Rear Wheel Alignment?

[allanrps]

So I had the wheels off my bike I while ago, doing tires and bearings and whatnot, and after putting them back on, I noticed the rear wheel wasn't centered. I was noticeably closer to the drive side. I figured it was the chain tensioners not inline, but it wasn't, and everything checked out. I looked it up and found a good amount of people saying that their wheels are also off center and that while the wheel may not be centered in the fender, it is centered to the frame. But the fender is centered in the frame as far as I can tell, so that doesn't make much sense to me. As I've been keeping an eye out for that now, I've been noticing in alot of bike pictures that the wheel isn't aligned with the fender. Can someone confirm that this is a reality with our bikes and I don't just have a bent frame or something? If so, does anyone know why or how this could be? Picks of our bikes' rear ends would be appreciated too.

Thanks,
Allan

 

[DARKMIDKNIGHTWARRIOR]

Sorry this is all I have.

 

[willem]

If you're unsure, check that your wheels align. Doing that is pretty simple: you can do this or you get a laser pen and shine it from the rear of the bike down to the front, along the side of the rear wheel (about 4 inches from the ground). Make sure you see the laser's light to hit on two spots on your rear wheel and have your friend hold it like that.

The rear tire is a bit wider, so the laser shouldn't hit the front tire at all at this point. Measure the width difference between the tires and divide by two: that's the amount the laser should be off from the front wheel. If it's not, adjust the chain tensioners or start looking for those spacers or rings that you lost somewhere

 

[LuckyEight]

also check the sprockets alignment...

 

[Requiem]

This has been bugging me a lot as well... My reartire doesn't seem to sit anywhere near the middle of the swingarm even though the chain seems to be straight... My bike has three (2 thinner ones, 1 big one) spacers on the right side, and still it seems to be too far to the right!? Can't check right now by riding, as my bike is nowhere near finished, but does anyone have pics of how their wheel is aligned with the swingarm? So preferably no fenders or anything I too have been scared something's bent

 

[xschris]

These bikes are not straight as an arrow bikes. Not everything with "line up" perfect. Remember they where mass produced With the rear wheel if the chain adjusters are set to the same marks on the swing arm and if nothing rubs on the wheel when you spin it on the center stand you are good to go

 

[willem]

try letting go of the handlebars for a little bit while riding. If it doesn't pull strongly towards one side, your bike is adjusted well enough

my new super tenere has this issue quite a lot, but I'm hoping once it comes back from my tire guy it will be straightened out too.

 

[allanrps]

Thanks for all the replies guys.

Midnight, I doesn't look like you've got the same problem as me.

Like Requiem, my chain seems to be straight, and I'm sure I put the spacers on correctly, but the wheel is off. I can accept that our bikes aren't perfect, but how can the sprockets be lined up while the wheel is off center? Unless the engine is off center, or can you adjust the final drive sprocket? Just stinkin bugs me.

I'll go down and actually start measuring stuff instead of just eyeballing and speculating.

Thanks!

 

[xschris]

Here are some pics of my 80. The rear wheel is off a 78 2-E so it is not the same as yours but you can see how the wheel lines up with the bike and swing arm. Not centered My stock 79 is the same.

 

[allanrps]

Thanks a bunch for the pics chris. Dang, that stinkin bugs me! Well at least I know there's nothing wrong...

You'd think yamaha could have moved the front sprocket in half an inch, no?

 

[xschris]

It all seams to work ok. I would not worry and just ride it

 

[Requiem]

Thanks a bunch for those pics chris! Will try and snap a pic or 2 of my bike once I get to the garage for comparison

 

[allanrps]

Yeah, I guess if it works it works. Wonder why warriors looks perfectly centered though...

 

[DARKMIDKNIGHTWARRIOR]

That is the day I bought it. I still have not done anything to the back end yet so it is still the same. If needed I can try to take more, better pics.