Manual says to use special purpose grease, p/n 99857-97. What grease should I use, wheel bearing grease or the kind used to grease the front end of most cars?

 

Most use a decent high-temp grease. The regular stuff has a tendency to drip as the heat from the motor thins it out.

 

So maybe a marine wheel bearing grease would work?

 

A lot of guys use that. But it really doesn't matter as long as it's the true high temp stuff.

Try to find the temp rating on the label...believe it or not, some "high temp" grease really isn't. If the label doesn't list the temp, move on to something else. Look for a rating of, say, 400 degrees or higher.

 

Green Grease and Lucas Red 'N Tacky Grease both work great.

 

Don't think you ever need to worry about temps of 400 degrees in the steering head bearing. Only way to get that thing close to that is with a blow-torch...hehehehehe

 

Btw, jus kidding...Green Grease works well, not much drip. Interesting thing though. I let the dealer do my 1000 service. Why? Who knows. But at the next service where you are to top off the grease in the steering head , it took 3 small tubes to fill it. Guess those a-holes overlooked that little detail.

 

 

I used the Lucas Red n Tacky and after a year or so the grease started "weeping", flowed along the back of the fork clamp, and down the left cowbell. It didn't weep on the fender though as some have reported. I may migrate to the green grease and try that. BTW, it will take a good portion of a regular sized tube to fill that void in the steering head...or at least it did in mine.

 

Do most auto or farm type stores that sell grease and oil sell "Green grease"
and is green grease the manufacturers name?