Steering stem bearings - evaluation.

[Kivi]

Hi, I need quick opinion about the state of this bearing. I have removed only this 1 sleeve, other 3 sleeves are on the bike in similar condition, but hard to take photo of. Seems like I can not buy them locally, and I will have to order them and wait 30 days.
Question is is it ok to put them back on the bike for another 30 days, until the order arrives?
The man that work with bearings told me that they are not often seen bearings.
Last photo is the photo from online store that I think are my bearings, except that my bearings does not have races, only balls (21 each).

Thanks!

[Mudflap]

I would not reuse those races, they're pretty bad.

[Megadan]

You could keep using them until the new ones arrive, but definitely dont keep using them any longer than you have to.

[Irishjew]

I believe this is why it’s good to check this area for grease when you first get tour bike.

[Megadan]

I believe this is why it’s good to check this area for grease when you first get tour bike.

It definitely helps, but this eventually happens over time anyway.

[Mudflap]

Kind of surprising to see the old type ball bearings instead of tapered rollers. My 12 year old Lifan has tapered rollers.

[Kivi]

I never checked, and have the bike for 2 years. But I think I am the first one that checked this on this bike, and I think so because of something like grease found inside.

Interesting, I am trying to find model number of this bearings online, by the size. But it looks like these bearings are nonexistent in bearing catalogues (anymore?). Like these bearings are out of specification.

Locally, I can find tappered needle bearing, but I would like to keep the loose ball bearing system, if that is their official name. :D

[Megadan]

Kind of surprising to see the old type ball bearings instead of tapered rollers. My 12 year old Lifan has tapered rollers.

Honda still uses the cup and cone ball bearings on quite a few bikes. My VFR1200 has them.

[MAT]

If you can get tapered needle bearings get them. They are much better.

[Kivi]

I managed to reveal the marking on the original bearings. They are 91683/22.5 (22.5mm but I am measuring more like 22.2mm or 7/8') and 91683/24 (24mm). I found ball bearings with this markings but also found tapered bearings with same markings. Question is would tapered bearings fit without problem in place of ball bearings into the stem?
Having same markings, one would say yes, but I am not so sure.

[Megadan]

I managed to reveal the marking on the original bearings. They are 91683/22.5 (22.5mm but I am measuring more like 22.2mm or 7/8') and 91683/24 (24mm). I found ball bearings with this markings but also found tapered bearings with same markings. Question is would tapered bearings fit without problem in place of ball bearings into the stem?
Having same markings, one would say yes, but I am not so sure.

I upgraded my last Hawk to tapered rollers. They ended up being the same bearing as most Honda off road bikes, so sourcing them was easy. You will have to remove the races currently in the stem and install the new outer races in their place, but otherwise it is pretty straight forward.

[Kivi]

Megadan, have you put seals for the tapered bearings? I see some kits with seals and some without.
When we did this jos on a friends yamaha fz6, we gto tapered bearings which were by 2-3mm higher each, so there was a problem putting upper triple tree - too little thread was left because of thicker bearings. That is why I asked. Thanks!

[Megadan]

Megadan, have you put seals for the tapered bearings? I see some kits with seals and some without.
When we did this jos on a friends yamaha fz6, we gto tapered bearings which were by 2-3mm higher each, so there was a problem putting upper triple tree - too little thread was left because of thicker bearings. That is why I asked. Thanks!

The bearings I used sat flush and came with seals, but that could be a difference in the neck on the frame. A different bike will have a different result

[Kivi]

I replaced the bearings. Got a CG125 ball bearings while I was on travel. Everything went as expected exept the inner sleave that goes into the stem - put it simply, it did not need any force to put it into the stem. It does not have any play, which is important. Both outer sleaves needed some tapping to seat the into the frame. Thanks for the answers.