Rear wheel off centre

[The Prophet of Doom]

Playing around with my rear wheel I noticed that the gap on the left side of the swingarm is way smaller than the gap on the right.
So I placed a ruler on the frame rails.  A bit hard to tell as the camera wasn't exactly in the middle, but found that the wheel is exactly 1cm left of the centreline.

a) is this normal, or is my frame twisted ( or the left bush incorrect )
b) would it make any difference?

[treedragon]

Straight edge between front and rear wheels is the only thing to go by.

Non parallel wheels can lead to peculiar handling and interesting tire wear and in my experience plain just don't feel right...........

[PHM]

I think this is for accommodation,since shaft drive to have enough room to remove the wheel. I noticed on my 83,, and even on my 68 Jawa with  a quick change rear wheel,, extra clearance on the right hand side.

[Rikugun]

I think the offset is normal.   8) 

Or, that tire is too wide on one side....  :P ;D

[PwrManDan]

Visually speaking; all three of mine appear to be offset.

[pullshocks]

When I built my luggage rack I learned that the frame  and swing arm are different left to right.  This asymmetry does make the wheel appear to be off center.
Yet another bit of Vision weirdness.

[Fuzzlewump]

It's funny that this has been brought up, because I noticed the same thing just a few days ago on my V. Had me worried. Nice to know this doesn't mean there's a major job to add to the list right now.

[Jimustanguitar]

What process do you use to tighten down the rear axle? Do you torque the pinch bolt first, or tighten the large axle nut?

Is there any play at all, or is it solid?



Doesn't look wrong, just curious.

[Jimustanguitar]

And by the way, that's a pretty silly looking ruler. It's unAmerican :)

[The Prophet of Doom]

And by the way, that's a pretty silly looking ruler. It's unAmerican :)

I don't know how you guys cope with your 1/16 13/32 etc.  it does my head in.
Any measurement system based on the length of a grain of barley is just stupid

Nice to know my wheel is not unusual.  I'll build my new one a bit to the right

[Tiger]

And by the way, that's a pretty silly looking ruler. It's unAmerican :)

...and right at the 170 mark is printed 'Made in Japan', certainly unAmerican... because, as we all know, most things American these days comes in from China not Japan  ;D :D :D :D :D... ;)

              8) ....... TIGER .......  8)

[Rikugun]

Made in Japan!???  That's a quality ruler right there!  :) Much like the US, Japan out sources most of it's manufacturing too. I'd hold on to that ruler, it'll be worth something someday.   ;D

I vaguely remember an initiative to move the US onto the metric system. At the time I was against the idea but in retrospect I wish it had succeeded.  :(  I still have hope though.  :D

[Jimustanguitar]

I vaguely remember an initiative to move the US onto the metric system. At the time I was against the idea but in retrospect I wish it had succeeded.  :(  I still have hope though.  :D

If you ever do work with physics, it's blatantly obvious why the metric system is far superior. Even every day things are made more complex by the non-standard counting systems. And unfortunately, I don't think that using so many different conversions makes us more keen, quite the opposite.

Without the metric system, we have carats of weight, carats of purity on a scale of 24, imperial and american ounces (mass and fluid) and pints and quarts, 12 inches in a foot, 3 feet in a yard, and 1700 something of them in a mile. A square mile is 640 acres... It's just ridiculous.

[Rikugun]

If you ever do work with physics

Funny you should ask. I play around with quantum physics for fun. Also I don't. And finally, both are true. Naturally, these three scenarios exist simultaneously.  :o

[Jimustanguitar]

If you ever do work with physics

Funny you should ask. I play around with quantum physics for fun. Also I don't. And finally, both are true. Naturally, these three scenarios exist simultaneously.  :o

And they only exist if being observed.

[Rikugun]

Doesn't only one exist when observed and not necessarily the outcome predicted based on prior unobserved tests? Hmmm, I might have to revisit the animated Dr. Quantum episode of the double slit test to refresh my memory.  ;D Of course that dealt with matter....does it matter? Maybe I better check on my cat-in-the-box instead. :P

[pinholenz]

I love this forum!!

[The Prophet of Doom]

Maybe I better check on my cat-in-the-box instead. :P

At least the cat exists.  It's only dead or undead.

[fret not]

Maybe.  Depends on if you are observing it or not.  If not observing it you can't tell whether it's dead or alive, but if you do observe it you may have altered the outcome by making the observation.  Actually, it is an imaginary cat so it may or may not matter.  Your choice. ;)

Did you check wheel alignment with a straight edge?  I use a carpenter's chalk line from both sides of the rear wheel.  Should have the same clearance on each side of the front wheel.

[The Prophet of Doom]

The rear wheel appears straight in that is exactly parallel with the front wheel BUT as I saw with the frame measurement it is exactly 1cm to the left.
As far as I can see this is a design element, the rear wheel is properly attached, and the bushing in place.  It can't be an issue with the axle/pinch bolt/washers as these all impact the right hand side of the wheel, not the left.