Hawk Talk

[enforcer89]

Originally Posted by chuck

That's what I'm running 17-43 and it hits 75 mph @ around 8200 rpm.

Are you riding a hawk also ? I can get 62 tops . How's is your low end torque with that sprocket setup . Could you give me the link to the 43t rear ?

[Ariel Red Hunter]

Originally Posted by chuck

That's what I'm running 17-43 and it hits 75 mph @ around 8200 rpm.

It will pull more gear if it's hitting 75 at 8200. My Model 14 AJS, also a 250, would run in the low 80's, but it took a while to get there....ARH

[Megadan]

Originally Posted by enforcer89

Are you riding a hawk also ? I can get 62 tops . How's is your low end torque with that sprocket setup . Could you give me the link to the 43t rear ?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003C...TF8&psc=1&th=1

Pick whatever tooth count you desire, but that should be the 43. This would be for the Hawk bte.

[Ariel Red Hunter]

Those of you who have been following this column for a while may remember what I had to say about maintaining cub-and-cone Headstock bearings. Now I have seen the actual bearings on one of the sites (could have been Calif scooter supply), and it is a little different than what I described. Their picture shows a plastic caged ball bearing set. If so, this will make re-greasing much easier. Did they do this in order to make maintenance much easier? No, they did this to make assembly easier and faster. And with it comes a problem. With cup-and-cone bearings you have to use a lot of grease in order to assemble it while keeping all of the little balls in place. So it is greased for years, with very little attention, other than making sure the stem head was tight enough to prevent front end slop. But these might be called Brilcreme bearings. (A little dab'll do ya') So they not only come with questionable quality grease, but very little of it. What reminded me of this is a post from a rider in Honduras who has to replace his stem head bearings, which are worn out. Those bearings should NEVER wear out, not if they have enough high quality marine grease in them...ARH

[enforcer89]

Originally Posted by Ariel Red Hunter

Those of you who have been following this column for a while may remember what I had to say about maintaining cub-and-cone Headstock bearings. Now I have seen the actual bearings on one of the sites (could have been Calif scooter supply), and it is a little different than what I described. Their picture shows a plastic caged ball bearing set. If so, this will make re-greasing much easier. Did they do this in order to make maintenance much easier? No, they did this to make assembly easier and faster. And with it comes a problem. With cup-and-cone bearings you have to use a lot of grease in order to assemble it while keeping all of the little balls in place. So it is greased for years, with very little attention, other than making sure the stem head was tight enough to prevent front end slop. But these might be called Brilcreme bearings. (A little dab'll do ya') So they not only come with questionable quality grease, but very little of it. What reminded me of this is a post from a rider in Honduras who has to replace his stem head bearings, which are worn out. Those bearings should NEVER wear out, not if they have enough high quality marine grease in them...ARH

Ok funny you bring this up . I noticed a lot of play in the front when I hit front brakes . I checked stem nut and it was loose . I put loctight on and put back on . Play was gone for about 30-40 miles now it's doing it again and nut is still tight . I had a feeling there wasn't much grease in there . I'm hoping if I add more grease it will fix this issue

[JerryHawk250]

Originally Posted by enforcer89

Ok funny you bring this up . I noticed a lot of play in the front when I hit front brakes . I checked stem nut and it was loose . I put loctight on and put back on . Play was gone for about 30-40 miles now it's doing it again and nut is still tight . I had a feeling there wasn't much grease in there . I'm hoping if I add more grease it will fix this issue

Quick and easy way to grease the steering column bearings is to do like I did and install a grease zerk ( yes i'm a grease zerk nut) I drilled and tapped the column and filled with grease till it just started to come out the top an bottom. Plus is you are guaranteed not to get any water in there wit waterproof marine grease. On the Hawk there are 2 holes already on the column. I drilled and tapped one and plugged the other with a pop rivet.

[Ariel Red Hunter]

Originally Posted by JerryHawk250

Quick and easy way to grease the steering column bearings is to do like I did and install a grease zerk ( yes i'm a grease zerk nut) I drilled and tapped the column and filled with grease till it just started to come out the top an bottom. Plus is you are guaranteed not to get any water in there wit waterproof marine grease. I have no pictures but on the Hawk there are 2 holes already on the column. I drilled and tapped one and plugged the other with a pop rivet.

Yes on grease fittings for the head bearings. My Red Hunter had one grease fitting at the top and one at the bottom of the headstock just for this purpose. There are supposed to be two nuts on the top of the steering stem. An adjustment nut, and a lock nut...ARH

[JerryHawk250]

Originally Posted by Ariel Red Hunter

Yes on grease fittings for the head bearings. My Red Hunter had one grease fitting at the top and one at the bottom of the headstock just for this purpose. There are supposed to be two nuts on the top of the steering stem. An adjustment nut, and a lock nut...ARH

When I grew up anything that required grease had grease zerks on them. Now everything is sealed and no way to do maintenance. For example: when we would change the oil on a vehicle you also broke out the grease gun and greased all the ball joints and universal joints. If I have to replace a ball joint the new one will have a grease zerk.

[Megadan]

Manufacturers went to sealed bearings for increased service life. Wether you believe this claim or not is up to you, but testing showed that on average a sealed system suffered less bearing failure due to under lubrication and contamination.

You can argue that regular greasing of a non sealed system would be better, and i agree. The problem is that a majority of vehicle owners and many "shops" fail to do proper chassis lubrication. Things are built for the lowest common denominator.

[enforcer89]

Originally Posted by JerryHawk250

Quick and easy way to grease the steering column bearings is to do like I did and install a grease zerk ( yes i'm a grease zerk nut) I drilled and tapped the column and filled with grease till it just started to come out the top an bottom. Plus is you are guaranteed not to get any water in there wit waterproof marine grease. On the Hawk there are 2 holes already on the column. I drilled and tapped one and plugged the other with a pop rivet.

That's a great idea I'm gonna do mine that way !!! Save a lot of time Forsure

[iparks81]

Originally Posted by Ariel Red Hunter

Those of you who have been following this column for a while may remember what I had to say about maintaining cub-and-cone Headstock bearings. Now I have seen the actual bearings on one of the sites (could have been Calif scooter supply), and it is a little different than what I described. Their picture shows a plastic caged ball bearing set. If so, this will make re-greasing much easier. Did they do this in order to make maintenance much easier? No, they did this to make assembly easier and faster. And with it comes a problem. With cup-and-cone bearings you have to use a lot of grease in order to assemble it while keeping all of the little balls in place. So it is greased for years, with very little attention, other than making sure the stem head was tight enough to prevent front end slop. But these might be called Brilcreme bearings. (A little dab'll do ya') So they not only come with questionable quality grease, but very little of it. What reminded me of this is a post from a rider in Honduras who has to replace his stem head bearings, which are worn out. Those bearings should NEVER wear out, not if they have enough high quality marine grease in them...ARH

Steering bearings are a normal wear Item, they are in almost every Brands Maintenance schedules, granted, with proper lubrication they should make it to the millage that they are typically due to replace (normally around 20-30k miles) the number 1 killer of steering bearings is letting your bike sit, and the bearing races rust and pit in whatever position the bike was left. Many riders dont make it to the scheduled maintenance interval due to the fact they like to wash their bikes every other day, or live in wet humid environments.
As far as our bikes go, they have put a thrust bearing where a taper bearing should be put, there's just to much side loading with the geometry of the frame and head-stock, and yes, its to save time and money in manufacturing. I've swapped over to taper bearings and time will tell if they are any better than OEM, as far as putting grease zerk in the head-stock, that's a ton of grease to fill the dead space!. that's like a pound of grease up there, and there's no way to be sure that its going through the cage of the bearing to be effective. I'm not knockin it tho, its better than nothing at all!

[JeremyC]

Can you list part #s for the tapered bearings?

[iparks81]

Originally Posted by JeremyC

Can you list part #s for the tapered bearings?

Please note:
this is not a confirmed size for HAWK motorcycles, I have a Serpento branded bike. I know they are all very similar but other similar Chinese bikes use different sizes, unless someone has a hawk and wants to measure the OD of the stem and ID of the Frame. I did a search online and then found same on Ebay.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/32005-26-26x...4AAOSwZJBX~5sA

[JerryHawk250]

Originally Posted by iparks81

, as far as putting grease zerk in the head-stock, that's a ton of grease to fill the dead space!. that's like a pound of grease up there, and there's no way to be sure that its going through the cage of the bearing to be effective. I'm not knockin it tho, its better than nothing at all!

If you look closely at the picture you will notice that the grease came out evenly around the top and bottom. The shafts takes up most of the void and didn't take that much grease. Filling this void means that no water or moisture will get in there.

[JeremyC]

Originally Posted by JerryHawk250

If you look closely at the picture you will notice that the grease came out evenly around the top and bottom. The shafts takes up most of the void and didn't take that much grease. Filling this void means that no water or moisture will get in there.

I'm gonna do this. Tapered bearings would make a nice upgrade, but if it ain't broke..