Hit a pothole, handlebars look slightly off center. Help!

[MKE PCX]

So yesterday I hit a pothole that I just didn't see coming in time to avoid. Today I noticed that my handlebars seem to be pointed a few degrees right of center while I'm traveling straight. When I hit the hole, the front forks definitely compressed fully and some force was transmitted into the steering stem. The forks are not leaking. Am I wrong in thinking that the fork seals would blow easier than the steering stem would bend?

What is involved in checking the front end alignment on a PCX?

I'm mechanically inclined and currently unemployed, so I'd like to be able to do this myself.

The scoot only has 300 miles on it so I'm hoping nothing serious has occurred. The bars are pretty close to centered, just not perfect. Maybe it was like this all along and I just never noticed? It seems to ride ok.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[you you]

So yesterday I hit a pothole that I just didn't see coming in time to avoid. Today I noticed that my handlebars seem to be pointed a few degrees right of center while I'm traveling straight. When I hit the hole, the front forks definitely compressed fully and some force was transmitted into the steering stem. The forks are not leaking. Am I wrong in thinking that the fork seals would blow easier than the steering stem would bend?

What is involved in checking the front end alignment on a PCX?

I'm mechanically inclined and currently unemployed, so I'd like to be able to do this myself.

The scoot only has 300 miles on it so I'm hoping nothing serious has occurred. The bars are pretty close to centered, just not perfect. Maybe it was like this all along and I just never noticed? It seems to ride ok.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Try bending them straight as you would a bicycle? Put the front wheel between your legs and twist the bars.

[gn2]

For a rough check of alignment put the scooter on the centrestand with the handlebars centred then from a distance behind look at whether the front wheel is straight compared to the rear, repeat viewing from the front.

[sendler2112]

It might just be the bar from the force that your body put throughit. Or it may be that you bent one of the fork tubes. Loosen the clamping bolts at the crown and grip the tube with some old rubber bike tire tube and vise grips to rotate it. Watch to see if it is bent as you turn it.
.
That happened to my pcx and I turned the bent fork tube 90* and the handle bars came straight again. But there was always a stiffer ride after this that I just lived with for the last 14,000 miles. Still no leaks.

[Kermit]

Try bending them straight as you would a bicycle? Put the front wheel between your legs and twist the bars.

I had the same thought. Not sure whether it's acceptable, but I did have the same thought.

[iceman]

Try bending them straight as you would a bicycle? Put the front wheel between your legs and twist the bars.

I had the same thought. Not sure whether it's acceptable, but I did have the same thought.

If it's that easy to straighten them, then I would not have confidence in the integrity of the forks or other components going forward.

[you you]

Try bending them straight as you would a bicycle? Put the front wheel between your legs and twist the bars.

I had the same thought. Not sure whether it's acceptable, but I did have the same thought.

If it's that easy to straighten them, then I would not have confidence in the integrity of the forks or other components going forward.

Don't get on a bicycle then

[ScooteringAbout]

Wheelie it from now on

[homie]

I hit one pretty hard too recently... might be your eyeballs are still rattling and there is nothing wrong with the scoot.

[MKE PCX]

So i spent some time in the garage visually checking alignment then took it for a test drive.

Something is definitely off.

I'm a little disappointed to have had this kind of problem so early in the scooter's life. The pothole was jarring but shouldn't have been enough to wreck my bikes front-end.

The problem is made worse by the fact that I'm pretty obsessive about the condition of my machinery. I refuse to ride with damaged steering and since the company I worked for went bankrupt while owing me a month's wages, I'm left with an expensive paperweight.

With my luck it'll end up being the frame that was bent and not a replaceable part.

I've ordered the factory service manual so I can see how to take everything apart. Hopefully the fix ends up being somewhat inexpensive though I'm not going to hold my breath, repairs are never cheap.

[sendler2112]

Repost from above:
It might just be the bar from the force that your body put through it. Or it may be that you bent one of the fork tubes. Loosen the clamping bolts at the crown and grip the tube with some old rubber bike tire tube and vise grips to rotate it. Watch to see if it is bent as you turn it.
.
That happened to my pcx and I turned the bent fork tube 90* and the handle bars came straight again. But there was always a stiffer ride after this that I just lived with for the last 14,000 miles. Still no leaks from the forks so it is a non issue and didn't need any disassembly or parts.

[you you]

So i spent some time in the garage visually checking alignment then took it for a test drive.

Something is definitely off.

I'm a little disappointed to have had this kind of problem so early in the scooter's life. The pothole was jarring but shouldn't have been enough to wreck my bikes front-end.

The problem is made worse by the fact that I'm pretty obsessive about the condition of my machinery. I refuse to ride with damaged steering and since the company I worked for went bankrupt while owing me a month's wages, I'm left with an expensive paperweight.

With my luck it'll end up being the frame that was bent and not a replaceable part.

I've ordered the factory service manual so I can see how to take everything apart. Hopefully the fix ends up being somewhat inexpensive though I'm not going to hold my breath, repairs are never cheap.

Have you tried straightening them yet?

[wilbur]

I would think the wheel and/or tire would go before the steering alignment went. Doesn't help you much I know, but i'd do a very careful check of everything.

[gn2]

The method described by twoyous is on the right track, part #3 in the first diagram fits in
part #10 in the second diagram and is held and aligned by a single through bolt.
Any play here and there will be potential for twisting to occur.
IMO this looks like the weakest link and the place most likely for twisting to occur.

Other possibilities are bent yoke and/or fork leg(s)

http://www.partzilla.com/parts/search/H ... parts.html
http://www.partzilla.com/parts/search/H ... parts.html

[ScooteringAbout]

How about some pictures?

[gn2]

Pics won't show anything unless the scooter is totally mangled.

[MKE PCX]

Pics won't show anything like gn2 mentioned.

The bars probably aren't bent but if they are it's in addition to something else lower in the front end.

When the front wheel is perfectly straight, the handlebar clamps themselves aren't pointing perfectly forward but are instead rotated to the right a few degrees.

More disconcerting is a buzzing (or some kind of vibration) from the front end that wasn't there before. I hear the noise when I accelerate and it's coming from somewhere under the front fairing.

I can't decide if I'm going to wait for the service manual to show up or just start digging into it tomorrow.

This is the worst possible time for something like this to have happened. Even inexpensive parts are going to be a challenge for me to pay for.

[MKE PCX]

The forks are $103.73/ea, the steering stem is $210.18 by itself and another $6X.XX for the seals and bearings - which I'm sure are shot if the stem turns out to be bad.

I definitely can't afford to just start replacing parts. Hopefully once I get things taken apart the damaged component will be obvious.

[you you]

The forks are $103.73/ea, the steering stem is $210.18 by itself and another $6X.XX for the seals and bearings - which I'm sure are shot if the stem turns out to be bad.

I definitely can't afford to just start replacing parts. Hopefully once I get things taken apart the damaged component will be obvious.

Have you tried straightening the forks yet?

[MKE PCX]

Have you tried straightening the forks yet?

That was the first thing I tried upon noticing the problem. I didn't have any luck with that.

The vibrating noise that appeared at the same time as the misalignment leads me to believe something is damaged and in need of replacement.