I gotta report back on this... I was informed by a buddy that my steering was too loose and could be why my turns are bit more unstable... I tighten my steering Stem up a bit and WOW. What a difference!? I hold line much better! Thanks.
good, clear video. the top triple clamp nut on my YZ125 is 105 ft lbs! just make sure to check the service manual for proper torque specs. the long wrench gave you good torque, though.
IS it then my steering stem or forks I have to adjust? Was trying to safety my 84 kawi 550 and struggling with 1/8 in of free play between tight bottom nut and plastic rubber stem cap (keep dirt out of grease).
Is the ease of steering only due to bearing tightening or may be smth else (i.e. front end height) as well? I have 2023 beta rr300 and on slow speeds have the "too easy stearing" / the front wants to max to one or other side real easy (need to fight it to correct the steering) which makes landing quite unstable (i.e jumping logs, etc). Once i hav weighted the bike and tilted even a bit to either side, it instantly wants to go full steer. I know, stronger arms would not hurt 😅 just that my old ktm exc 250 didn't have such behaviour and was rather "tank" - needed to use strength to steer the bike rather than as with beta need a lot of strength to countersteer
The other day I went to hop on my bike and the Handle bars were stiff/ stuck at first, but I just gave it a little push and it broke loose. Also All of a sudden my bike started feeling wobbly and like it doesn’t wanna lean in corners or turn well, along with the handle bars just feeling weird. Would this be the steering bearings or what?
I would assume so, check front wheel bearings aswell. I just had to do wheel and steering stem bearings. And I was having the same feeling in the front end when I would hit a corner with any kind of speed it felt like the front wheel wanted to slip out from under me. Steering stem and wheel bearings made it feel tight again🤟🏽💯
You should strip a bike when its new. Fully clean and repack with grease. Grease picks up water and shyte over time and holds it in your bearing and wrecks it
If you loosen the bottom clamps, then tighten the top center nut, you're lowering the top clamp in relation to the chassis. While the fork height would look the same, it's actually changing the fork height in relation to the chassis. So it would in turn "push the forks out"
Michael bud i really appreciate your videos but you only should loosen the bottom pinch bolts not the top, this ensures you wont change the fork height and then go back and tighten the lower pinch bolt. of course that's only if your tightening the steering stem. Idkn maybe im over thinking this and just go ahead a loosen the top.
Since the bottom fork clamp is still tight the forks never moved.... The only movement is about a half thread of the nut on steering stem therefore the upper clamp will move in relation to the fork a half thread as well. ..but the overall fork height didnt....your handlebars moved the same but a half of a thread is inconsequential.
should't the forks be removed in the first place ? ? then the Steering Stem Nut set to 43 inch pounds for a safe way to start but not to go any less then that amount of bearing tension, that could cause a major fail point. And to only be set with a higher amount of preference from the rider before putting 72 ft pounds on the head nut with forks installed
@@waceywright4745 Eh sounds like you could do it all with the forks on the bike. I tap the upper triple clamp with a rubber mallet to free up the binding so its all even and not being hung up. Yeah a minimum is good, though I'd guess that any good tightness is well above the minimum.
Problem with this video it’s moot point! They’re are way to many variables to even close to right. I mean all bikes are generally the same but that’s it. Kinda like my cousin Ernie. He’s a freak crackhead where I’m laid back. Okay maybe not but yeah!
I gotta report back on this... I was informed by a buddy that my steering was too loose and could be why my turns are bit more unstable... I tighten my steering Stem up a bit and WOW. What a difference!? I hold line much better! Thanks.
Tighten would be counter clockwise correct? Since it’s upside down?
@@briansautoshinellc If you watch the video, they show that tightening is clockwise.
@@briansautoshinellcno it’s not upside down, it’s the normal way of tightening so that means clockwise😅
I had the same! Yesterday just tried it out and man, my lines are so smooth now. Really gives you confidence, also i the ruts on jump faces
That’s how to videos are great man I couldn’t find a video like this till now.
good, clear video. the top triple clamp nut on my YZ125 is 105 ft lbs! just make sure to check the service manual for proper torque specs. the long wrench gave you good torque, though.
Fixed my bike within few minutes thanks
Great vid! Thank you!
Thank you so much for your video. It helped me a lot.
Great explanation 😊❤ thank you !
MIKE... Why do you personally like the amount of tightness that you do? And how do you feel about steering dampeners?
Cheers Michael
Really nice video! Thank you!
So, if you tap on the top clamp it will come off and you can lube the top bearing without removing the forks right? :D
i loosend mine too much and it dropped 2-3 inches from where the centre bolt connects. any tips on getting it back up its hard to wiggle it back up
IS it then my steering stem or forks I have to adjust? Was trying to safety my 84 kawi 550 and struggling with 1/8 in of free play between tight bottom nut and plastic rubber stem cap (keep dirt out of grease).
Is the ease of steering only due to bearing tightening or may be smth else (i.e. front end height) as well? I have 2023 beta rr300 and on slow speeds have the "too easy stearing" / the front wants to max to one or other side real easy (need to fight it to correct the steering) which makes landing quite unstable (i.e jumping logs, etc). Once i hav weighted the bike and tilted even a bit to either side, it instantly wants to go full steer. I know, stronger arms would not hurt 😅 just that my old ktm exc 250 didn't have such behaviour and was rather "tank" - needed to use strength to steer the bike rather than as with beta need a lot of strength to countersteer
The other day I went to hop on my bike and the Handle bars were stiff/ stuck at first, but I just gave it a little push and it broke loose. Also All of a sudden my bike started feeling wobbly and like it doesn’t wanna lean in corners or turn well, along with the handle bars just feeling weird. Would this be the steering bearings or what?
I would assume so, check front wheel bearings aswell. I just had to do wheel and steering stem bearings. And I was having the same feeling in the front end when I would hit a corner with any kind of speed it felt like the front wheel wanted to slip out from under me. Steering stem and wheel bearings made it feel tight again🤟🏽💯
Yes, change the bearings. My 2020 yz125 had ruined steering stem bearings at 13 hours due to water and dirt.
@@ethan.D thanks for the help man 🤟🏽
@@Cize17 np hopefully you got it all fixed up🤙🏽
You should strip a bike when its new. Fully clean and repack with grease. Grease picks up water and shyte over time and holds it in your bearing and wrecks it
Why can’t you do the bottom triple clamps and losen the top center? This would save your fork height being wrong after right?
If you loosen the bottom clamps, then tighten the top center nut, you're lowering the top clamp in relation to the chassis. While the fork height would look the same, it's actually changing the fork height in relation to the chassis. So it would in turn "push the forks out"
@@vitalmx interesting. I wonder if that’s why my front end still has play because I’ve been doing it the wrong way…. I’ll try it lol
Does the front end need tobe off the ground to adjust and tighten up the streeing
I like mine cranked. I go through bearings way too fast but it's worth it lol
Hi! I'm planning to buy a 2010 GSXR 750 and it's just hard to steer. Is this one will work to solve the problem? Thank you!
Could be a steering stabilizer which is beneficial but yes it could be, tighter is better for stability
Hey folks
Question? What the did he say after Hello?
"This is Mike Lindsay with Vital MX and I'm down here at Chapparal Motorsports today..."
isn't there supposed to be a lock washer with tabs you have to bend down first?
I got a 2021 rmz 250 and the back end of the bike is to loose how do I adjust that
What exactly do you mean by loose the bike coming out from under you?
Why no torque wrench for the upper nut? Lol
72 FT-pounds
@@waceywright4745 80ft/lbs for a Honda
How does it work on the ktm sxf ?
It doesn’t. That’s why you don’t buy GAYTM
@@livefastdiequick Your a dick, no one likes you go away
@@cadenratliff1318 everyone loves me and that’s why you’re mad. Get a real bike, kid.
@@livefastdiequick I'm 16 and ride a Susuki dumbass same bike as yours, at least whichever one is in your vid on ur channel
@@cadenratliff1318 you’re 16 and need better grammar. When I was 16, I ATLEAST used the right form of your
Michael bud i really appreciate your videos but you only should loosen the bottom pinch bolts not the top, this ensures you wont change the fork height and then go back and tighten the lower pinch bolt. of course that's only if your tightening the steering stem. Idkn maybe im over thinking this and just go ahead a loosen the top.
Fork hight dont change you have to loosen all pinch bolts.
Since the bottom fork clamp is still tight the forks never moved.... The only movement is about a half thread of the nut on steering stem therefore the upper clamp will move in relation to the fork a half thread as well. ..but the overall fork height didnt....your handlebars moved the same but a half of a thread is inconsequential.
Sounds like that'd make sense, but if you only tighten it half a turn, it probably didn't change the height, but by .3mm or something
should't the forks be removed in the first place ? ? then the Steering Stem Nut set to 43 inch pounds for a safe way to start but not to go any less then that amount of bearing tension, that could cause a major fail point. And to only be set with a higher amount of preference from the rider before putting 72 ft pounds on the head nut with forks installed
@@waceywright4745 Eh sounds like you could do it all with the forks on the bike. I tap the upper triple clamp with a rubber mallet to free up the binding so its all even and not being hung up. Yeah a minimum is good, though I'd guess that any good tightness is well above the minimum.
Problem with this video it’s moot point! They’re are way to many variables to even close to right. I mean all bikes are generally the same but that’s it. Kinda like my cousin Ernie. He’s a freak crackhead where I’m laid back. Okay maybe not but yeah!