Has this happened to anyone before, steering stem head bolt missing?

[XHarleyRider]

Mid-ride the other day I was surprised when I looked down to see this gaping hole.  I have a shop manual but thought I'd check with the forum as well.  I had no indication that this piece/cover was loose prior to it falling off of my bike.  Anything I should do different in the future?  Thanks.

[VirginiaJim]

Yep, your stem steering stem head bolt has worked loose and fell out.  You'll need to get another one.   Hopefully someone should get you a part number.  I'll try but it might be a bit.  I wouldn't ride it like that.  If they are properly torqued (80ft-lb) they won't fall off.  We've had a few that have done that (loose from the plant).  You are also missing the black plastic cover.

92066-0071 plug
92153-0474 bolt
92200-0081 washer

Part numbers are from an '08 but should be the same for all bikes.

It would behoove EVERYONE to check this bolt.....

[XHarleyRider]

It must have just happened because the washer was still in place.  Thanks for the quick response/advice.  My bike is an 09' btw with 20K.

[Pokey]

A friend of mine with an 09 just had the "exact same thing" happen to him as well.

[DaveO]

mine fell out hit the spokes of frt wheel and back into radiator . 700. damage (replaced radiator) It drenched my whole frt wheel  and brakes with anitfreeze by the time I noticed bolt missing and got pulled over.
No evidence of locktight in the empty hole.
 The bolt is cheap. Ron Ayres had it to me in a few days
Its now indexed and locktighted..
 Kawasaki is bottom of the barrel IMO... They do a 99% job of assembling their bikes.
They must really be rushing the workers that put bikes together.

[stevewfl]

if i'm not mistaken that bolt is part of the scheduled maintenance to be checked tightened.  I've checked mine a few times, along with the header bolts and everything else I've been warned about on this forum. >41,000 miles and no issues to report.

My bike should be falling apart soon because it defies all laws of "Kawasaki" brand

[DaveO]

if i'm not mistaken that bolt is part of the scheduled maintenance to be checked tightened.  I've checked mine a few times, along with the header bolts and everything else I've been warned about on this forum. >41,000 miles and no issues to report.

My bike should be falling apart soon because it defies all laws of "Kawasaki" brand

must be cause you're so damn wonderful.

[VirginiaJim]

I'm sure that's what it is.  Takes good pictures as well.

[Gsun]

must be cause you're so damn wonderful.

[So Cal Joe]

Does the black cap pop off so you can check the bolt?

[Bourne2Ride]

Does the black cap pop off so you can check the bolt?

Yes, and sometimes by itself.

[XHarleyRider]

I ordered the part through my dealer.  Since I still had the washer I ordered the stem nut and the black dust cover.  $21 plus tax and will be delivered in 3 days.  I did not read the maintenance procedure verbatim so correct me if I"m wrong.  I believe we are supposed to lubricate the stem bearings every two years or 15K miles...whichever comes first.  The stem nut which I lost should be torqued to just shy of 80 ftlbs.  I have not lubed either of these bearings.   It appears to be quite labor intensive at least to me.  When cleaning on and around the stem nut it never appeared to be loose but I will make sure to pay more attention in the future.  Thanks for the help and hope this helps prevent what happened to DaveO.

Anyone know what size and type of "socket" is used to properly torque the stem nut which I lost? It looks like a hex head but I'm not sure.  Thanks again.

[Y0ssarian]

12mm Allen hex

[COGnosticat0r]

Mid-ride the other day I was surprised when I looked down to see this gaping hole.  I have a shop manual but thought I'd check with the forum as well.  I had no indication that this piece/cover was loose prior to it falling off of my bike.  Anything I should do different in the future?  Thanks.

I got mine replaced under warranty    I put some blue locktite on it this time

[XHarleyRider]

I was wondering about the warranty issue but decided myself that they wouldn't honor me since it should have been torqued when I did the stem bearing lube.....I'll ask and see what they say.....

[stevewfl]

if i'm not mistaken that bolt is part of the scheduled maintenance to be checked tightened.  I've checked mine a few times, along with the header bolts and everything else I've been warned about on this forum. >41,000 miles and no issues to report.

My bike should be falling apart soon because it defies all laws of "Kawasaki" brand

must be cause you're so damn wonderful.

No sir, i beg to differ because that's not the case.  As I said, i have a weird one defying all laws of "Kawasaki", and you and I know it.

I'm sure that's what it is.  Takes good pictures as well.

Thanks, I'm but I'm attending the University (photo certification) trying to improve my skills.  Those folks trying to become photographers find it crazy I'm in class with them and have not an intention of become a photographer.

+1, thats what I thought when I viewed the comments

[B.D.F.]

The bolt that you are missing is not really part of the stem bearing assembly. It is only there to hold the top triple clamp down onto the stem; the actual stem bearing nuts (there are two of them) are under the upper triple clamp. You cannot lube or adjust the stem bearings just by removing the bolt that fell off of your bike.

There have been a few of them fall off C-14s. The factory apparently missed tightening them at assembly, and the dealers that sold the bikes did not catch them. As others have said, it is tightened with a lot of torque and once tightened, it will not fall out. Yours was almost certainly never tightened from the factory when the bike was new.

Brian

I ordered the part through my dealer.  Since I still had the washer I ordered the stem nut and the black dust cover.  $21 plus tax and will be delivered in 3 days.  I did not read the maintenance procedure verbatim so correct me if I"m wrong.  I believe we are supposed to lubricate the stem bearings every two years or 15K miles...whichever comes first.  The stem nut which I lost should be torqued to just shy of 80 ftlbs.  I have not lubed either of these bearings.   It appears to be quite labor intensive at least to me.  When cleaning on and around the stem nut it never appeared to be loose but I will make sure to pay more attention in the future.  Thanks for the help and hope this helps prevent what happened to DaveO.

Anyone know what size and type of "socket" is used to properly torque the stem nut which I lost? It looks like a hex head but I'm not sure.  Thanks again.

[COGnosticat0r]

I was wondering about the warranty issue but decided myself that they wouldn't honor me since it should have been torqued when I did the stem bearing lube.....I'll ask and see what they say.....

I had already bought the kit from Ron Ayers, then while at the dealer, before I got the parts, I asked them how much, showed them the bike and they filed the warranty and got me the parts, so I have an extra set "just in case"

[VirginiaJim]

The bolt that you are missing is not really part of the stem bearing assembly. It is only there to hold the top triple clamp down onto the stem; the actual stem bearing nuts (there are two of them) are under the upper triple clamp. You cannot lube or adjust the stem bearings just by removing the bolt that fell off of your bike.

There have been a few of them fall off C-14s. The factory apparently missed tightening them at assembly, and the dealers that sold the bikes did not catch them. As others have said, it is tightened with a lot of torque and once tightened, it will not fall out. Yours was almost certainly never tightened from the factory when the bike was new.

Brian

Why the heck aren't you at the National?

[B.D.F.]

Leaving tomorrow morning. Just finishing up the Powerpoint presentation too: I had a minor Microsoft Office crash when I tried to transfer the files..... of course. So I had to stop and do a minor rebuild before I could continue.

I had to tell Kirby that he couldn't go today. He was waiting all day on the bike because he was so anxious. I could bring myself to tell him in person though so I called him on his cell phone.



<grin>

Brian

Why the heck aren't you at the National?