2013 Fatboy Lo - maintenance schedule says to lubricate steering head bearings at 10,000 mi.
My bike has 4400 miles on it and I am doing the 5K schedule. I thought the steering head bearings were to be lubed at 5K, so I performed this task. The steering head took almost 14 oz of lube before it filled up.....that tells me that HD doesn't grease the bearings very well at the factory.

Bottom line: You may want to do this maintenance task early to ensure long life of your bearings.

 

good intel....thanks.

 

Actually the HD process is to grease the bearings BEFORE installation. When you accomplish the task, you are filling up the neck with grease before the grease can be pushed through the bearings. Two different processes but it doesn't mean HD didn't grease the bearings,

 

I realize HD greased the bearings...why would they not? But, if the cavity is full then you don't get any moisture to cause corrosion. Realize those bearing don't get the same wear and tear as wheel bearings; but, that grease will lube the locking mechanism too and keep moisture out, eliminating corrosion which will ruin the lock and bearing over time.

 

This has been posted hundreds of times in here..

As said above the bearings ARE greased at the factory,, but the first time afterwards use the Zerk, it will take a lot to fill the whole neck housing to get some to finally come out of the bearings..

Also HD does make a special neck bearing lube that I've used since the first time. Its not the same as wheel grease that will seep out and IMO is a lot better.

 

Yeah, if you don't use a good quality hi temp grease, you'll be cleaning grease off your front fender on those hot summer days...for years. Lol