Can someone true a spoked motard wheel?

[xxaarraa]

I'd like to get both front and rear wheels of my motard trued. I do not know for sure that they are not true, but I'm baselining a used bike and hunting some front end chatter issues so I might as well get the wheels trued.

If anyone can do this near the Boston area, please let me know how much you charge. I can bring the wheels to you, but tires will be mounted (I have no way to dismount the tires at home)

[Kurlon]

Check if they're true first. Wrap a ziptie around the fork or swingarm and leave the end sticking out. Trim the end so it points at the rim and almost touches, as close as you can get. Spin the wheel and watch the ziptie. If the clearance between it and the rim doesn't change as the wheel spins, you're good to go.

[stoinkythepig]

Even if the clearance does change, it might be because the rim is not the same width all the way around. If you do note some run out, do the zip tie trick on the other side and see if run out is in the same direction on the other side.

[xxaarraa]

Check if they're true first. Wrap a ziptie around the fork or swingarm and leave the end sticking out. Trim the end so it points at the rim and almost touches, as close as you can get. Spin the wheel and watch the ziptie. If the clearance between it and the rim doesn't change as the wheel spins, you're good to go.

Now I understand what gregp meant when he said to use a zip tie on the fork! So, between using a zip tie to check run out and tightening 3 spokes a quarter turn at a time on the opposite side of the runout area (I watched a wheel truing video), should I be able to true the wheel at home by myself? Is it even possible to true a wheel with the tire still mounted on it?

Even if the clearance does change, it might be because the rim is not the same width all the way around. If you do note some run out, do the zip tie trick on the other side and see if run out is in the same direction on the other side.

Good tip, thanks!

[stoinkythepig]

Be careful just tightening spokes... Sometimes you need to loosen them on the "high" side of the rim too. Otherwise, you can end up with a rim that runs straight and true, but is no longer round. You can indeed do this with the tire in place.

[Studio X]

I used to build bicycle racing wheels at a shop across from the Olympic Training Center in Colo Spgs many moons ago.

Always work in pairs- for every spoke you tighten 1/4 turn to pull the rim away from the run out, loosen one on the opposite side the same amount. This is how you keep the rim round. Go easy and take your time. The comment about verifying that the rim hasn't been flattened is a good one.

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