Determining if Handlebars Are Bent

[cowboyup3371]

How do I determine if my handlebars are bent? As I mentioned in my project thread, the wind knocked the bike over last night. After going outside to break ice for Lou's water tank, I noticed the winds had died down enough that I picked the bike back up and with Cheyenne's and Justin's help, put my car jackstands under the frame (something I should have done the first time and will learn better for next time) for more support (thanks Pete).

As best I can tell, everything looks okay with possibly a bent headlight mount bracket (will know for sure once I put the forks back on) and a turn signal that had just turned itself. I don't know if the bars are bent but something doesn't quite look right. So, how do I tell? Are there measurements I should take and at what spots? Know that I hadn't taken any before so I don't have anything to compare them against.

[pete]

Without the wheels on to know everything's lined up right my thoughts might be a little difficult... but I'd probably sit on it, close my eyes, and put my hands on the 'bars and see how it felt without looking.

You're expecting something to be wrong because of the drop, so anything at all that's not quite right will make you fear the worst. I'd be the same way...

As far as measuring, if you know it's lined up correctly you could measure from the end of the top triple clamp to the end of the 'bar on both sides and see if they're close. Note though if it's not perfectly centred in the mounting brackets there'll be a difference without it being bent.

Also maybe do the same from the bottom triple clamp to see if they've been bent vertically.

Not sure how helpful that will be but that's probably where I'd start...

[BassCliff]

Hi,

I don't have the skill or tools to measure that kind of stuff. It's always been a "seat of the pants" or "eyeball" measurement. If it doesn't feel right or look right, it probably isn't.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[sedelen]

When I first got my GS1000, my bars were welded from where it was bent (someone went for a long slide accross the pavement in it's prior life).
Needless to say, I got another set of bars off E-bay, I couldn't tell they were bent until I got them on the bike and they were. So I got another set and they were straight but the chrome was pitted, so I got a 3rd set and I didn't even have too look twice at them to tell they were bent, so I got my 4th set, and they are straight and the chrome was nice. If you have the bars off the bike you can lay them flat and they should lay flat (frontside to the ground) and take measurements from there, just check one side against the other. If on the bike and you can't tell if there bent, they're either straight, or not bent enough to tell, in that case I wouldn't worry about it.
If your bars are bent, and they don't have to be bent much, you can usually tell by looking at it if they're on the bike.

[TheCafeKid]

Take them off and lay them on a flat level surface. If they're tweaked you'll see it real quick.

[alke46]

Just how much bend are you talking about and can they be straightened or is it just best to replace bent bars?

[Flyboy]

Scott, a quick and nasty way to measure it on the bike is to make sure the bike is level, using a spirit level, athwartships and from front to back.
Then hang a piece of string with a weight on the end from both bar ends.
Take your tape measure and measure between the string and a known point both front to rear and sideways, the measurements on both sides should be the same.
For instance, measure the distance between the string and the center tube that forms the spine of the bike to see if the bars have been bent in, then measure between the string and the fork tube to see if the bars have been bent back.
Hope this makes sense.

[duaneage]

Kitchen counter tops/ Make sure wife isn't in the kitchen. Lay them on the top and they should not rock.