much I know, so thats what Im eye balling most viciously. The rear wheel is dead center between the ends of the swingarm however the swingarm is asymetrical on account of the belt drive, but ive converted to chain. So, should the rear wheel be dead centered between the swingarm or slightly off since im no longer running a belt? And, in relation to the rear wheel, if the front were off center to the left (while riding) it would cause a rightward pull correct? Or have I got it backwards? Im sorry if i sound stupid. Forgive me as Im only a public high school graduate and admittedly did not pay much attention in any classes that may have touched on this or that related mathematical or geometric equation because well...i knew i could pass without paying attention or doing anything (yay public education system) and i didnt figure id ever need that information. Until now I was right. As of now Im just ignorant. Ive been reluctant to ask this here until now because i've felt so stupid. I know I rushed ahead of myself this winter doing this and that mod without having the proper knowledge and Im only getting what I deserve but Id appreciate help in this matter. Thank you.

Non stretchy string. Tie it around front tire. Center it & tape it. Go to end of one handlebar. Compare to other side.

If suspicious of spacers on front, swap spacers out & see if bike favors the same side.
Make sure rear wheel is straight in swingarm.

BurnPgh wrote on 05/30/09 at 23:52:34:


The best no cost way to check alignment is to tie a string around rear wheel (both ends pointing forward, ending ahead of front tyre, ends held tight between bricks or something), moving the string ends so both just touch the front edge of rear tyre so the string's parallel with the rear, then measuring the distance between string and front tyre both sides, both front and rear edges. You may need to slightly turn the front, then realign the string and remeasure. This way your wheels are aligned although rear to swing arm or pulleys likely aren't.

All very useful information. Another question...should the wheel, looking from behind, be dead center between the ends of the swingarm? Mine is, but the tire is slighlty offset to the left between the fender. Centered between the swingarm, not the rear fender. Okay or no? The gs wheel doesnt have a massive pulley on the side. With the savage wheel its centered between both the swingarm and fender because the swingarm is asymetrical to accomdate the pulley. With the gs wheel centered between the swingarm the sprockets line up perfectly but the wheel is offset left between the edges of the rear fender.

John_D FSO wrote on 05/31/09 at 14:26:37:


I would be inclined to agree. The frame was designed to accomadate the offset.

Unlike you, I did pay attention in high school.  It, too, was a public school, and I was in the G/T classes.  The solution to your problem is, therefore, obvious to me...

Put a brick in your left saddlebag to balance stuff out, and get back to riding.  

Sorry dude.  That's the best I've got.  You lost me when you divulged that your front wheel was 1mm off center.  I have more than a millimeter of bugs stuck to the forks, making such a measurement impossible to take.