Steering bearing inspection/replacement.

[Oli1200]

I've been riding with shitty steering bearings on my 2004 sporty for a little while now. Unbalanced slow turning, bike feels like it's on rails sometimes when stopping, etc. Finally brought it in today to the shop and there's no fall away at all, you literally have to push the front tire by hand side to side to move the front end.

Anyway I gotta go back on Thursday to get them replaced.

Has anybody heard of steering bearings totally seizing all of a sudden? They told me I shouldn't be riding it at all.

They said it was going to be about a 2 hour job to replace the bearings.

[junior]

If it hasn't ever been messed with, i'd say it was extremely unusual for a 2004 xl (assuming under 50,000 miles) to have anything wrong with the neck bearings. if it has been altered, adjusted incorrectly or you ride it delivering mail in the desert sand all bets are off.

if it is as bad as you say, i'd consider taking the shops advice and red tag it until the repairs are made. if the bearings seize or worse yet come apart at speed you might end up getting hurt....

j

[Oli1200]

If it hasn't ever been messed with, i'd say it was extremely unusual for a 2004 xl (assuming under 50,000 miles) to have anything wrong with the neck bearings. if it has been altered, adjusted incorrectly or you ride it delivering mail in the desert sand all bets are off.

if it is as bad as you say, i'd consider taking the shops advice and red tag it until the repairs are made. if the bearings seize or worse yet come apart at speed you might end up getting hurt....

j

Yeah I'm under 50,000 miles. No speedo though.

My last service interval I had done was at the 15,000mile mark.

My front end was never screwed with but there might be some corrosion build up.

[Oli1200]

I might add with the front end jacked up in the air there was no fall away at all. You had to push it from side to side to move it.

[IamVince]

I agree with j...park it,we don't want your wife posting on here about how banged up you are because your front end locked up.
You didn't pressure wash all the grease out did ya?

[Oli1200]

I agree with j...park it,we don't want your wife posting on here about how banged up you are because your front end locked up.
You didn't pressure wash all the grease out did ya?

Hell no, I rarely if ever wash my bike, let alone using a pressure washer. But that could be another thing, riding around in winter weather with the salty wet roads.

[JD]

They have a grease fitting up there for a reason

[CoolMaker]

They have a grease fitting up there for a reason

+1...............

[Nitram_b4]

hell I got 40,000 on my springer and have not changed the neck bearings (yet) I keep them well greased
and I got a set of bearings sitting here waiting

[Oli1200]

Well if I need new bearings and not just a cleaning re-packing lube job it's going to be about $270.00 parts and labour.