I put my 1985 FLTC up for the winter today and have it up on the lift. It no longer has a fairing as it was changed out for a windshield and is now a single head light. I was looking for the steering head bearing grease fitting and see none. Am I missing something or do I need to disassemble a lot to find it. Thanks

 

Probably need to disassemble it. But while it is apart, is the perfect time to drill and tap it for a grease fitting

 

Chec
0R
renew
bearings
&
races

 

there are no grease fittings on an 85. my 85 had the bearings greased when it was built. if or when they go bad, i'll replace them then.

 

The only time I ever replace bearing is if I am using new neck cups, it's a new frame, or they are notchy. And here is another confession. I hardly ever change the races too.

 

Thanks all, My other bike is a 2005 so they are two different animals but I'm learning.

 

I can't help thinking that carrying around half a can of grease in the steering head isn't a very good idea! It's not as if it is going to do anything useful, just to be thrown away many years hence, so I wouldn't bother putting a grease nipple there myself. Head bearings normally last donkey's years in my experience, so replace and grease when they need it.

 

I'm with gr on that. Grease above the bearing could slip down to "renew" what's there, but all that grease filling a neck won't do anything for the upper bearing, except what's in it to start with.

 

I greased the first set of head bearings in my bike (through the grease fitting) every 10K miles and they were notching at 80,000 miles. I grease the replacement bearings every 5K miles and they're still good at 127,000 miles, so the grease does do some good in my experience.

 

Races
will
n0tch
if
nec
adjustment
has been
L00SE