After a great weekends riding I am left with a new problem. I tried a very steep hill climb and didn't make it. I have returned home to examine what I damage was done as the stem and bars are aftermarket I didn't think it was them. I have found the frame is bent where the top steering stem bearing U-shaped piece mounts to the rest of the frame. It is bent back about 1" and there is no creasing of the tubes I can see. What is the fix for this?
I have been told the bike frame will bend here if you roll the bike hard enough. Now I am thinking of bending back but I know this will weaken it further.

Have any of you Raptor owners had this problem and what did you do to fix it?

 

Oh so I am the only person on here to roll a raptor huh.....I feel special now[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-blush.gif[/img]

 

I've rolled plenty of times. You cant buy aftermarket bars and stems and expect the frame to hold. The frame is now your weak point, and bending it back is going to make it even weaker.

I havent bent that part of my frame, so I'm sorry I'm not sure what the fix would be beyond simply bending it back and possibly reinforcing it.

 

Anyone welded anything extra in to help or is that not a good plan either?

 

Thanks man...The stem is fine and the frame is only back about 1"....Still think i should have some strengthening gussets or braces welded in?

 

i have a bud who does nothing but catch air on his raptor, and his frame is always cracking....he has welded numerous supports on it....but the frame is definately not up to "bulletproof" standards from the factory

 

My frame is bent.. I want to buy a new one but id hate to let 600 bucks go like that!!!! I am going to try to bend it back.. does anyone know where i should weld them gussets?

 

I know you can get a frame for less than $600 but what happens to the VIN number then?

 

Just bend it back and gusset it up. If you know a local shop that is great in welding then they would know where to put the gussets. If not, Look at this one Here, then you could get some kind of idea of what you may need.