Motorcycle Repair: 1976 HONDA 550 FOUR, honda 550 four, sprocket teeth

Question
IM HAVING TROUBLE LINING UP MY BACK WHEEL TO GO STRAIGHT. RECENTLY BOUGHT THE BIKE AND NOTICED THE REAR WHEEL ISNT STRAIGHT. LOOSENED THE AXLE NUT AND BOTH ADJUSTERS IN REAR AND SET TRIED TO SET THEM EQUEALLY, BUT  THE CHAIN BECOMES TOO TIGHT AND THE WHEEL ISNT STRAIGHT. I DID THIS SEVERAL TIMES N THE WHEEL ISNT STRAIGHT. NO MATTER WHAT I DO, I CANNOT GET IT STRAIGHT. POSSIBLE SOMETHING IS BENT? PLEASE HELP

Answer
Chuck, you have to find the tightest point on the chain, then adjust the axle so that the tight point still has 3/4" of slack. If the chain goes from 3/4" slack to 1" plus then the chain is probably worn out. Look carefully at the condition of the sprocket teeth, too.

If the chain adjuster marks are both the same, when you do that chain tightening step and the wheel is not "straight" (in which plane... tilted looking from the back or not in line with the wheel if you were looking from above?), then the swing arm is probably bent. Try removing both rear shocks and then put them back on one at a time. There will be a little sag in the wheel/swing arm, but if the shock bolt doesn't line up easily on the second shock installation then something back there is bent. Pull the rear wheel side to side and check for worn out swing arm bushings, too.

If you are sighting up the two wheels from the front or rear and they are not on the same axis, then the frame could be bent at the front or the steering stem bent, as well. You have to look at the whole bike chassis and see if it looks like it went down hard enough to bend frame/chassis parts. Look for buckling under the paint or signs of straightening by previous owners.

Bill Silver