Many methods work, find your own. measure, use the markings (or falqon may get angry) or do what I do. I look down the chain to make sure it rides straight. I had an instance once where I bought super light weight sprockets and used the markings (which are not accurate) to align my wheel. About 2 months later after riding like this, the sprocket being crooked allowed the chain to chew up the sides of the teeth, making them thinner. I jerked the throttle on to do a wheelie and ripped all the teeth off the rear sprocket. Ever since then I eyeball it (and buy steel sprockets lol) by looking at th chain.

straight wheel



crooked wheel

In the 2nd pic, the red line doesn't ride up the middle of the chain. Not sure if you can tell but the chain is bowed like this ")". The adjuster on the right side needs pushed forward.

 

No chicken strips

 

lol, that only happens on the track. I am too cautious on the street to kill the edges of the tire like that.

 

Thanks Dissevered, I think I can rule out the rear tire....I took off the chain guard and it looks straight to me (and equal notches on both sides).


Could I have a front tire issue? I wonder if I did something stupid like switching the spacers from either side. Perhaps someone with an F4 can confirm that this is right?

Left



Right

 

I am not sure about F4's, would have to ask someone else about the spacers.

Did anyone ever wreck the bike or hit a giant pot hole? 2 more possibilities are that its just the way you sit, or something is out of whack on the bike.

 

The bike did get dropped by the last owner (I repaired the plastics) but my buddy who came with me to buy the bike last year test road it for me (as I did not have my licence at the time). He said one of the things he checked was that it went straight with no hands....so it must have been fine before the wheels came off.

I am going to see if I can get someone else to ride the bike for me to see if it goes straight for them.....perhaps it is the way i ride? I have no idea.

 

the bike getting dropped wouldn't bend anything. it would take the bike flipping or wrecking into a pole or wall to bend the frame or forks. unless it was an actual wreck, I am sure the bike is fine and you may just ride a little off. (that is other than the spacer thing, which I have no clue)

 

I had my buddy ride my bike today to see if it was just my riding style. He said that it definitely pulled a bit (but he could counter balance it a bit with his body whereas the bike just veers right off for me). I have taken my front wheel off to see if I screwed anything up when I put it on and everything looked a-ok according to my manual. Spacers in the right spot.

Now I have no idea what it could be....

 

Unless you find a 100% flat road, and you are centered up 100% then there is no real way to tell if your bike is perfectly aligned. Too many factors come into play. Unless you feel a big problem with your handling, just go ride and have fun.

 

Ya....I have just been riding it the last two weeks. Handling seems completly fine unless I let go of the bars. Maybe I am overly paranoid. I guess the main thing I am concerned about is wreaking the rubber with bad alighnment. I think I will just ride it.