Zx6 - gap between the front wheel and the fairings

[Shorty]

some how, from the crash, the gapo that used to be about 2 inches has reduced to about 2cm! it hits the faring as i turn and as i compress the forks thus I cant ride it! Im not sure why this has happened tho, the forks arent/dont look bent! the fairings havent moved forwards! IDK!!!! Please help......lateshift? lol

[Jetski]

Desperately without wanting to bear any bad news, my RS125 front wheel touched the fairing... Didn't realise when I bought it as they'd let air out the tyres so it didn't notice (sneaky buggers).

Had someone look over it only to find the frame, front underside had two perfectly even creases on either side... rode perfectly well, but still technically a write off :( :(

[two]

:(

zx6r frames are known to be soft round the headstock and don't take head on type impacts well :(, i've seen zx6rs with completely straight forks, but the frames have been fecked

the good news is to have the frame put right will only cost between 150-200
(you've just need to strip the bike down to the below the carbs, and remove the rad)

get the frame and forks check on a jig

[Lateshift]

Sorry Shorty, but Two is spot on, the headstock on a bike is a crumple point, they will bend if the impact is sufficient enough, it might not be obvious from the top because the alloy will stretch, but take the fairings off and have a look under neath the frame where the bottom yoke goes and i am betting it will be creased.

Fortunately as Two also mentioned its not always fatal for the frame unless of course its bent really badly and in Maldon there is a place that will straighten it for you for about the price he suggested.

Failing that its a case of finding another frame with a V5 off Ebay and then registering it with DVLA as a change of engine for the new frame.

What you may find though is that when a headstock bends it can also widen the bearings, thats a bit more complicated because it takes a bit more to straighten then.

You could also find that the forks are slightly bent, bearing in mind that a fork that is bent by 1mm is going to be further out of alignment the further towards the end of the fork you get, seeing as you reckon the gap has reduced from 5cms (2") to around 2cm it is very possible that its a slight bend in the fork tubes, again not as difficult to sort out.

You wont know though until you get it all stripped down ;)

[Shorty]

ill strip it and check for the tail tell signs. cheers people. I dont suppose you know the place in maldon? lol

[Lateshift]

;)

Maldon Shotblasting and Powdercoating - We specialise in the refurbishment of all classic motorbikes and cars. Frames,chassis,alloys ect. We shotblast,beadblast and powdercoat. We also have a frame staightening and repair service. We can collect and deliver. Just call for friendly advice

Unit 3c,
Benbridge Industrial Estate,
Heybridge,
Maldon,
Essex,
CM9 4BP,
Great Britain,
Tel: 01621 841100
Fax: 01621 842233

[Shorty]

Thank you :D:D:D:D:D:D:D

[Ride-or-die]

i know exactly where the maldon place is its next door to where my mate works

[RaceMeNSee]

WHere is it? close to me?

[Ride-or-die]

cant remember where u are

[two]

to have forks straighten i think its about £40... i can't remember if thats per leg or a pair though ..?

another good place is motoliner in kent (maidstone) i know a few people that have used them in the past to have frames straighten

i used maldon motorcycles on the recommendation from the motoforum dot net

also check that your top a bottom yokes are not bent... as these offen are fubar'd too

[Shorty]

i dont think the forks are bent, but like lateshift said it only takes a minimal bend in the forks! Ive been checking the headstock/frame etc and tbh im not sure at all if it is bent. Ill be needing a second opinion before I come to a conclusion. If i can come to a conclusion and get the front end sorted Ill be back on the road in the time it takes to get a left rearset ;)

[Lateshift]

you need to get a digital camera you know ;)

if you chucked some pics up of the damage i am sure we could have at least given a part diagnosis of whats possibly wrong ;)

[Shorty]

I got a phone camera, but i have trouble resizing them. you already know that ;) ill pull the bike out and take a few pics. then ill try to resize them to put em on here. Bare with me ;)

[Lateshift]

for the sake of the quality of the picture dont bother resizing them, its the detail we need to see ;)

it wont hurt to have a couple of big images on here for a while so at least we can see whats what, failing that if you sling them over to me, i can put them on my webspace rather than worry about it :)

if you want to send them over, mail them to me at mick753 @ hotmail .com (ditch the spaces obviously ;) ).

[Shorty]

Ok, here are some pics. not exactly sure of what pics you want so ill put ones on here which concern me i.e the problem areas on the bike :(

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m307/citizen_chad/DSC00311.jpg
http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m307/citizen_chad/DSC00304.jpg
there are these 2 marks on the frame, maybe stress marks idk but they are visibly in the same spot eachside!!!!
http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m307/citizen_chad/DSC00303.jpg
Everything seems okay here ish
http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m307/citizen_chad/DSC00302.jpg

[Shorty]

sorry bout the size, and any more you need just say ill take em.

[Lateshift]

difficult to say even from them, but it looks suspiciously like a knackered bottom yoke from that last picture, i cant tell for definite, but is that a crack in the bottom of the headstock i can see?

just to the right of the left hand lock stop on the very bottom of the headstock, also what are the marks either side of the frame directly behind the air intakes?

and did the tank used to fit flush all the way along the frame? it looks like it raises up towards the headstock on both sides, which could indicate that the frame is bent if its not normally like that.

it might just be my eyes playing tricks and the quality of the photo but going back to the bottom of the headstock it would appear from the picture that the gap between the front/bottom of the yoke and the bottom of the front part of the headstock is more pronounced than the rear of the whole thing??? (again that would indicate that the steering stem has forced the headstock into an oval shape (steel being stronger than alloy).

[two]

difficult to say even from them, but it looks suspiciously like a knackered bottom yoke from that last picture, i cant tell for definite, but is that a crack in the bottom of the headstock i can see?
hard to tell... but would be easy to tell in the flesh


also what are the marks either side of the frame directly behind the air intakes?
i'd say thats just marks from the air intake covers

and did the tank used to fit flush all the way along the frame? it looks like it raises up towards the headstock on both sides, which could indicate that the frame is bent if its not normally like that.
its bent, you need another zx6r to compare, but i'm sure is bent by the kawa id badge in picture 1

[Shorty]

called up that maldon place, they said its hard for them to say a price till they see it. so i think ill be dropping it down there soonish this week. All in all its really annoyed me. Not just that, my dad is now saying he doesnt want me to ride anymore! told me to get em fixed then sell em for a car! :(

[two]

looking at the pictures i can't see it being over 200

when they straighten mine trackbike frame it was well bent and it tolk them longer, so i ended up paying 220 (cash)

i think motoliners in maidstone charge a fixed price of £150.. be then you've got the extra expensive of getting the bike there once stripped...

as least with the place in maldon it'll be easy for you to get the bike to them... or if needs be i'm sure they won't charge too much to pick it up...

[rembrandt]

if you need a hand getting it there let me now and we can chuck it in my trailer just give me a bit of notice though

[Perilous]

I've never tried the company behind the Benbridge so i'd be interested to see how you got on there.

Other than that if you want it spot on it's Maidstone Motorliner are the best, end of.

I've had about ten done there now and I only work and live within 6 miles of Maldon so obviously in my opinion it's worth the hour's drive.

There are a couple of racers who actually take new bikes to Maidstone to check they're straight before they've even turned a wheel. (Tollerence on an early R6 is 5mm)
Having said this though, If you are not too fussed as long as it's just within tollerence then obviously locally is less hassle.

I've actually had an Aprilia frame straightened locally and then taken it to Maidstone to get it re-done. (It was still 10mm out)

Ray or Tommy at Maidstone will check the bike for you for free (alignment, rake, trail ) before you strip it down so it may be that the firm behind the Benbridge offer that service too.

They also do a 'while you wait service' for straightening.

I've just had my frame straightened (for the second time in a month :rolleyes: ) and the front Dymag repaired for £190 at M/S Motorliner.

It gets dearer the more bits they have to do. (e.g sub frame forks etc)

As far as the headstocks go most modern 600s can actualy twist the headstock just with the side ways inertia of the front wheel in a simple lowside crash.

If you have another bike to compare you can do a rough check yourself by measuring from a point on the engine to the fork spindle. Alignment is obvioulsy the straight edge check that you can also do yourself.

[Shorty]

this is the situation at the moment. RideorDie and RaceMeNSee came over thursday evening and had a butchers at it! Basically they think the frame isnt bent, but the forks are by a few mm. TBH i did think they were bent a bit but dismmissed it being the cause of the gap! Im still unsure but thats just my inexpirience talking! RideorDie is coming over later today and we are going to have a look at the forks. anyone know a good place to get my forks straightend or is it in my best interested to replace them? I hoping this is the cause for the gap fingerscrossed please people :)

[Perilous]

anyone know a good place to get my forks straightend or is it in my best interested to replace them?

Maidstone Motorliner.:grin2

[Shorty]

too much of a trek tbh mate. cheers tho. just seen a zx6r on ebay going for spares, cos the headstock is bent! looks zactly like mine in the pics but doesnt say if thats where it is bent :s

[Perilous]

Fair comment. I just say M/M because having mostly raced bikes that are totally dependent on corner speed I'm a bit fussy and Maidstone are exceptionally good at it.

Maldon Motorcycles or the one behind the Benbridge could to that for you it isn't much of a job in the great sheme of things.



Should cost you around £40 if the stanchions aren't creased.

[Shorty]

yea no i understand mate, cheers for all your help :D nice to know ;) its just that im trying to fix both my zx6r and Srad and also manage payments on both and insurance. its a nightmare tbh but i can deal with it lol ill see what me n jason can do today :D:D:D:D

[Perilous]

Sounds familiar.:rolleyes: :D

As they're not upside down forks as R OR Die and R Me and See have already said you've probably got away with just bending the forks. The stanchions don't have to be bent much at the yokes to be a mile out at the bottom.

[Shorty]

thats a relief lol AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! (nothing rude you know) just hope its true, right im off the get the heaps out ready for RorD

[Perilous]

thats a relief lol AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! (nothing rude you know) just hope its true, right im off the get the heaps out ready for RorD


Don't use up too many tissues:grin2 , I only said probably.

When who ever's done the forks I'd still take the bike back and get then to check it. As I've already said they should have the relevant levels and measurements to be able to check it for you with out putting it in the jig.

When I got Maidstone to check mine after I put the new frame in prior to bending it again:rolleyes: (Gravity afflicted, naa not me:laugh1 ) it took them about 15 minutes so even if you're charged it shouldn't cost much.

What model ZX6R is it?

[Ride-or-die]

well today we stripped the forks off and had them up against a straight edge and they arent bent, we then checked the faring mounts to see if it had all julted forward somehow and not, all is in place there. it can only be the frame somewhere so off to maldon it will go

[Shorty]

you said it :(

[Perilous]

Oh well, at the end of the day apart from the pain in the butt aspect of having to strip everything off the front end a couple of hundred quid to get the frame straightened isn't too desperate as far as bike crashes go, especially if the forks and yokes turn out to be Ok.

[Ride-or-die]

i tell ya what tho chad ive been thinking and i really think the srad might be the way forward, look at the costs,

gsxr- farings next to nothing, engine casing next to nothing, forks £100, rear set £25

zx6r- farings nothing, rear set £25, tyres £200, frame straightened £200 at least

i suggest do the srad and then do the zxr as and when u can afford it

[RaceMeNSee]

its a zx6r! lol

[Shorty]

well i get payed friday coming, ill be buying parts for either bikes if they come up cheap on ebay ;) the Srad is cheaper to fix, ill still see what this guy down maldon says.

[Shorty]

oh and I didnt really like the zx6r! Srad much better! :p jon