Hi,

Put the wheels on the bike for the first time today - they look fantastic.

I am however curious about the position of the front wheel. Mine doesn't seem to sit exactly in the middle of the forks. As you sit on the bike, its offset to the right.

I initially thought my wheel builder had messed-up, but looking back at the pictures of the bike before I took it apart - it has almost exactly the same offset. Forks are in excellent condition, not bent or anything.

Is it just me, or are they all like this?

Thanks, Andy

email (option): adh325@hotmail.com

Hi Andy,

The M20 fork legs are a-symmetrical, the left side forkleg is splayed out to make room for the speedodrive, look at this thread a few months ago:

http://pub37.bravenet.com/forum/static/show.php?usernum=3155626639&frmid=16&msgid=1301641&cmd=show

Good luck, Michiel

email (option): m.wijbenga[at]hotmail.com

All you have to worry about is that the front wheel is central to the frame, front or back.

Darn - I think mine is a considerable way off being centred on the frame.

Measured from the small tube on the fork it's about 1/2 inch over to the right on my bike.

Hard to tell with mudguard in the way.

As already mentioned, the gaps between the wheel & fork tubes are not the place to make your judgement due to BSA moving the left side of the forks outward to take the speedo drive when it was moved there.
You simply need to check if the front wheel is inline with the head stock, front frame down tube & the rear wheel.

My personal opinion on the subject is that many forks over the years have been "straightened" by well meaning restorers, by that I mean with the fork blades off the bike there's a temptation to correct the tubes to make the fork symmetrical (when viewed from the front) then when all painted & with the wheel in you get what I see in your picture. ie the wheel is off centre to the right.