So I left town, parked my 09 GSF under a cover for a week and came back to seriously notchy steering, causing a low speed wobble and difficulty executing slow speed turns.  It was unsettling to say the least.  I checked tire pressure first and it was dead on.  Looked over everything on the front end but there is no obvious sign that anything is bad or broken.  I'm almost sure the steering head bearing(s) went bad.  The guys at the shop agree.  My question is how and why?  It was perfectly fine before I left (ride the bike nearly everyday).  The bike has low mileage (45xx km) and is stock aside from a slip-on can and LED tail and indicator lights (not turn signal).  The mechanic asked me if I had the battery on a charger (nope) and/or if I left the parking light on (Nope).  He left me with the impression that an electrical current running through? the bike can cause bearings to fail.  Im just wondering if you guys have any insight into this or if you think something else is going on.  I assumed water got in there since I commute in the rain quite a bit.  We'll see what they have to say once they tear into it.

I do not know what could cause it to occur so suddenly unless a bearing broke from stress or cold weather or the bearing collar cracked.

I had the same symptoms with a bad lower steering bearing on Trey. With him, he was fine for 5 minutes until the lower steering head warmed up from riding then started exactly what you feel. At a stop, he wanted to steer to the side and fall over.

When I removed the steering stem the bearing was all rusty and not really a bearing anymore.

The lower bearing is a real pain to get off and replace. I get a used steering stem from a good bike with low mileage. Grease the bearings really well and swap the whole steering stem. Cheap and maybe less than hour to do it.

Did someone knock your bike over without you knowing?

Quote from: Twisted on February 26, 2013, 03:25:39 PM
Did someone knock your bike over without you knowing?

This was my first thought when reading the OP... An '09 with a bad steering bearing? Just doesn't seem likely to me at all... I suppose strangers things have happened...

- Bboy

Quote from: adidasguy on February 26, 2013, 02:52:45 PM
I do not know what could cause it to occur so suddenly unless a bearing broke from stress or cold weather or the bearing collar cracked.

I had the same symptoms with a bad lower steering bearing on Trey. With him, he was fine for 5 minutes until the lower steering head warmed up from riding then started exactly what you feel. At a stop, he wanted to steer to the side and fall over.

When I removed the steering stem the bearing was all rusty and not really a bearing anymore.

The lower bearing is a real pain to get off and replace. I get a used steering stem from a good bike with low mileage. Grease the bearings really well and swap the whole steering stem. Cheap and maybe less than hour to do it.

Same here.  Coming to a stop light was freaky.  I found myself putting both feet down at a few stops to avoid dumping the bike.  Both guys at the shop were surprised at how bad the steering was.  Turns out the lower bearing was bad like yours. Like really bad.  He said it just fell apart when he took the lower portion of the clamp off.  It was completely rusted.  I'm sure that this has been happening since the bike was new and not just in the 4 months that I have owned it.  I just hope water wont get in there again now that it is repaired. 

I would have loved to fix it myself but I just don't have the space or time to work on it.  I'm missing a few important tools as well.

Quote from: BockinBboy on February 26, 2013, 07:18:18 PM

Quote from: Twisted on February 26, 2013, 03:25:39 PM
Did someone knock your bike over without you knowing?

This was my first thought when reading the OP... An '09 with a bad steering bearing? Just doesn't seem likely to me at all... I suppose strangers things have happened...

- Bboy

One of the first thoughts I had as well.  I looked it over carefully and there wasn't any sign that it had been tampered with or knocked over.  Now that I know what the lower bearing looked like, I'm almost sure water seeped in there at some point or continuously over time.  If you guys are wondering,  I don't even own a pressure washer.  Seems to me that something was wrong straight from the factory or the PO pressure washed it???

Anyone need a slightly used lower steering head bearing?  I'm not emotionally attached to it so I'd let it go for a killer price 

Wow, that's pretty crazy... I would be checking over the rest of the bike for similarly affected parts/areas/etc..

- Bboy

I would bet the PO pressure washed it. That's the only way water can get in there unless it was in a flood. Those bearings are greased. Pressure washing will flush out the grease.
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