Last weekend i rolled over my 03 rancher 350 for the first time ever. Bent up the handlebars and rack. Got the handlebars bent back and the rack is hardly noticable... but the gas cap and gauge are no longer in the center of the hole in the top plastic. The plastic is on right and i cant see why they are off center now. I took off the little plastic over the gas tank and the holes where it bolts in arent slotted so it couldnt have moved. did i bend the frame or somthing.? any honda techs out there ever run across this.? thanks

 

Hard to tell without looking at it, but unless you really flipped hard at significant speed, I'd bet the tank or tank cover got tweeked, or the tank is shoved over on it's mounts or maybe dented around the mount...

Look the tank and it's mounts over carefully, and also look the frame over closely and I bet you will spot what the problem is.

Lastly, I'd buy another handlebar. There's no telling how much you weakened it by bending it and bending it back, and they aren't expensive.

 

Its in your front rack/bumper, it will be tweaked. Happens all the time.

 

Thanks ill rip it apart one of these days. Do you think its possible to bend the frame or is it most likely just moved on its mounts?? Why do you think i should buy new handlebars? the look just fine? even if they are a little weak what is the harm?

 

HondaTechnician..... How can i fix it if its tweaked. the only bend i see is right on the corner of the rack and its not real bad. What do you suggest?

 

Well, the way I do it is kinda prehistoric... but it works.
I will get to a tree figure out which way I need to pull the rack or bumper, then tie the bike off to the tree... so it wont move... directly opposite if the direction I need to pull, then hook a come-a-long, attached to another tree, to the rack/bumper and pull in the direction I need.
I have straightened many of them that way.
Ita a pain in the *** to reposition the bike several times... but it works.
If you have access to a automotive frame rack... that would be the easiest, but not many people have that kinda of access.
Basically, it doesnt have to be trees... just anything that will hold the weight of the pulls.

 

yeah but i dont understand which way im pulling... if the left front of the front rack is bent down just a little if i pull op on that do you think thats the way to go?

 

well... your certainly on the right track there.
for instance, if the hole over the fuel guage is to the "left"of the guage, then you would need to pull the "right" front bumper away or forward to compensate.
It just takes a lot of thought to go the right direction.

 

so is it actualy the frame that gets bent? just wondering the specifics of this problem.

 

so is it actualy the frame that gets bent? just wondering the specifics of this problem.