I am not sure if this is going to be a common failure but the head stock bearings were so clunky, the tester had to fail the bike. He showed us that when you jack the bike up, the steering stays dead centre and you can feel that is almost like one of the ball bearings is spring loaded and there is a hole for it. Bike is a September 2011 registered MY2012 with just shy of 9000 miles. Big disappointment but local dealer has been great as usual and will try and get the parts as an out of warranty goodwill gesture. Andy
This can be a corrosion thing. If water gets in, the bearings can corrode against the race, creating notches in the race and giving you indexed steering
To be fair that is probably the correct answer, the bike gets ridden in all weathers and we've been out in some real shitty weather. Le Mans for the Moto GP in 2012 springs to mind, 5 days of torrential rain from the day we left home to the day we go back. Andy
So an update after the head stock bearings were changed today, bottom bearing was shagged and on the point of breaking up. Bike is 5 years old, best part of 9000 miles, ridden in all weathers and to my knowledge never been wheelied. Not entirely sure why, if the bearing races are supposedly sealed, the inside of the headstock was full of shit but that clearly contributed to the bearing's demise. On an entirely separate issue, we were informed that the oil cooler has a weeping leak and the keyless aerial is duff. 15000 mile service is going to be an arm and a leg, 7 hours labour plus parts plus new oil cooler plus new keyless aerial. What is it that they say ? Reassuringly expensive ! Andy
I had an Audi A5 fail this week on a "bad oil leak!".I said to the tester it ain't an F1 car that could cause cars behind to skid and lose control or crash? Never had this in 42 years of motor trading
I do every day! Fat blokes in spandex clogging Ascot/Windsor roads every day! I preferred it when they were weekend Warriors riding ridiculous Harley's around with all the sad clobber on
I had an 'advisory' on a Yam - small drip, but they said it needed fixing. Goodness knows how old Brits get through
This reminds me. Diesel spills on roundabouts were a common hazard 30 years ago, but I've just realised that recently I haven't found any in a long time. Perhaps the fuel fillers are better sealed these days.
Plenty around Dundee. On the road in from the A90 heading south the second roundabout always has plenty of diesel where the buses enter and exit from the Fintry housing scheme.
