I hope someone can help me as I am getting frustrated.
I bought a used triple tree off ebay to replace my bent one. When I put my replacement fork tubes through they didn't quite line up. This leads me to belive the steering stem on the used triple tree is also bent. They aren't too far off and I am able to force them through.

My question is:
1. Is this normal?
2. If not and it is bent then will this throw off the way the bike handles/tracks/rides etc.?

 

1. Based on my experience its not normal. The tubes should fit through smoothly.
2. It will probably affect the handling because the misalignment will feed through to the fork legs, may cause misalignment of the calipers relative to the discs, and it will definitely wear the forks slider bushes out quicker and increase stiction.