after accident can center of gravity be OFF?

[fototaker]

hola y'all! hoping everyone had a great safe NYE. recently got into an accident. on a turn where i slowed and actually stopped behind a vehicle, the scooter fell in traffic as the rear wheel of my 150cc scooter slid on a manhole cover (which i avoid like the plague) and didn't see. i slid and bounced off the car i stopped behind, then bounced back up and scraped a long line on a stopped car which was in the other lane. usual bruising of knee that ht the pavement and the scooter has the usual scratches and all. started right up w/o problem but since riding it since accident, the bike seems to wiggle a lot which it didn't before. i had checked the bike after getting home and even the wheels seem aligned (as far as i can see). the bike didn't slide much and aside from the fall and "bounce" it wasn't on the floor much. OR could it just be my imagination? has this happened to anyone else? any comments and advice/suggestions would be helpful and much appreciated. thanks!

[scootercapecod]

Check your front end CAREFULLY to be sure that there are no cracked welds or joints. Also make sure the triple tree is tight and the forks are aligned. If your scooter feels different it's because it most likely is. Even slow speed accidents can cause a surprisingly high amount of damage depending on the angle of impact, solidness of the object struck etc... You also mentioned that you laid it down so it might just be as simple as a bent handlebar. Check those as well. Hope that helps.

[fototaker]

i did look but i don't know a thang about bikes so i could easily miss something. i did check the handlebars also but of course, i need to be a skilled mechanic to actually do it well. sounds like time to take it in for a check-up. thanks for your time and reply!

[scootercapecod]

P.S. NEVER ride an unsafe scooter! If there is something wrong that you didn't check, it could be fatal. In all seriousness if you're not sure what to look for, have a pro look at it. The money it'll cost you is sure worth spending if it keeps you alive to earn it back.

[inuyasha]

Hi
I agree with cape cod there check out the front end asap
Glad to see you werent injured too badly
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6033/6244954911_b1c8da36ae.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/67070952@N06/6244954911/)
051 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/67070952@N06/6244954911/) by inuyasha50 (http://www.flickr.com/people/67070952@N06/), on Flickr
Take care and ride safely
Yours Hank

[fototaker]

thanks again. it doesn't seem too serious right now. it only wiggles when i "wiggle" it, but riding on SF hills (steep hills at that) and especially straightaways is when it is VERY noticeable. thanks again!

[fototaker]

@ nuyasha: thank you also. yea, of the "rub" it's almost all fallen away now. nothing worst than a fall or hitting shins on bulkheads/kneeknockers on ships ;) i think a tendon got bruised on right knee (the only leg that was injured and shows the signs) but it's healing quite nicely. i' ve noticed so many brand-new scooters in SF where gas is often highest in the NATION/CA, and it's good to see people are turning to alternative means of transportation. thanks again!

[tvnacman]

Put it on the center stand and spin the front and rear wheels , look for wobble . Make the wheel straight see if it looks bent .

John

[fototaker]

@ tvnacman: i've done that fer BICYCLES!! now why didn't i think of that? hahahaaa thanks a lot!! must've hit my noggin too!! hahahaa

[carasdad]

It doesn't take much impact to bend these frames. Step daughter took one of our new scoots..less than 10 miles on it when she went to visit a friend. Told her "NOBODY but you rides it" So she let the friend ride...who got scared..nailed the throttle and hit a tree head on at about 15-20. Forks and frame bent so bad they could not be fixed. So now it sits here as a 'parts bike'...it doesn't take much impact...so check it over well...;)

[fototaker]

thanks carasdad!! probably when i get time over this weekend will try to check it over. readying my camera right now to go cloud-hunting then a nice sunset hopefully, along with other events tonight. thanks to you and everyone else!

[prodigit]

I once rode my scooter, which's tire was half flat (29PSI, normally 35+).
Because I have 3.5x10 tires, which are huge tires on a small rim, the scooter also would feel like the rear wheel was turning in the opposite direction of a corner.
Figured it out, pumped the tire, and all was ok!

[fototaker]

thanks for the tip!!! i'll check air pressure!!