Topic: Steering stem--does it have a center detent?

[jdigga]

Just thought of this while reading another steering bearing thread.

I had my bike apart this past off-season and I noticed that the steering had a center detent when everything was off of it.  After reassembly it went away (presumably the weight of front end assembly is more than enough to overcome the detent.

Is it supposed to be there?  Or am in need of new bearings and it just so happened that the bad one(s) is/are right in the middle?

[333]

No.  It's not supposed to be there.  It's a bad bearing.  Your bike goes straight most of the time. The constant pounding of the weight on the stock ball bearing creates that detent.  This is the reason most people change over to roller bearings.  It spreads out the force of that pounding weight.

[Johnie]

Correct me if I am wrong guys, but I have never come across a detent in the race or bearing that was supposed to be there.  I think that would mean a new set is in order if it is real bad.  Granted, it is not as serious as if that detent was in a wheel bearing.

[jdigga]

Eh great, yet something else to replace.  Oh, well--goes with the territory, right?  Thanks!

[Gordon]

If you've gotten used to that center indentation in the old bearing races, you'll think you have a whole new bike after you replace them. 

[jdigga]

Actually I only noticed it was there when the front end was off.  But I don't doubt it would feel completely different once remedied.  My priority at the moment is to get new tires but I'll likely do the tapered bearing upgrade soon enough.

[rbirkhan]

I have 2 words for you "tank slapper" You really dont want that to happen to you it usually ends very badly with you going over the bars at speed when the front end goes into oscilation due to loose bearings or bad wheel bearings. Maybe others can coment. Its not pretty.

[jdigga]

Noted.  Steering feels good aside from a slight shimmy after going over a bump, which at first I wanted to attribute to an improper fork oil level but now I believe is due to this bearing.

[mystic_1]

That 'slight shimmy' is the larval stage of the dreaded Tank Slapper.  Kill it now before it feeds and becomes stronger.

mystic_1

[ev0lution7]

there is a reason i didnt hop on a bike ti'll now since Nov 7 01 that is the day i "jumpped" off a 600RR Ninja @ 55+ on a 2 lane road due 2 the throttle sticking and it got Tank slap so violent it ripped my hands off the bars... knowing what i knew from talking to my friends in racing they said "tunk you hand in and jump your better off than getting slammed head first into the pavement at high speeds... (fill in the rest). so i did and all i ened up with was a bumb left foot and some truamma... which i feel i have over come and bought myself another 750 (sold my last one on ebay..$250with LOTS of extra's).

Anyways if you have seen my other post's or pictures you would know that i'm "restoring" my 77 due to the fact that i'm not gunna take a chance you only have 2 wheels on the ground and you bike depends on "balence" so my bike is getting new brakes.. wheel bearings chain, sprockets, Tires, shocks if needed, bronze trailing arm bushings, tappered bearings for the tripple tree, ect... just the safty items. i'm glad i did though cuz sunday i torre apart my rear end only to find my old bushing for the swing arm were rusted to the Collar.. ALL my rear bearings had major detents and my sprockets were toast... ect... so case in point its better to err on the safe side than take your life on some $8 bearings and some of your time...

BTW i only road that Ninja for 30min before i knew it was "bad"