Flawed Front End On 400 Bike!!!

Yep, the first outing on the 400 didn’t last long, and rather than the expected tweak of the suspension with a screwdriver to find a decent set-up, I ended up looking a bit of a plonker……..

Having set off for a quick noise check prior to heading out on the circuit for a couple of shake-down sessions, it only took the first left turn in the paddock to realise that something wasn’t quite right. Basically the steering was all over the place, with none of the normal self aligning semi-gyroscopic feeling that you get when you lean the bike over to steer it.

Unfortunately the bottom of the headstock was fouling the top of the bottom yoke, and the whole thing was pivoting around a metal-on-metal contact, rather than the nice taper roller bearings I’d fitted. I’m sure it wasn’t like this in the garage, but I’m taking it on the chin……..

Anyway, it needs a 2.5mm spacer between the bottom yoke and the bottom taper bearing to end up with a 0.5mm clearance, and I’ve been fortunate to find that sailing boats seem to need 30mm diameter stainless washers in what they call “Form B” for something or other. And guess what?? They’re 2.5mm thick!! Result or what??

So as soon as they arrive I’m hoping that everything else will go back together ok – I may need to get a small amount of material milled from the top yoke to allow the stem nut to have a bit more thread to tighten on, but I’ll see if I can get away with it first.

Will keep ya posted……………