bending shaft normal or not? 2013 outlander 1000 xt
 

can anybody else do this with a little strength?
the atv was rolled on its side, slow speed- the bars looked bent- however, once I removed the hand guards it appears the bars are straight and maybe the shaft was bent? I can torque the bars to one side or the other and straighten it so the bars are horizontal- but it appears it's a lot easier to bend the bars now. After he rolled it, I bent the bars back (what I thought were the bars) but after I returned from riding a few days ago I noticed they were bent again- which made me look a bit more closely at what was actually bending when I torqued the bars- it looks like maybe the top of the steering shaft http://www.can-amforum.com/forums/im...eadscratch.gif

but- maybe bending the steering shaft like this is normal and I just never realized it until I tried to bend the bars back to a horizontal position???

A guy rolled it on its side while trying it.

I really have to give it a good "jolt" to bend it- normal or not? what do you guys think?

Does it make a difference that you have super human strength from the various chemicals you've been doused in over the years??

I sure as heck can't do that on my XP.

:huh:
The handle bars dont look like they are bending. The ends of the handle bars seem to be moving in unison. Take a good look at the steering stem, no way that much movement is normal.

The stem is so burried- the power steering unit makes it hard to observe the shaft. I need another set of hands to move the bars while I watch underneath...

If it is the stem its prob bending just under the mount for the handle bars.

It looks to me like the shaft is bending.

Is it normal? It is on all my Chinese quads.. :D

Just kidding.. Id guess the shaft bent initially and was weakened somewhat... every time you bend it it gets weaker. ;)

ughh! taking that shaft out does not look fun :(
I'm assuming bending a steering shaft isn't covered under the warranty.

Steering stems are hollow, so once bent they are easier to bend back and forth.
Have fun with that.

I'm pretty sure I could bend most stock handlebars without too much of a problem.

Go to a Can Am dealership and try that on one on a showroom floor to see if they all do it.
Sure does look strange though.
On the other hand Can Am is known for being the most lightest and high performance in the business and use the minimum barest of materials to get the job done ,remember their frames a few year ago.