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Am currently working on steering head bearing issues. Will try to post pictures soon.

wellcome to the jungle!

The head bearings are a fairly standard tapered roller bearing. Your local bearing shop should be able to match them rather easily, and will may be cheaper than the Ducati shop. The bearing number is stamped into the outside race. They may be the same as later version Ducatis. Desmo Times has a nice set of bearings that may fit. http://www.desmotimes.com/
Although the site doesn't mention it, the kit comes with nice seals. I have installed them on several bikes, and they work great. If kept clean an lubed, they should last forever, but water is the eternal enemy. As with all bikes, these bearings are generally neglegted, and should be cleaned and lubed with a nice thick waterproof grease, especially on a 18 year old bike. Check them every time you have the front wheel off.

Nice bike by the way. Where do you live?

Cheers,

Thanks for the info. I live in Savannah, Georgia.

ducinthebay wrote:Nice bike by the way.

...and very, very nice that BMW, too.
Ciao

looks pristine!@

is that the one that was on ebay recently that i was drooling over? just wondering where you picked her up.

I am also a new owner, i suppose its about a month now - but im hooked. work out the little issues you might have and then ride! Im not used to sport bikes as my daily is a a cruiser, so that colors my perspective - but its so light, quick and responsive - the compact design really shines through with just enough of what you need to connect with the road.

i admit, getting back on the cruiser can be a relief, sort of like landing back on that oh so comfortable couch after a hard day at work -- but drink a double espresso and take out the sport and life takes on so much more than the couch potato comforts!

I bought it off the Savannah Craig's List. It was locally owned.

let's see more of that beemer... we have something in common I think

I will post a picture in the off topic thread.

hi, here is a tip to avoid trouble when performing this job. under the bearing on the lower fork clamp is a aluminum spacer. the o.d. surface of this spacer is where the big seal mounted in the steering head seals out the elements. there is also a o-ring in a grove in its i.d. to seal against the steering stem. the top bearing has the exact same setup and they are interchangeable. when removing the lower bearing,this spacer is easily damaged if you hack at it. if you pry it off, insert the tool between the clamp surface and the spacer with the curved edge of the tool to the spacer. i use the thinnest,strongest scrapers i can find that are wide enough to contact the entire spacer surface when prying it off but a proper bearing puller is the best tool for the job. i know all this cause i hacked mine up the first time i changed the bearings. a couple of years ago the seals and spacers were still available so if you do damage them there is a chance you can still get them. i just hope this tip will save another poor wrench from being launched into orbit. a few of mine are still up there. blaster

Thanks for the tip. I have not yet attempted to change the bearings yet. I adjusted them and it seems to be ok. I talked to the shop where the former owner had the bike serviced. The shop said that some modifications had been made to install upside down forks and 17" wheels. (removed before I purchased). Aparently when the former owner put the original front end back on, he did not get the bearings properly installed. I hope to perhaps go ahead and put the aforementioned forks and 17" wheels back on in the future.

blaster wrote:when removing the lower bearing,this spacer is easily damaged if you hack at it.........but a proper bearing puller is the best tool for the job.

I paid a shop to use the correct tool and they butchered my aluminum spacer. I wound up having to work the spacer with some sandpaper to get it back the way it needed to be.

The easiest way I've removed the inner race from the stem is to use a Dremel with a cutting wheel, and when it is cut deep enough, the pressure will break the rest of the way through the race and it will open up.....and you just slide it back off of the stem. It takes a few minutes, and you have to be careful with the cutter, but this method has worked pretty well for me. If in doubt on cutting too deeply, sometimes cutting a decent groove and then smacking it with a hammer and chisel will break the race apart a little quicker and easier.

as we all know, there are plenty of hacks working at dealers. having also worked on the line at dealerships, i have witnessed this in action. how embarrassing. blaster