when was the last time you changed the fork oil

I voted for regular maintenance schedule. Which is true, but I have fudged the schedule by a few thousand miles.

It is really a remove clean and replace oil, just dumping it does not accomplish alot as you have a lot of mooge and sludge on the bottom of the stanchion. Just saying. I have a nice K&L fork seal driving tool that I had to mention, use it for EX and my VFRs.

Every 2 years Remove tear apart and replace repack head bearings. Was a royal PITA when living in apartment and rentals without garages or sheds.

Not had my bike a year yet but replaced all fluids inc forks when I first got it as there was no maintance history. I'll probably be replacing once a year as I will be doing ~5 trackdays. a season.

I hate doing head bearings!!! Got a nice long tapered race punch that is terrific for knocking them out of the head. Then I get to use an air hammer (cheap one) to knock out the cage on the stem. Its just a crappy job any way you look at it.

ridervfr said:

I hate doing head bearings!!! Got a nice long tapered race punch that is terrific for knocking them out of the head. Then I get to use an air hammer (cheap one) to knock out the cage on the stem. Its just a crappy job any way you look at it.

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Especially if you are converting it from ball bearings to tapered, it just never seems as smooth as I would hope. Have done it to the Blackbird and (2) 500's so far and every time putting the lower bearing race in I feel like I am fighting it the whole way.

FlipFlop said:

Especially if you are converting it from ball bearings to tapered, it just never seems as smooth as I would hope. Have done it to the Blackbird and (2) 500's so far and every time putting the lower bearing race in I feel like I am fighting it the whole way.

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silly question but did you ever measure the ID of both bearings and the OD of the shaft, the bearings on the ER500 triple are different by 0.5mm the bigger one being fitted to btm race. reason I say this is the part no's are the same as the EX,when I ordered them.
otherwise do the thermal cycling thing shaft in the freezer overnight bearing in the low oven to warm up. if your quick it just slides into place with minimum effort.

FlipFlop said:

Especially if you are converting it from ball bearings to tapered, it just never seems as smooth as I would hope. Have done it to the Blackbird and (2) 500's so far and every time putting the lower bearing race in I feel like I am fighting it the whole way.

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Usually for my own stuff, I go OEM, the Hondas get OEM unless its a regulator rectifier, then they are aftermarket. The Kawasaki I had to go with (shameless plug) All Balls just based on the fact that they were tapered rollers compared to loose balls just siting there (WTF, my 60 year old Raleigh bicycle has this technology.) I stick the neck in the freezer, and sometimes heat the lower bearing race with MAP gas, sometimes no too. Just remember to put the bottom part on before you install the lower bearing race. (no, I am not talking from experience either LOL truth.) Peace

I did not know the ER500 was that different. For the 500's it could have been a thing, but to been the same thing on the Blackbird I am thinking I was being all thumbs or something more so on my part.