Handling problem solved?

[xrv_jim]

I've commented before that my AT is unnervingly unstable in crosswinds and when riding through turbulence, when overtaking trucks on the Motorway for instance. I think I may have found the reason...

I jacked up the bike to check the front wheel bearings. They were fine but the steering showed classic symptoms of head bearing wear through over tightening - the bars 'rolling' into notches creating five or six 'natural' steering positions.

I've ordered a new set of bearings from Dave Silver and will keep you posted on progress. In the meantime, as I've temporarily misplaced my Haynes manual , can anyone tell me if the standard bearings are ball or taper-roller type on the RD07?

[icenian]

Another thing to check if you notice instability, is that some p*ll*ck tyre fitter hasn't overtightened and broken one of the fork brace bolts

(That fork brace bolt also being the one that holds the plastic fork slider cover, so it's removed a lot).

tim

p.s. apologies to xrv_jim who probably just came back to this thread expecting to find the answer about the head bearings

[paultheold]

xrv_jim

I can not access the back of my garage, where my Honda Manual is stored. Due to wet varnish on my new computer work top. I will hook out the manual tomorrow night and post you a reply. That is someone does not beat me to it

[DaveS]

can anyone tell me if the standard bearings are ball or taper-roller type on the RD07?

My Haynes says rollers for early models...... balls for the later models.
I can't see any other detail other than that unfortunately!

[YEN_POWELL]

They are balls (ooer missus), but no fear of chasing them all over the garage floor. They are set in a plastic holding ring which drops on top of the race after you've mullahed it down the headstock tube. Top and bottom are exactly the same bearing/race.

They are easy to fit, after you've got the old race of the headstock tube. I put mine in the oven for 10 minutes and then get my thickest leather gloves, a couple of my Dad's best chisels which he's lost and hammer them under the race until they start to move. then the race just lifts off and you can hand it to any unsuspecting helper without gloves.

For the first time ever I decided to use a torque wrench to set the things. I bought a halfords socket that was the same outside diameter as the castellated adjusting ring and got a grown up to angle grind it to fit (angle grinders scare me). Seemed to work okay and also happens to fit my DR350.

[iswoolley]

...They are easy to fit, after you've got the old race of the headstock tube...

The last head bearings I did were for a XR400, and it was the devil's own work to get the old bottom bearing race off the steerer tube. Fitting the new ones was a very straight forward in comparison.

Iain

[Muckybill]

Yep i had the same problem with the head bearings on my XR250. Then i thought were's that Dremel. I used those little cutting discs and stopped just before breaking through then gave it a good wallop with a long drift and it collapsed inwards and out.

[miggy]

I also had serious problems with my newly bought 90/RD04.

If I waggled the bars a little or gave a little push on one side the rear end would fishtail enough to seriously worry me, genuinly scary sometimes! It also had a serious slow-to-medium speed weave effect when in the slipstream of any large vehicle. This was the one big black mark against an otherwise great bike.

Two new Trailwings tyres to replace the totally knackered Metzelers and new rear wheel bearings made a noticable difference but the problem was still there. I then got a MRA flip screen which improved matters a bit more and then........I bought a 92/RD04 in very nice condition.

I then changed the bodywork on the bikes over, the very good but boring black/white 92 b'work went onto the 90, and the pretty good but cool looking white/red/blue b'work went onto the 92 bike.

I then ignored the 90/RD04 for a while and just rode the 92 bike which never suffered from any noticable weave/fishtail problems at all. I then had a few rides on the 90/RD04 and all weave/fishtail problems have more or less gone!

So er.....what does this prove? Well, I dunno. Possibly the Af' twin has a bit of a propensity for higher speed instability (above 70mph 'ish) under certain conditions. Has it happens the previous owner of the 90/RD04 gave me a set of head bearings that he never got around to fitting (ball not roller, which I haven't fitted).

[Lord Stig]

I'm expecting problems when I come to fit my new OE head bearings to my RD07. I figure that by expecting the problems, I can't get uptight too much, but no matter how bad you think it could be it could always be worse........

I seem only to have the one notch, but it's noticeable with the wheel etc. in place; normally it's not until I loose the mass of the wheel (and sometimes forks) that I notice the steering has a preferred orientation, and normally in those cases the only reason I'm checking that carefully is because I already suspect from the handling that there is a problem. In this case I noticed the bike's tendency to tip as it crossed over white lines, overbanding and cats' eyes - a sure sign all is not as it might be in the steering department. The newish Tourances I have on nicely roll from corner to corner, and this only makes the problem worse. I can't get on the job for a few weeks, but any comments from others who's tackled this on the AT are much appreciated. Luckily I have a nifty little grinder and I'm normally looking for any reason to use it!

Stig

[africatijn]

Lord Stig,
Had the same with the DR Big I once had. Just a minimal notch. Replaced the bearings anyway. And yes, made a huge difference.

Goodluck then I guess?

Cheers.
Tijn