wheel alignment tool??

was reading the tech piece found here: http://www.sportrider.com/tech/146_0010_handson/index.html

and noticed that you guys are using a nice simply rod to align the rear wheel... been looking for that tool but can't seem to find it anywhere.

Could anyone post a link of where it is available.

Thanks,
Sam  

Sam go to motorcycle-superstore.com and look for whats called Motion Pro chain alignment tool it aligns the rear sprocket to the front sprocket which centers your rear tire  runs you 26.99$
                                            mantis  

will this actually align the rear wheel in relation to the front wheel or should i use the rope trick in addition?

I did manage to find the Muzzy Precision Wheel alignment tool but it doesn't appear to be for sale (http://www.muzzys.com/catalog/tools.html)... wouldn't this be more appropriate to align the rear wheel in relation to the frame rather than the sprockets (thinking about it, the sprocket should be aligned with the frame)...

Any thoughts? I don't particularly have any problems but for the bike leaning right a bit so I've been suspecting the rear alignment (everything else is perfect, bike has less than 5k miles and in perfect shape).  

I assume that you got the bike from a dealer so you should be able to have them look at it at no cost to you under warranty. If you center the rear tire it should all be centered unless your swingarm is bent.  

i purchased the bike used with 3000mi on it. It's been immaculate so i'm not worried about any dent or any damage on the swingarm.

This issue hasn't been huge, it's just that the bike leans a bit to the right when i let go the bars. I can usually compensate with my body leaning a bit more left but i figured this may be a wheel alignment issue.

the rear tire was replaced b4 i purchased the bike and chain tension has always looked perfect.

i heard back from Muzzy, their alignment tool is $149.95. I'm not sure if the investment is worth it or if I should just get a piece of rope...

I don't trust the markings on the swingarm and was hoping to be able to check it a better way.

Thanks for the input,
Sam  

sam if your ride is coasting to the right when you let go if might be something if the front and not the rear. I've never heard of the rear causing a bike to lean to the right . It may be that the pressures in your front shocks are diffrent from one another. Ask the dealer y this is happening they should be able to tell you better. I know my bike is dead on center using the marks on the swing arm but everyone else trusts diff things.  

k thanks! I did go over preload, rebound and compression on the fork several time to make sure it was setup properly... but anyways, i'll see what happens when i take it out this coming season, still in storage.

Thanks for the input,
Sam  

I took my back wheel off recently and found it difficult to align my chain.  It looked ok, but it was off a little.  Check out this chain alignment tool in case you ever need to align your chain.
Its at www.majcole.com/macautolcat.htm

I bought one and aligning my chain was a breeze!  

Motorcycle wheel alignment is a commonly misunderstood procedure.  First, some no-no's.  Aligning the rear wheel with the swingarm pivot bolt has nothing to do with aligning the rear wheel with the front wheel.  Aligning the chain and sprockets also has nothing to do with aligning the wheels.  Using string to align the wheels is fraught with inaccuracies which ruin the alignment.  It's also a PITA.

In order to align the wheels with each other they both must be part of the alignment procedure.  Some folks use fluorescent tubes while others use lengths of 2 X 4 wood.  Better than string, but still very clumsy and time-consuming, and it's been a long time since I've seen a straight 2X4.  There are several types of laser aligners as well as the larger shop wheel alignment machines, each with their drawbacks, among them cost.

But, all is not lost.  Enter the ProAligner.  http://www.proaligner.com.  

Once accustomed to its use, it takes less than 10 minutes to align motorcycle wheels, and it can be used anywhere, anytime.  It is also handy to use when adjusting the chain or changing tires to make sure the wheels are still aligned.  Check it out - you'll be glad you did.