I dont know if anyone frequents the general chat forum, but my original writeup is in there. Long story short, i hit a deer in a bend and ended up lowsiding doing a bunch of cosmetic damage. Damage is at 2300 just for parts at this point. On my way to the dealer i noticed it seems that my left floorboard is sticking out further than the left and my break lever is way in. To the point i almost cant get my foot on it. Standing over the bike looking straight down it appears that the left hand down tube branches out further than the left. the dealer called today and theyre saying that the frame is fine. Im going to take it to another shop for a second opinion on the frame. Does anyone have any quick suggestions for checking to see if the frame is true? I have one of those screamin eagle chrome billet extended brake levers and its a fairly substantial chunk of metal. Theyre saying that the pedal is bent, not the frame. there doesnt appear to be any be any damage to the pedal. Im thinking if anything it would have broke before it bent. Any input is appreciated

 

Look for cracked paint on the frame. Easiest way to see if the frame is seriously bent.

 

I didnt see any cracked paint but i dont think its a serious bend. Im thinking its off a little in one spot, making it off a few inches at the floorboards

 

There are a number of ways to check a frame, the first being the relationship of the steering bearings to the swingarm mounts. That can't be done properly without removing the forks and swingarm. After that it is down to checking the umpteen mounting points around the frame. A member recently reported on how his engine guard top mounting was knocked out of true, as one example of the many things that can go wrong. Before you take your bike away, visit the dealer and walk the service manager around your bike, questioning him on the things you've mentioned above.

Many years ago I got knocked off my bike and settled with my insurers, so I could keep it. I set about dismantling it to remove damaged parts, writing up a list for the replacements I needed. The more parts I removed the more damage I found, until I gave up! So just be aware that what you can see may not be the full extent of the actual damage.

 

I have dealt with many totaled bikes and bent frames in my insurance field. As folks have said flaking paint is one sign and of course the appearance. Sometimes you just have to measure several points as typically the frames are semetrical. The floor board brackets on the low side would be the first to go then look for bends where they are attached. Frames will bend in the weakest point or where the impact was absorbed. Check the lower frame cross supports as if one side moved it likely moved also. Look at your engine mounts for strange clearance issues. Look for parts touching that did not used to be close. It’s tricky at times. Good luck.

 

Pictures?

Just as an aside, if it is bent, I have a spare RHS footplate frame bracket complete with the spigot for the brake lever.

Bought a pair but only used the LHS.

Pinwall in Ohio have plenty of used frame for them. They seem to have a national monopoly on used touring frames. From memory, around $800.

But, yes, taking it to a frame builder with a jig to measure it up might would be cheaper.

BTW, how do you check a rubber mounted is straight when it does not have the usual fixed swingarm mounting?

 

That's the actual bracket that welds onto the frame, not the footplate support brackets.