GSX-R1000 K6 with only 8,000 kilometers on the odometer.
Previously, when I completely disassembled the steering, cleaned it, applied oil, and adjusted it, it became extremely smooth.
It really did!
Plus, the component assembly is arranged from the top as nut, top bridge, and then the adjustment nut.
This adjustment nut was tightened rock solid and wouldn’t budge at all!
Unbelievable! In the end, I had to slip a pipe over a hook wrench and really crank it loose.
This time it’s the same story: the tightening is rock solid, and the grease is sparse—that’s the standard.
When you thoroughly clean this area and work in a good-quality, free-flowing grease really well, you get an extremely tight fit with virtually no play.
Then when you tighten it up, it’s extremely smooth.
This time it’s the swingarm linkage area, but the tightening doesn’t change anything around the links themselves—the swingarm
pivot is a different story.
Modern bikes have the pivot position offset or come with full-width adjustment, so you don’t need to adjust with shims like on older bikes
—much easier! ♪
And just like the steering, the swingarm area has a fixed range of motion, of course, so
the bearings don’t wear evenly all the way around.
Put simply, the same spots are taking all the load. That’s why you want to make sure to pack plenty of oil in there.
