calvin steering head bearings

[Richard Tasmania]

I have new tyres fitted to my California Vintage 2007. It falls into corners at very low speeds. I have checked tyre pressure. I have raised the front wheel and when I gently turn the handle bars it stutters, grabs lightly, at the same spot. I have inspected the cables and cannot see them interfering with the movement.
There is 37 000 kilometres on the odometer.
I think there is a problem with the steering head bearings. Perhaps too tight? I have not done anything to the steering head so that is probably not the case.
Anything left to check before I test my abilities and replace the bearings?

[LesP]

How was it with the tyres that were replaced ?

[Richard Tasmania]

 I think the new tyres have been an improvement. The fact that when I have the bike up on the center stand, a jack lifting the front tyre, I can feel a distinct restriction of movement in the same spot has me thinking it is a problem with the bearings.
It only occurs at low speeds, 10 km or less. The bike sort of drops into the corner.

[s1120]

There should not be any catch when turning the forks. Should be a smooth transition from side to side.

[80CX100]

It only occurs at low speeds, 10 km or less. The bike sort of drops into the corner.

I noticed the same unsettling feeling on my CalVin at very low parking lot speeds, it seemed to fall into turns.

I've meant to check the head bearing, but never got around to it, but what's helped the feel of that bike at low speeds for me is trail braking the rear brake at very low speeds, seems to smooth out and settle down the handling quite a bit.

With the linked front brake coming into play you have to pay attention to road debris etc, but for now that's helped a lot.

I will be curious to see if you tackle the head bearing and what effect it will have.

Good luck

Kelly

[Sheepdog]

Damaged steering damper?

[Richard Tasmania]

I removed the steering damper. Is this the reason it falls into corners at low speed?
It does distinctly appear to tighten at a certain spot when I move the handlebars and the front wheel is raised.

[Loop Tonti EV]

With the front wheel off the ground and the steering damper removed does it still seem notchy? If so you likely have bad head bearings, at least the bottom one. All it takes is a hard bump that bottoms the fork travel to dent the lower bearing race, hence the notchy feel. If the Cal Vin is set up properly it should handle well without the steering damper.

[Sheepdog]

With the front wheel off the ground and the steering damper removed does it still seem notchy? If so you likely have bad head bearings, at least the bottom one. All it takes is a hard bump that bottoms the fork travel to dent the lower bearing race, hence the notchy feel. If the Cal Vin is set up properly it should handle well without the steering damper.

This seems likely. The standard friction steering damper is not a particularly good one. Dampers can help with side wind gusts, but the one on the Vintage becomes ineffective within the first year. Careful windshield installation (well raked and perfectly centered) is the better weapon to combat stability.

Installation of a tapered roller bearings in the steering head is not difficult, though you should reserve a day to do it. I put some on my old BMW R60 and the bike was transformed...