86-87 Does your Head Wobble?

...well, mine does.

If you notice a "hump" at center, when you turn your wheel from left to right, or right to left, odds are one or both of your head bearings are bad. Bad can mean, dirty, worn, broken, damaged, old, locked up, water impregnated, lacking grease...just to name a few.

Another symptom is both very noticable and dangerous. **I really dont advise this, I am meerely making a point** Drive your bike down a straight road. Now, take your hands off the handle bars. Does your bike go straight? or does it wobble and or crash you?

Yet another symptom could be, your bike turns well, but doesnt return to center well. OR the bike is hard to steer going either left or right, and only does this on one side.

As the first three words indicate, I will be changing both the upper and lower Tripple tree head bearings myself.

So, Here's to start. I got quotes from my local Honda shop (this is laughable), another couple local places, and of course, because I like to roll like this, my own costs.

Honda - Bearings $58.00; Assembly/Labor $206.98 Delivery 3 days.
Local shop (1) - Bearings $35.00; Assembly/Labor $140.00 Delivery 4 days.
Local shop (2) - Bearings $33.95; Assembly/Labor $120.00 Delivery 1 day.

Now, I "could" just use the local shop (2). But here is the fundamental flaw of owning a bike I built myself. I dont trust anyone to work on it but me. Sorry.

My costs - Bearings $26.56; Assembly/Labor ~$30.00 Delivery 2 days.

I plan either pressing the bearings out myself with hand made pressers, or taking the trees to a local machining shop... either way, its not gonna cost me as much as a new tire.

ok, lets get some research goin before we start. Here are a few links to squirrel away for the next time we have to do this.

Motorcycl Steering Bearings - Hmmm this should help

When my Bearings arrive, and I whip my camera out, I will post the exact, "how to" and "what to look out for", subsequent this post.

 

(Reserved)