Ari is an exceptional presenter and just about the best I've seen in this sport. He is very well-spoken in terms of how he gets the words out and accross to the viewer. His presence is excellent. Very well done brother. Motorcyclist Magazine is fortunate to have him, although they should enjoy it while it lasts because I think he will soon be snapped up by a company willing to pay him more than MCM ever could. This guy is a huge talent regardless. Kudos...and best of luck.
I've been meaning to get a chain alignment tool for 20 odd years now. If I can remember I'll order one with my next set of tires. (Been saying that for 20 years as well).
Majes en Moto Justo voy a comprar mi primera moto y estoy que me veo todos los videos de MC Garage y de tu canal como adicto. MC Garage para lo técnico y tu canal para aprender todo lo que puede haber en la calle. Saludos!
it's doesn't matter how complicated or trivial your vid is, I always love it Ari. haha... I just love the way you guys make this mc garage video. even if it's just a simple information, I always enjoyed watching it. keep it up!
Not only these videos are so good but sometimes they just crack me up like in this case: "It's also worth mentioning that if your bike has a single sided swing arm or drive shaft, you didn't need to watch this video" 😂😂😂 kudos to Ari
Thanks Ari, love the vids you do. It's because of you that I mount and balance my own tires which has saved me hundreds in the last 2 years and the mere thought of it has amazed people and it boggles there mind that at 140 mph it's smooth as can be. Keep up the great work!
That's great to hear Frank. Cultivating self sufficiency and knowledge is what this show is all about, so getting feedback like that is really encouraging. Ride safe.
Dude your videos are absolutely perfect not too short not to long technical but not too technical absolutely hit the nail on the head every time keep up the tremendous work
Nice info, thanks for the share. I have a feeling not many mechanics from where I'm from actually know this, or bother to check this every time the wheel is removed, either for tire change, or chain/sprocket change. From now on I'll be sure to have this checked!
Just changed front sprocket on new RE Int 650. I measured the the amount of adjustment screw sticking out was the same. Felt Ok, had to finish in the dark and couldn't see any markings on swing arm. Thanks for the tips, will double check in the morning.
A great series of videos. I have been riding for many many years but these videos are still a excellent source of new information, tips and techniques.
Great info. Love the videos, they are short, concise and easy to learn from. I've been riding over 40 years and still learning some cool new stuff about motorcycle care and maintenance. Thanks MC Garage, Great Job.
I broke down and finally bought that Motion Pro tool. GOOD MOVE: I found that the marks were off-line by ONE FULL MARK. Because of this, I discovered that early Bandit 1200's came out of the factory with the sprockets 3mm out-of- plane.. I altered two rear wheel spacers 3mm and now my chains last twice as long.
Thank You very much. Every time i tightened the nut on my ninja 650 the axle block moved backwards and the lines didnt match. Using the measuring tape worked perfect. I got worried for a while, kept redoing it. Great video.
4th way. measure the distance between the wheel's rim lip and the swingarm inside or outside . both sides. simple. regards. nicholas d. edit: love your videos. keep it up!!!
This was really helpful. I had my tires replaced somewhere and adjusted the chain tension, but in turn it left my bike leaning to the left when I let off the throttle with hands off the clipons. Will definitely do a wheel alignment after this.
You've got great confidence. great presenter. watching all your videos is fun. one can never get bored of them and they are useful and to the point. thumbs up.
Neither of the 2 methods will work on either of my bikes (Roadliner and Roadmaster) and the 3rd is just unpractical. Having said that I am sure it helps on lot of people. Keep up the good work rsm8
Today I needed this video and I was like: "MC Garage is not going to do "Wheel Alignment" video soon, so I'm just gonna try by myself" Ha! I'm watching this video after a lot of back pain trying to do the 3rd one few hours ago, it took me 3h to give up because it wasn't changing the gap difference on the front wheel, it's really stressful, don't do it.
LOL So now you tell me I don't need to watch this if I have a single swing arm or a shaft drive. Thanks for these informative videos; even though I can never get back those 3 minutes and 30 seconds of information that I didn't require ;)
When you tighten the axle the wheel will go where it wants to go. If you are having to use the chain tension bolts to correct it you will be stressing other components like spacers and swing arm surface.
I ride a Triumph Thunderbird 1600 and have noticed bad wear pattern on the front tire, which seems to indicate a non centered or non parallel rear wheel alignment with the front wheel. The tool link did not reveal a belt alignment tool to work like the chain alignment tool when I searched for it. Is there such a beast?
My chain guard front bolt is also the bolt that my shifter is mounted to. Can I just take it off to remove the guard or do i risk making a huge mistake?
Good day sir! I'm using yamaha yzf R3, unfortunately my front tire does not wear equally. The left side of my front tire wears faster than the right side. Is it normal due to road condition or what could be the possible cause of it? Tnx
These MC Garage videos are awesome! Aside from uneven tire wear, what else is a good indication of misaligned wheel? My bike had a tendency to lean left if I let go of the handlebar. The factory marks were the same on both sides but the distance b/w the swing arm pivot and rear axle was off by 1.2 cm. After correcting the bikes rides straight with no pressure on the handle bar. If you do try this, use a empty car park that you know has a straight surface to check. Also, this may not apply to every bike out there.
my bike do have uneven tyre wear on right sides of both front and rear! mechanic said its because of the front handle bend from a left side fall, could it be? or is it the rear tyre is the reason for uneven wear?
If I go down a strait road an I take my hands of the handlebars an the bike leans to the left, is the wheel out of alignment. I have the use of a alignment tool "your second method" but it still leans to the left. Could it be chain drag as it's on the left side ? "2014 650 v Strom
Thank you! I've been messing around with string since 1983 and it's never been reliable; my swing arm bolt is visible and there's nothing in the way - can't believe it never occurred to me to measure them!
Bro, the handlebar of my Cruiser seems a bit off to the left, leaving me with a feeling that the forks or front column is slightly bent to the left and needs correction. So far nothing my mechanics did has helped. While riding the handle still seems crooked. What can I do?
My bike monoshock had broken once and since the spare part wasn't in stock, the garage welding the broken shock back to normal. After that my bike had this little left and right sway swing when i ride it... was it because of that broken monoshock? Or was it because of something else? How does a broken monoshock can affect your riding experience and bike?
@2:07 -- if the rod points right, which side do you adjust and in which direction? If the rod points left, which side do you adjust and in which direction?
17 gsxr 1000 pulls to the right when hard accel and wheeling, absolutely not me, my other bikes dont do it (single sided swingarms) assuming the chain side of the wheel stays put, which direction does the right side move in this case? Forward or backward since it already pulls right???
how to check and allign front wheel in correct way coz my bike's handle pulls itself to left hand side i did everything but nothing much hppnd bro plz help me
Hey bro, i have yamaha Fz16 153 cc, i had problem with bike's rear wheel alignment, the stock MRF low profile tyre was rubbing from right side, even the service centre guys told me that the tyre is faulty, but in the end i installed a high profile trye, can u suggest what can be the issue with my bike?
Mc garage my bike swingarm is bent to left side and due to that my sitting position and handle position is not going perfect and also while riding for long patches im having pain in the left wrist of handlebar. Please help😥
I did my chain slack and wheel alignment today and I followed the measure tape method. I got my chain to 30mm (recomended). And I got the swingarm distance LEFT=566mm RIGHT=567mm When I was done I got a slight sqealing from the back wheel when pushing the bike back (reverse) but it went away after few pushes. Is this ok? Also is the 1mm difference in bolt to bolt distance ok?
I think it's possible that front wheel can be out of alignment. If you cop a whack on the front, the forks can develop a twist in the headset, or if the forks are re-assembled with some mis-alignment in the head
This would happen all the time in motocross. If you crash, it would twist the forks in the triple tree, therefore putting the front wheel out of alignment
Can you guys explain what causes brake fade and how to deal with it please? I have just replaced pads on my K6 GSXR 1000 with Bendix MRR that came highly recommended and bled the system, I also have Goodrige braided lines... After 3-4 laps of the track I "gain" ~1-2cm of brake lever travel, don't understand why.
So I just replaced the tires on my '82 Virago no chain but I was dumb and didn't mark where the right hand side was tightened at on the shaft. Now I'm not sure I have it in the right place I would think that could be an issue but how do I find out if I need to adjust it?
what if your forks were twisted in the triple tree? I used to race motocross, and the front wheel would get out of alignment if i crashed. For this method of straightening the alignment i would have to do the string method to ensure that the front wheel was straight with the back wheel. What are your thought???
Twisting the forks is pretty common off road, and in most cases you just loosen the clamp bolts and twist it back to straight. I always just eyeball it, because the truth is the front wheel will still track true with the rear, it's just that your bars will be slightly skewed.
My bike rear tyre always lose balance. when i drive through gravel road its always almost to fall because i can feel the unstability of the rear tyre.. what is the problem with my bike? Pls
Hi, ram here. My cbr250r pulls to the right when I leave my hands off the handles. Front tyre is new, wheel axles and swing arm axle are new, front forks have no bends and triple tree is good. Rear tyre is also well aligned. My chassis is also new. What could be the reason ?? Please help me out
Mine is belt drive, after the adjustment as I tighten the axle nut to spec/torque, the adjustment moves; any suggestions to solve that problem? Thanks!
Does this apply to belt-driven bikes as well? Can shaft driven bikes also go out of alignment, or was this video's methods of checking and fixing alignment just not applicable to shaft driven bikes?
This guy has a natural, friendly no-nonsense approach that I like - much appreciated.
Ari is an exceptional presenter and just about the best I've seen in this sport. He is very well-spoken in terms of how he gets the words out and accross to the viewer. His presence is excellent. Very well done brother. Motorcyclist Magazine is fortunate to have him, although they should enjoy it while it lasts because I think he will soon be snapped up by a company willing to pay him more than MCM ever could. This guy is a huge talent regardless. Kudos...and best of luck.
Agreed!
you are so right
maxrusch1 Totally agree. Ari is exceptional. He is really good and gets to the point straight away.
Si es que esa intro es mucho bisnes xDD
Ditto
Neatly explained - as ever. Thank you. I get fed up people taking 20mins to explain a 1 minute topic!
I've been meaning to get a chain alignment tool for 20 odd years now. If I can remember I'll order one with my next set of tires. (Been saying that for 20 years as well).
blipco5 here, get it now.
Look at this on eBay www.ebay.com/itm/331238847677
Bernardo...Thanks, I just ordered it.
blipco5 iam happy that you ordered ! You 20 year old dream 🤩
So, it's been 7 years. Did you buy one?
@@dace8030 he's still planning too, soon.
excellent as always. didn't know that tool, I'll buy it no doubt!! thank you for another great video
Majes en Moto Justo voy a comprar mi primera moto y estoy que me veo todos los videos de MC Garage y de tu canal como adicto. MC Garage para lo técnico y tu canal para aprender todo lo que puede haber en la calle. Saludos!
Genial el majes!!!
it's doesn't matter how complicated or trivial your vid is, I always love it Ari. haha... I just love the way you guys make this mc garage video. even if it's just a simple information, I always enjoyed watching it. keep it up!
Not only these videos are so good but sometimes they just crack me up like in this case: "It's also worth mentioning that if your bike has a single sided swing arm or drive shaft, you didn't need to watch this video" 😂😂😂 kudos to Ari
Thanks Ari, love the vids you do. It's because of you that I mount and balance my own tires which has saved me hundreds in the last 2 years and the mere thought of it has amazed people and it boggles there mind that at 140 mph it's smooth as can be. Keep up the great work!
That's great to hear Frank. Cultivating self sufficiency and knowledge is what this show is all about, so getting feedback like that is really encouraging. Ride safe.
Re tuning in, I think i'd still be watching your videos even if I got rid of my bike, I think this channel deserves at least as much support as that
Thanks, that's quite the approval. Hopefully you never get rid of your bike though ;)
Straight to the point. Best video on alignment I've seen tonight.
Dude your videos are absolutely perfect not too short not to long technical but not too technical absolutely hit the nail on the head every time keep up the tremendous work
We're glad you like our recipe.
Nice info, thanks for the share. I have a feeling not many mechanics from where I'm from actually know this, or bother to check this every time the wheel is removed, either for tire change, or chain/sprocket change. From now on I'll be sure to have this checked!
TheSighBored most won't even do wheel balancing
Ari, you're the only reason i watch this. You just make it so simple and fun to watch. Looking forward to more vids :)
Just changed front sprocket on new RE Int 650. I measured the the amount of adjustment screw sticking out was the same. Felt Ok, had to finish in the dark and couldn't see any markings on swing arm. Thanks for the tips, will double check in the morning.
A great series of videos. I have been riding for many many years but these videos are still a excellent source of new information, tips and techniques.
Great info. Love the videos, they are short, concise and easy to learn from. I've been riding over 40 years and still learning some cool new stuff about motorcycle care and maintenance. Thanks MC Garage, Great Job.
I broke down and finally bought that Motion Pro tool. GOOD MOVE: I found that the marks were off-line by ONE FULL MARK. Because of this, I discovered that early Bandit 1200's came out of the factory with the sprockets 3mm out-of- plane.. I altered two rear wheel spacers 3mm and now my chains last twice as long.
Elegant, succinct, no nonsense description, best I've seen on this
I think I watch these vids now more for how great the production is than the actual information lol. Good job Ari👍🏿
Thank You very much. Every time i tightened the nut on my ninja 650 the axle block moved backwards and the lines didnt match. Using the measuring tape worked perfect. I got worried for a while, kept redoing it. Great video.
Where can I buy that shirt at?
scotch iron
nice tricks sir
4th way.
measure the distance between the wheel's rim lip and the swingarm inside or outside .
both sides.
simple.
regards.
nicholas d.
edit: love your videos.
keep it up!!!
5th way: Take it to the shop.
Not all swingarms are alike; mine has a different distance between each side!
does not realy work with my bike xD swingarm does not look the same on both sides xD rip ?
Pretty much every bike will have difference in the two sides
This was really helpful. I had my tires replaced somewhere and adjusted the chain tension, but in turn it left my bike leaning to the left when I let off the throttle with hands off the clipons. Will definitely do a wheel alignment after this.
did it help? I have similar problem with my almost new Kawasaki 1000SX, its leaning right little bit.
@ sometimes they do man. i had a z900 bnew and I was frustrated because of this issue.
You've got great confidence. great presenter. watching all your videos is fun. one can never get bored of them and they are useful and to the point. thumbs up.
Neither of the 2 methods will work on either of my bikes (Roadliner and Roadmaster) and the 3rd is just unpractical.
Having said that I am sure it helps on lot of people.
Keep up the good work
rsm8
Today I needed this video and I was like: "MC Garage is not going to do
"Wheel Alignment" video soon, so I'm just gonna try by myself" Ha! I'm watching this
video after a lot of back pain trying to do the 3rd one few hours ago,
it took me 3h to give up because it wasn't changing the gap difference
on the front wheel, it's really stressful, don't do it.
Alberto Harres Rocha I tried it once - never again! It obviously does work but it's so much hassle.
I was always a bit nervous of having a go at things re my bike but this guy gives me confidence! Thanks a lot.
Amazing content! You just got another subscription! Keep up the good work bro
LOL
So now you tell me I don't need to watch this if I have a single swing arm or a shaft drive.
Thanks for these informative videos; even though I can never get back those 3 minutes and 30 seconds of information that I didn't require ;)
Honestly, the best descriptive video I've ever watched on TH-cam. Well done! (Nikos. Greece)
Will front and rear stands work for this measurement? I don’t have a paddock or center stand.
would it also be possible to measure the bit of rod poking out of the back of the swing arm with the adjuster nuts on it if you have that?
Can you help me with rear tyre wobble problem.. How to fix it and what cause?
if the rear tire is dead on straight to the swingarm pivots but not to the front wheel does that mean either the frame or swingarm is bent
When you tighten the axle the wheel will go where it wants to go. If you are having to use the chain tension bolts to correct it you will be stressing other components like spacers and swing arm surface.
Pure nonsense
I ride a Triumph Thunderbird 1600 and have noticed bad wear pattern on the front tire, which seems to indicate a non centered or non parallel rear wheel alignment with the front wheel. The tool link did not reveal a belt alignment tool to work like the chain alignment tool when I searched for it. Is there such a beast?
I can’t get my chain guard off
Can I use that tool to check the bottom of the chain instead?
Dude, you're doing a fabulous job! Thanks for all the great tips! I really enjoy your videos, they are very helpful.
Glad you like them William. Thanks for watching.
nice videos, well explained, good language and NO loud music, thanks
My chain guard front bolt is also the bolt that my shifter is mounted to. Can I just take it off to remove the guard or do i risk making a huge mistake?
What about direct drive ? My Guzzi has no chain and has developed a death wobble above 60 .current miles 350 since new .Any thoughts?
Good day sir! I'm using yamaha yzf R3, unfortunately my front tire does not wear equally. The left side of my front tire wears faster than the right side. Is it normal due to road condition or what could be the possible cause of it? Tnx
why do some bikes have speed/odo reading from rear wheel ?
Does this create any errors in reading ??
These MC Garage videos are awesome! Aside from uneven tire wear, what else is a good indication of misaligned wheel? My bike had a tendency to lean left if I let go of the handlebar. The factory marks were the same on both sides but the distance b/w the swing arm pivot and rear axle was off by 1.2 cm. After correcting the bikes rides straight with no pressure on the handle bar. If you do try this, use a empty car park that you know has a straight surface to check. Also, this may not apply to every bike out there.
when i am balansing left side and eiggt side marks on same position wheel is touching on chain do you have answer why its happening?
Another quality video guys. Well done.
So you don't have to loosen up rear wheel to use this?
Do you guys have a video on how to align the forks when the handlebars are a bit crooked?
Hey. I noticed that my bike at freehand goes right and not straight. How to solve that problem.(Z900) Tnx🤘
my bike do have uneven tyre wear on right sides of both front and rear! mechanic said its because of the front handle bend from a left side fall, could it be? or is it the rear tyre is the reason for uneven wear?
If I go down a strait road an I take my hands of the handlebars an the bike leans to the left, is the wheel out of alignment. I have the use of a alignment tool "your second method" but it still leans to the left. Could it be chain drag as it's on the left side ? "2014 650 v Strom
Thank you! I've been messing around with string since 1983 and it's never been reliable; my swing arm bolt is visible and there's nothing in the way - can't believe it never occurred to me to measure them!
How important is the centerline of the two wheels? IE changing to a wider rear tire. Effects tracking in road ruts only? Or?
Been doing tape measure swing arm pivot to axle for a couple years. Easiest and cheapest way
That's what I was thinking...
Not many ppl can hold a tape measure perfectly while paying attention to one end of the tape
What about using a digital caliper? Wouldn't that be possible?
I have a single sided swing arm. Watching this video game me appreciation for what some of you have to deal with. 😂
Bro, the handlebar of my Cruiser seems a bit off to the left, leaving me with a feeling that the forks or front column is slightly bent to the left and needs correction. So far nothing my mechanics did has helped. While riding the handle still seems crooked. What can I do?
My bike monoshock had broken once and since the spare part wasn't in stock, the garage welding the broken shock back to normal. After that my bike had this little left and right sway swing when i ride it... was it because of that broken monoshock? Or was it because of something else? How does a broken monoshock can affect your riding experience and bike?
Hello how can I align my front wheel to my handlebar after an accidental bike drop? my handle bar seems to be skewed towards the right.
Sir how can i get that alignment tool u have which is need to attached to the sprocket
@2:07 -- if the rod points right, which side do you adjust and in which direction? If the rod points left, which side do you adjust and in which direction?
I got a shaft drive but I still enjoy these videos.
Where can I purchase one of those center stands? What brands are better quality? I’d like to get a nice/reliable one.
Is it necessary only bigger bikes above 600cc need to do wheel alignment and balancing?
17 gsxr 1000 pulls to the right when hard accel and wheeling, absolutely not me, my other bikes dont do it (single sided swingarms) assuming the chain side of the wheel stays put, which direction does the right side move in this case? Forward or backward since it already pulls right???
Lerning something new every day! Thank you!
how to check and allign front wheel in correct way coz my bike's handle pulls itself to left hand side i did everything but nothing much hppnd bro plz help me
Will this tool work for a Harley belt drive for alignment!
Hey bro, i have yamaha Fz16 153 cc, i had problem with bike's rear wheel alignment, the stock MRF low profile tyre was rubbing from right side, even the service centre guys told me that the tyre is faulty, but in the end i installed a high profile trye, can u suggest what can be the issue with my bike?
Any ideas on removing the chain guard to use that tool on a 2017 r6? The sprocket is in the way of the bolt
My rear tyre shakes a lot. Is it because of alignment??
Great vid, but my 4 bikes are all shaft drive! I suspect my next bike will have a chain, so this is very informative! Ride safe.
Mc garage my bike swingarm is bent to left side and due to that my sitting position and handle position is not going perfect and also while riding for long patches im having pain in the left wrist of handlebar. Please help😥
I did my chain slack and wheel alignment today and I followed the measure tape method.
I got my chain to 30mm (recomended).
And I got the swingarm distance LEFT=566mm
RIGHT=567mm
When I was done I got a slight sqealing from the back wheel when pushing the bike back (reverse) but it went away after few pushes.
Is this ok?
Also is the 1mm difference in bolt to bolt distance ok?
I think it's possible that front wheel can be out of alignment. If you cop a whack on the front, the forks can develop a twist in the headset, or if the forks are re-assembled with some mis-alignment in the head
This would happen all the time in motocross. If you crash, it would twist the forks in the triple tree, therefore putting the front wheel out of alignment
dear which bike you had use in this video Kawasaki model?
Can you guys explain what causes brake fade and how to deal with it please? I have just replaced pads on my K6 GSXR 1000 with Bendix MRR that came highly recommended and bled the system, I also have Goodrige braided lines... After 3-4 laps of the track I "gain" ~1-2cm of brake lever travel, don't understand why.
i do not have a bike😅 but i still wait for your uploads😉
Great commercial for Motion Pro tools. Wish I had this chain alignment tool 30 years ago!
Why not the laser pointer option? It should be even better than the straight rod option, shouldn't it?
What is the procedure if the bike has a shaft drive?
Does this apply to single-sided swingarms as well?
I've learned straight edge method for sprocket alignment, but for a motorcycle it's quite tough.
which grade should be use for lubrication of chain
So I just replaced the tires on my '82 Virago no chain but I was dumb and didn't mark where the right hand side was tightened at on the shaft. Now I'm not sure I have it in the right place I would think that could be an issue but how do I find out if I need to adjust it?
Measure and compare the sides. Otherwise see if they align with the bike in a stand. You can use strings but its a pain
Very clear and helpful tips as usual 👌
what if your forks were twisted in the triple tree? I used to race motocross, and the front wheel would get out of alignment if i crashed. For this method of straightening the alignment i would have to do the string method to ensure that the front wheel was straight with the back wheel. What are your thought???
Twisting the forks is pretty common off road, and in most cases you just loosen the clamp bolts and twist it back to straight. I always just eyeball it, because the truth is the front wheel will still track true with the rear, it's just that your bars will be slightly skewed.
Ari Henning very true. thanks for the reply. love your videos. keep up the good work.
My bike rear tyre always lose balance. when i drive through gravel road its always almost to fall because i can feel the unstability of the rear tyre.. what is the problem with my bike? Pls
Ari, is there any MCG episode about how much it costs to maintain a motorbike? My experience is limited to cars. Thanks.
Hi, ram here. My cbr250r pulls to the right when I leave my hands off the handles. Front tyre is new, wheel axles and swing arm axle are new, front forks have no bends and triple tree is good. Rear tyre is also well aligned. My chassis is also new. What could be the reason ?? Please help me out
Mine is belt drive, after the adjustment as I tighten the axle nut to spec/torque, the adjustment moves; any suggestions to solve that problem? Thanks!
have your axle nuts slightly tightened up when doing your adjustments
What happens in the case that it’s shaft driven????
I have a weird problem, I adjusted my chain so it has two finger of slack and when the wheel turns half way round it tightens up quite a bit
do the unaligned rear suspension can also cause of uneven wear of the front tire?
which is the best after market exhaust for 2017 rc 390
What about the alignment with the front sprocket and rear sprocket? Do these techniques work with this issue to?
OK I listen to the video again. So, nevermind. I see. I'll get the tool. Thank you!
could you tell me how to check Royal enfield bike wheel Aliment..
Does this apply to belt-driven bikes as well?
Can shaft driven bikes also go out of alignment, or was this video's methods of checking and fixing alignment just not applicable to shaft driven bikes?
my bike is pulling right side, i should i do & how to resolve