[Navin]

After having them fail on my 13 Ninja 300 at around 800 miles, and on several others in the family/ friend circle, I was hoping to find more than a ToysRUs bicycle style loose ball bearing in the R3, but wouldn't have been surprised to find the same junk to be honest.

Well, I dug into her today, nice caged ball bearings resting in a decent amount of grease. A finger of WP grease just cause I'm there and buttoned it back up.

So, another category/component that's a step above the nice but too poorly outfitted Ninjette 300.

Well done Yamaha guys!

 

[Mike-the-Bike]

The steering bearing is one of the 600 mile checks that the dealer charges $320.00 plus an oil change for!

 

[Navin]

Yeah, I'm sure they do! Lol! Setting the tension isn't terribly difficult. I'd say most can skip checking it at that mile point. Good thing to inspect, lube and adjust over the winter or on a rainy day. I won't touch it again till there is snow on the ground unless a problem in them surfaces.

 

[mgfchapin]

Any chance you got the dimensions of the bearings in there? Some tapered needle bearings might be worth a try, but that's promising to know that Yamaha uses decent ones at the factory.

 

[Navin]

No, sorry. My mic battery is dead. I did tapered rollers in a few Ninjettes, I'm sure All Balls will have them available if they can fit. Iirc, a guy said one GSXR stem was the same diameter. I have fingers crossed that these will last.

 

[mgfchapin]

No, sorry. My mic battery is dead. I did tapered rollers in a few Ninjettes, I'm sure All Balls will have them available if they can fit. Iirc, a guy said one GSXR stem was the same diameter. I have fingers crossed that these will last.

No worries, it's easy enough to check myself, just hoped you had the dims. I don't mess with All Balls if I can help it; it's mostly Chinese crap in fancy packaging.

 

[Navin]

Unfortunately according to my local bearing supply house, so is everything else.