Hi folks,

while changing all my clock lights, I decided to also regrease the steering bearings as they had never been done. All went well and put the bike back together but I tried to check the steering nut adjustment as suggested in the manual (measuring the force taken to move the handlebar from center - should be between 200 and 500 grams with the front wheel 30 cm off the ground).

However when I have the front wheel off the ground (on what I believe is a flat surface but have not put a level measure on it yet) the handlebars always fall to the right , they do not rest in the centre.

I tried with the steering stem adjustment nut a little tighter and a little looser but this did not affect the falling to the right issue.

Do i have bent forks? Bad alignment of the triple clamps? Wheel badly aligned? and other ideas?

thanks

Brett

It always falls to the right because of the weight from the caliper and brake rotor. Easiest thing to do would be to remove the wheel and caliper (hang the caliper from the frame so the brake line isn't stressed).

Weight the forks.

Grease adds friction. It will be tighter than before and that is normal and to be sorta "broken in".
Neck bearings are best adjusted by feel unless nothing is bolted onto the forks - like gauges, brakes, headlight, speedo etc etc etc.
I've noticed with new bearings greased to the max, hand tight and back 1/8th turn on the lower lock nut is a good starting point where you can ride it and work it out. If you're using a spanner or a socket spanner you may have to do 1/4 turn back after tightening with that.

Cool.
Buddha.