Is my frame bent? With pictures.

[Ballsout Racing]

These frames bend very very easily. I had mine straightened twice in 2006. Depending how much you can get a STRAIGHT frame for, it may be cheaper, and certainly easier to get it straightened. I get all mine done at http://www.motoliner.com/ .

[zimm]

These frames bend very very easily. I had mine straightened twice in 2006. Depending how much you can get a STRAIGHT frame for, it may be cheaper, and certainly easier to get it straightened. I get all mine done at http://www.motoliner.com/ .

see, now im all scared that my 4/6 frame isnt going to be up to the job again !

[RedexRobB]

Ive used motoliner before years ago to straighten a pair of forks for me, and a lot of my friends have used to aswell, well reccomended.

[Ghost]

Motoliner website looks good but at £150 minimum a bit expensive considering I've seen s/hand frames and logbooks on ebay go for around the £200 mark sometimes. Cheers anyway. I've built the bike back up completely now, the forks were slightly twisted in the yokes which cant have been helping but ive managed to straighten them out now.

[RedexRobB]

Well worst thing that can be wrong if the front wheel doesnt touch anything is that itll turn alot quicker!

[Ghost]

Yep, it seems alright, there's not a lot of clearance between the front wheel and the fairings but all the mounting brackets are bent so the fairings aren't on right anyway, that might have a lot to do with it.
Thing is I'm really broke right now so I can't even afford a few flimsy brackets let alone a whole new frame, so I'm still hoping that the frame isn't really bent and those dents are supposed to be there Really to be sure I need to park the bike next to another ZXR 400 and compare the two by running my hands over the frame so i can be 100% positive.

[zimm]

fullsize vesions @ http://socrates.is-a-geek.net/zxr400l4/

compare to that .. there really shouldnt be any dents .. i know you are skint, but really, is it worth riding a bike which could potentially snap or at best steer in an unpredictable manner ?

[Ghost]

That's not the point I'm afraid mate, I really don't have any other choice. I'm satisfied it's not suddenly going to give way on me, everything still seems really solid, there's no cracks, creases or strain marks other than the two dents and it steers and handles predictably and spot on. I'm going to have to carry on riding it until I can afford a new bike, at which point I will either break it and sell it for spares, or hopefully re-frame it, tidy it up a lot and sell it as a complete, straight, working bike.
I've had several prompts to sell it as it is now as it's riding straight and not mention the bent frame, but I'm too nice a guy for that and couldn't live with my consience afterwards

[zimm]

I'm satisfied it's not suddenly going to give way on me

how ?

consider the forces going through the frame under heavy braking, the fact that aluminium "work hardens" and that the material in the frame spars is only about 4mm thick.

sorry if this comes across as me having a go at you, im just concerned. It would be enough for me to re-frame it, and i've driven/ridden some god-awful death-traps in my time.

[Ballsout Racing]

Well worst thing that can be wrong if the front wheel doesnt touch anything is that itll turn alot quicker!

Funnily enough, I know Maidstone Motoliner have left ZXR400 the frames slightly bent for that exact reason, as requested by the owner of course.

IIRC they do have a correct measurement from the engine to wheel, something you can measure yourself. Maybe worth asking

[RedexRobB]

I did hear of racers doing that on purpose, read it in a bike magazine yars ago. Not allowed to do it in certain club races are you?

[Ballsout Racing]

I did hear of racers doing that on purpose, read it in a bike magazine yars ago. Not allowed to do it in certain club races are you?

mmmm, you maybe right, would have to check clubs regs. If you're not allowed to alter frame, then taking a straight frame to be modified would be illegal, but if you bend the frame in a crash, and the straighteners suggest that whilst it may be slightly bent, the geomotry would be fine, just make it turn quicker, would you spend £150+ to get it back? Furthermore, having visited Maidstone motoliners on numerous occasions, it has become apparent that frames from the factory with no damage can vary quite a lot anyway!. They've learnt that from racers that get new frames checked as a metter of caution!!