[old3]

What you are missing is the light flywheel effect of the 300 allowing much easier manipulation of the machine by the rider. The Ninja 250/300 doesn't feel light because it is, in fact for what it is, it is heavy. It is the lower gyroscopic mass that makes it so easy to flip from full right to full left. You can buy a faster bike but only a supermoto, or a small bore under 500cc 2t will have as light a feel to the handling.

 

[cbzdel]

You could buy a better off bike, but then what are you going to do.. Rip it apart and still mod everything, because there are ALWAYS aftermarket parts that are better that stock..

Every mod I am doing to my 300 I would do to ANY CC bike I own... So really I am still saving a TON of money.. I would trick out a Geo Metro if I had one.. I would trick out a Ferrari if I had one.. Its just in my blood.. Its not about the money, its about what I like to do as hobbies

 

[HardRacing]

Hey guys, here's the Post for the link to the Steering Bearing kits..

>>>> STEERING HEAD BEARINGS <<<<

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[Ghost_Rida]

Can you share the link?
thanks

im in for it as well well. Share please

 

[cbzdel]

im in for it as well well. Share please

look at the big bold post above yours

 

[veksdeath]

lol

 

[HardRacing]

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We made it a little bigger.

And RED.

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[Ryephile]

Big thanks to old3 for doing the research, and thanks HardRacing for making the bearings super easy to buy. I look forward to feeling the improvement.

 

[HardRacing]

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No Problem.

Glad we could help you guys out.

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[cbzdel]

I plan on doing this mod once I decide what to do with my front suspension, dont want to take apart the front end twice.. For less than $40 why not if its already taken apart.

 

[HardRacing]

I plan on doing this mod once I decide what to do with my front suspension, dont want to take apart the front end twice.. For less than $40 why not if its already taken apart.

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Good Call.

For those considering upgrading their Fork Internals... Wait to install your head bearings, at the same time.

Less Labor.

But, you can still order the bearings Now.

Just wait to install them at the same time.


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[old3]

I wouldn't wait. The front wheel, fender, caliper and fork tubes are actually really easy to pull off. The longest part of the job is removing the old lower bearing and driving in the races. I can have the forks off in my hand in under 20 minutes easy.

Wait if you want but every time you take it apart you get better at it and the bearing alone is worth the trouble.

I have about 100 miles on them now and I am amazed how much better the bike feels in rough pavement and expansion joints or frost heaves. Solid and stable. Turns better too.

Pulling it apart to do the forks is an easy task and you can leave the triple clamps in. You should not have to pull them out for 30k miles if you pack the bearings well.

 

[HardRacing]

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Good info.

Thanks for the post.


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[old3]

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Good info.

Thanks for the post.


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Thanks for supporting the site!

 

[HardRacing]

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Of Course.

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[homie3186]

anyone ever make a how to with pics on replacing the bearings?

 

[old3]

It is pretty straight forward. Jack up the bike, you need to have the wheel, forks and triples out so no race stand. I used a floor jack, a block of wood under the header and the side stand. You only need enough lift to get the wheel off.

Remove brake caliper, remove wheel, fender, handlebars, fork legs.

Remove upper center nut, then the lower retaining ring threaded on the stem, now the clamp will drop out the bottom so have a hand under to catch it.

Tap out the upper/lower races and toss the balls in the trash. Remove the lower race on the stem, a few taps with a drift and it pops off, real junk.

Install races by tapping them on the outer edge with a large socket, or you can use threaded rod and washers/nuts to "press" them in. This is the hardest part, cause you can't really swing a hammer much between the fairings up to the lower race. It took me 10-15 minutes of cursing to get that one in, it kept wanting to get crooked. A longer drift to tap and a second set of helper hands might have made it much easier.

Pack the bearings with waterproof grease, Bel Ray has great stuff, green in color at any bike shop, about $5 for a tub of it. You need to jam grease in the bearing everywhere, scrape it in by cupping your palm with grease in it and scraping the bearing thru it on the edges, spin the bearing and keep it up till you can't get anymore in it, them smear them on the rollers. Smear the races too. A heavy finger of grease.

Install lower bearing on stem, again, light tapping on the inner most edge so you don't trash the bearings. Use the 90 degree method with this and the races, move the point you tap 1/4 of the way from the last tap so it goes in straight.

Assemble the triples, you can tighten the upper ring till you feel the bearings get tight while turning the triples back & forth, then just slightly back it off to release the pressure. This is called seating the bearings, just like on a car wheel or trailer wheel.

Reassemble and ride it.

That Bel Ray grease is great for the axels too. Give them a swipe to cover them so they don't get corroded to the bearings in the wheels.


I think I hit all the big points. I'd use some red locktite on the caliper bolts too, or safety wire them.

Recheck the tension on the bearings after 500-1000 miles, you can just check for play by jacking up the front, grabbing the fork lowers and pulling them to check for play, (click, click) at the head.

 

[felo]

a diy would have been awesome... with pics i mean

 

[old3]

Yes, it would be dandy! I hope someone does one for you. I expect CB will so he can show off his disco satin valve stem caps...

 

[icon1k]

Disco satin? Aw yeah hook me up

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