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Holy crap...I've managed to jack my own thread...how lame is that!

How did u find center for your rear wheel? i put a straight edge across each side of the rear wheel all the way out past the front wheel. then i measured the distance from the front wheel to the straight edges and adjusted the rear wheel until it was centered to the front wheel.
I found I had to cram the rear rim towards the chain side, by removing material from the hub and shimming. I also used a 5/8” offset counter sprocket when most use a 3/8”.
I thought I took grate pains to do this as accurately as possible. The odd thing is that most guys don’t report having this issue?

Well, we knew the 'offset' issue going in, and I did what you did and went with a 5/8" at the start. The next part is a bit embarassing, but the truth. When I got the rear wheel in the frame I was irritated by the lack of room and realized that I'd need to remove material from the arm (basically the chain-guard mounting brackets and just a bit of surface removal from the inside of the left side of the arm just to get the stupid thing to fit in there. When I got it in the Paul asked me if it was lined up with the front wheel...I had totally spaced (get it?...'spaced'...) the alignment issue b/c the fitment was being such a problem. I about puked when I realized I hadn't lined it up...all that work and now I'm going to be foooked. Paul stringed it and *poof*...God loves me man, I don't know what else to say, it was perfectly in line. The work on the "J" was done at Graves Motorsports in LA, back in the day when my buddy Kurt "Paul" Musgrave worked there...he is a guru...period.

Now, this was with my "J" project bike...not my ELR clone, as I haven't gotten to that part of my ELR, yet. It is the next step on the list. I don't think I will have a problem as I will be running an off-set and an out-board bearing support plate and a different swing-arm (most likely a gixxer unit). I will string it also (the same principal you used, but with string as a straight edge).

-KR

The strange thing on mine is that after all that work the rear wheel is about 5mm off center at the back. it needs to go away from the drive side to be centered. I am thinking that the front stem must be off center. i hear that is common on the z's. it does run fine though . I don’t feel any issues while riding. i have heard from guys that run the rear wheel out of center with no problems. so I’m thinking I wasted my time aligning the front to the rear.
The rear wheel and front are parallel. I dropped a sting line front and back from above.
Do u know how to check the stem for center??

No I don't. I'll talk to my machinist as soon as I get the chance. It wouldn't surprise me that it would be off; back in the day the frames were even reputed to be "off" in the steering neck from frame-to-frame. I guess it's tolerance of the times?

I think the way Brian will check the stem is to secure a triple tree into the frame and string it straight down and then do a 'plum bob' type of string from the stem down; this would get (at least) two points of reference on the ground. He will then probably take measurements from those points to 'critical' points on the frame, such as rear axle pivot, swing arm / rear axle measurement points. It's just a guess on my part, but Brian has a frame machine and he does frame repairs for many major AMA road-racing teams, so I'll ask him.

Interesting question Mark, something that I always sort of wondered about, also.

-KR

thanks for the repl. im not going to get bent up over it since it felt good last season. i will be trying the zx9 front end soon. my head is out for a guide and valve jodb. then away we go.

Nice project:)

Thanks. Holy crap, love the bike in your avatar!

So, any news one the bike front, since you are started on your school vacation?

I understood that you are quite busy with other stuff?.

Ohhhhhhh *ghuh*!!! I'd put the list up but at the moment I'm 112 miles from my garage and bike projects due to #4 of the 6 scheduled training events that I have this summer. I'm a couple spacers, aaa battery, and a chain away from my 1150 getting out of the way for my Clone.
Sorry, it's an excuse...but I'm around college kids all day, I KNOW excuses!!!

Promise I'm on it!!!
-KR

Okay, much-too-much going on at the Russell Ranch so - as predicted - didn't get a muther-luvin' thing done on anything this summer. We got moved to our new home..."moved"...not "un-packed"...still dealing with issues in the new casa.
However, did get a decent shot at a set of ZX9R forks from the 'bay' and now that we've spent the $ where we needed on the house I went ahead and sprung for this. It's going on the "Clone" and I'll take note for the 'hot rod J' as I've got a small collection of go-fast parts waiting to install on various projects.

mmmmm nice parts there badkaw.so at least we do know that your heart is in the right place:P .