Gents
So last Tuesday afternoon I rode my 1978 R-80 25 miles south to Rico Colo. for Taco Tues night.
On the way there I thought I was hearing a subtle clicking noise from the front end, enough that I stopped and checked all the wheel and caliper bolts, nothing, I did not feel the wheel bearings, big mistake.
It bothered me enough that I decided when I got home not to ride it again until I really looked at it.
Well Thursday I had to run a quick errand into Telluride, about 8 miles round trip, the R-80 was in the front of the bike pile, so I took it. Leaving town the speed limit is 35. In the span of about 500' the front wheel started to drag and bind up and I first thought the caliper was dragging. To get to a safe place I had to downshift and floor it. Well in the next 100' the front wheel almost stopped turning, I didn't make it off the road. It full on STOPPED. I had to drag it off the Hwy.
I felt the bearings and they were smoking.
Jeez I got lucky I didn't go down! ATGATT for me!
About 5 years ago I had pulled the front wheel bearings and cleaned and inspected them, they looked very good.
I repacked them with Slick 50 Red wheel bearing grease.
I haven't had them apart yet, I'm curious to see what they look like.
43k on this machine.
Ride safe in 2020
Nick
So last Tuesday afternoon I rode my 1978 R-80 25 miles south to Rico Colo. for Taco Tues night.
On the way there I thought I was hearing a subtle clicking noise from the front end, enough that I stopped and checked all the wheel and caliper bolts, nothing, I did not feel the wheel bearings, big mistake.
It bothered me enough that I decided when I got home not to ride it again until I really looked at it.
Well Thursday I had to run a quick errand into Telluride, about 8 miles round trip, the R-80 was in the front of the bike pile, so I took it. Leaving town the speed limit is 35. In the span of about 500' the front wheel started to drag and bind up and I first thought the caliper was dragging. To get to a safe place I had to downshift and floor it. Well in the next 100' the front wheel almost stopped turning, I didn't make it off the road. It full on STOPPED. I had to drag it off the Hwy.
I felt the bearings and they were smoking.
Jeez I got lucky I didn't go down! ATGATT for me!
About 5 years ago I had pulled the front wheel bearings and cleaned and inspected them, they looked very good.
I repacked them with Slick 50 Red wheel bearing grease.
I haven't had them apart yet, I'm curious to see what they look like.
43k on this machine.
Ride safe in 2020
Nick