I decided to align my wheel so here is how I did it 
I know there is another how to, but never hurts to know how to do it another way.
I've used this method for years... I think my friend showed me an article a while back by Dr. Robin Tuluie
High res photo can be found here: http://tanoshi.smugmug.com/gallery/4058257
Before you begin, adjust your chain! Now on to the howto.
1. First step is to lift your bike off the ground and make sure your rear wheel is perpendicular to the ground. I also put the front end up on a stand so I could pivot the steering wheel with out moving the bike.
I also lightly hold the brake in so the front and the rear wheel doesn't move while I'm working. You can get creative and do what ever you like
![Image]()
![Image]()
This picture shows you how to determine if the bike is leveled with the ground. I'm just letting the string fall straight down from the edge of the wheel all the way down. Make the gap at the bottom of the wheel small as possible.
![Image]()
![Image]()
2. I put a string around the bike. Starting from the front wheel going to the back wheel then going back to the front. You want the string to be at highest possible point while the string only touching the wheels edges. This means the string should not be touching body work or brake roter.
![Image]()
![Image]()
I also took measurement from the ground to string on all corners and made sure they were all at the same height. Mine was all set to 9 5/8 inch.
![Image]()
![Image]()
3. Measure the rear wheel width as shown. Make a stick with notch that matches the rear wheel width. We will use this later so keep it handy.
![Image]()
![Image]()
I have a 180/55 Dunlop 208GP and it was 7 1/4 inch.
4. Next step is to align the front wheel. Take measurement on both side as show in picture. Keep adjusting steering until both left and right measurements are equal.
![Image]()
5. Place the stick right against the front wheel as shown and put the string in the notch you created.
![Image]()
6. Now look down the left and right string. If your wheel alignment is off there should be a gap. If your gap is on the right side, move the axle back. If your gap is on the left side, move the axle forward. Don't forget to align the wheel you move the right axle
![Image]()
![Image]()
In my case the gap was on the right side so I moved the axle back.
7. Now re-tighten everything back up and look down the both side. If both string
looks straight... your done.
8. Now repeat 3 - 7 as many time as you need. Usually twice is good enough.
Step 8 is required since we aligned the front wheel with miss aligned rear wheel. So the more you iterate through 4-8, the straighter the front wheel will be.
The article I posted in the reference goes into how to make sure the tire is on the same plane. I didn't really care about this since I didn't crash...
Oh and I decided to check to see how much different this method was to just measuring the rear axle to the swing arm and the difference was only 0.11mm. The article that I posted also saids 0.5mm is good enough for alignment.
So choose your method and align the wheel
Reference: http://www.motorcycle.com/how-to/chassis-alignment-basics-3444.html
There is a version with diagram but I couldn't find it...
I know there is another how to, but never hurts to know how to do it another way.I've used this method for years... I think my friend showed me an article a while back by Dr. Robin Tuluie
High res photo can be found here: http://tanoshi.smugmug.com/gallery/4058257
Before you begin, adjust your chain! Now on to the howto.
1. First step is to lift your bike off the ground and make sure your rear wheel is perpendicular to the ground. I also put the front end up on a stand so I could pivot the steering wheel with out moving the bike.
I also lightly hold the brake in so the front and the rear wheel doesn't move while I'm working. You can get creative and do what ever you like
This picture shows you how to determine if the bike is leveled with the ground. I'm just letting the string fall straight down from the edge of the wheel all the way down. Make the gap at the bottom of the wheel small as possible.
2. I put a string around the bike. Starting from the front wheel going to the back wheel then going back to the front. You want the string to be at highest possible point while the string only touching the wheels edges. This means the string should not be touching body work or brake roter.
I also took measurement from the ground to string on all corners and made sure they were all at the same height. Mine was all set to 9 5/8 inch.
3. Measure the rear wheel width as shown. Make a stick with notch that matches the rear wheel width. We will use this later so keep it handy.
I have a 180/55 Dunlop 208GP and it was 7 1/4 inch.
4. Next step is to align the front wheel. Take measurement on both side as show in picture. Keep adjusting steering until both left and right measurements are equal.
5. Place the stick right against the front wheel as shown and put the string in the notch you created.
6. Now look down the left and right string. If your wheel alignment is off there should be a gap. If your gap is on the right side, move the axle back. If your gap is on the left side, move the axle forward. Don't forget to align the wheel you move the right axle
In my case the gap was on the right side so I moved the axle back.
7. Now re-tighten everything back up and look down the both side. If both string
looks straight... your done.
8. Now repeat 3 - 7 as many time as you need. Usually twice is good enough.
Step 8 is required since we aligned the front wheel with miss aligned rear wheel. So the more you iterate through 4-8, the straighter the front wheel will be.
The article I posted in the reference goes into how to make sure the tire is on the same plane. I didn't really care about this since I didn't crash...
Oh and I decided to check to see how much different this method was to just measuring the rear axle to the swing arm and the difference was only 0.11mm. The article that I posted also saids 0.5mm is good enough for alignment.
So choose your method and align the wheel
Reference: http://www.motorcycle.com/how-to/chassis-alignment-basics-3444.html
There is a version with diagram but I couldn't find it...
