Do not check steering head bearings on the centre stand !Why?

My VFR800 failed its yearly roadworthy test for steering head bearing wear.No big deal except the previous owner had replaced them 2000ks earlier at the previous years inspection and the bike was handling perfectly with no indication anything was amiss.I checked them with the help of a friend when I got home and sure enough there was considerable free play in them.Once the top triple clamp was removed I was relieved to see the lock not was loose and so was the main locking nut.I tightened them up and was suprised to find no improvement?
Stripped the bike the next day and fitted new bearings with the help of a friend who is a retired marine engineer who declared the old ones to be as good as new ???????
We checked the free play on the new ones once the bike was back together and
was very confused to find the slack still there.WTF??
We could not work this out until I pulled the front wheel up using the side stand and all the free play was gone.I rechecked with the bike on the centre stand and it was back?
My bike has now passed it's roadworthy test by insisting the inspector check the bike my way.We have not yet worked out whats going on but it must be free play in the centerstand that feels exactly like steering head free play when you check in the normal way by getting someone to weight the rear to lift the front wheel.I feel the bearings were replaced the previous year for the same reason as at 19000ks they should not have been worn.I am posting this in case someone else has this problem in the future.

 

Thanks for this post - I find it very interesting and will check my steering head in the same way tomorrow. My bike has 56,000km and still the original bearings. I pulled the head and repacked the bearings about 10,000km back. there is the slightest ridge near centre but I can live with it as the bike still tracks perfectly.

 

Are you pulling on the rim to check free play, or the forks? Maybe the "freeplay" you feel is the bearings in the front axle, swingarm, or shock linkage?

Best way to check for free play is to prop up the front of the FRAME, remove the front tire and pull on the forks.

 

I didn't have much free play, but you can see in this video, the center "detent" was getting pretty bad. It's a 5th gen with 44,000 kms (wheel removed in video).



Check out the upper race...





Changed to All Balls tapered, fairly easy job except for getting the old race off the stem. I used Quicksilver 2-4-C Marine grease with Teflon. It works wonders in the boat trailer wheel bearings. Do yourself a favor and wear surgical gloves - Ever tried to wash that shit off your hands?

 

once again......

allballs is cheap crap from China.

quality bearings are made in USA, Japan, or Germany ONLY

 

on that note Reg71 and I will soon have cheap crap in our steering stems.....

 

Maybe we can have a "cheap crap" meet...

 

I use crap too!

 

so, guys, think Honda will start fitting cheaper Chinese bearings on new equipment anytime soon??

 

We'll find out soon enough.

 

I've shopped at this store. but they were selling cheesy touristy stuff

 

Ill be there if my cheap crap will hold up...