Kawasaki Concours Forum

The C-14, aka Kawasaki Concours-14, the new one :) => The Bike - C14/GTR 1400 => Topic started by: stevewfl on May 19, 2014, 08:19:54 PM

Title: time for front wheel bearings?
Post by: stevewfl on May 19, 2014, 08:19:54 PM
85,540 miles on the stock front bearings.  I'm considering changing them. 

Changed the back bearings a while back, but they didn't need changing at the time.

Wondering if I'm wasting my time with the fronts!?
Title: Re: time for front wheel bearings?
Post by: ZG on May 19, 2014, 08:44:28 PM
Would make for a good time to powder coat it another color too Steve!  ;) ;D
Title: Re: time for front wheel bearings?
Post by: stevewfl on May 19, 2014, 08:45:46 PM
Would make for a good time to powder coat it another color too Steve!  ;) ;D

When  i go that route the bike will become yeller' too !
Title: Re: time for front wheel bearings?
Post by: VirginiaJim on May 20, 2014, 04:36:22 AM
It probably wouldn't hurt to change them but I know at close to 60k on mine they still feel fine.  I check them at every tire change.  No noise, no play that I can hear or feel.
Title: Re: time for front wheel bearings?
Post by: st2sam on May 20, 2014, 05:19:29 AM
I'm a "if it ain't broke don't fix it" kind of guy.  Keep checking them at tire time, change when needed.

Yellow, or just yellow wheels?     
Title: Re: time for front wheel bearings?
Post by: stevewfl on May 20, 2014, 05:54:03 AM
I'm a "if it ain't broke don't fix it" kind of guy.  Keep checking them at tire time, change when needed.

Yellow, or just yellow wheels?     

If i powdercoat they'll be black wheels on a new yeller' paint job   :D
Title: Re: time for front wheel bearings?
Post by: jimmymac on May 20, 2014, 09:44:52 AM
I think I might barf if I saw a yellow c-14... 8)
Title: Re: time for front wheel bearings?
Post by: stevewfl on May 20, 2014, 09:52:53 AM
I think I might barf if I saw a yellow c-14... 8)

Thats what happens when i see one or two of the existing colors. Each to his own, yellow and flat black trim everything may happen as a 100K mile gift to my C14  ;D

Maybe one shade brighter than his, and all the emblems, trim, and wheels matte black.

(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-t9c61j_DRiw/U0aL-D12WbI/AAAAAAAACW8/l-sEIODCTHg/s640/Yellow_Connie.jpg)
Title: Re: time for front wheel bearings?
Post by: VirginiaJim on May 20, 2014, 12:21:18 PM
We'll just call you Bumble Bee.
Title: Re: time for front wheel bearings?
Post by: stevewfl on May 20, 2014, 01:54:54 PM
We'll just call you Bumble Bee.

That'll be fine.

I may take the cheesy way out and trim my blue  with gold emblems and wheels.  But I have to do something soon for a bike that delivered me this far with zero issue.

And for the record I'm STILL not a fan of Kawasaki  ;D
Title: Re: time for front wheel bearings?
Post by: VirginiaJim on May 20, 2014, 02:00:52 PM
Oh, we know, Steve.   We know.  Most unreliable bike you've ever had.  I'm surprised you didn't ditch it for an FJR... ;)   The nerve of that bike to take you near 100k miles without all of the other issues discussed on this forum happening to you... :rotflmao:
Title: Re: time for front wheel bearings?
Post by: gPink on May 20, 2014, 02:08:44 PM
Thats what happens when i see one or two of the existing colors. Each to his own, yellow and flat black trim everything may happen as a 100K mile gift to my C14  ;D

Maybe one shade brighter than his, and all the emblems, trim, and wheels matte black.


All that and he couldn't paint his helmet?  :o
Title: Re: time for front wheel bearings?
Post by: VirginiaJim on May 20, 2014, 02:18:45 PM
Drat!  Missed that.
Title: Re: time for front wheel bearings?
Post by: MAN OF BLUES on May 20, 2014, 02:29:56 PM

Maybe one shade brighter than his, and all the emblems, trim, and wheels matte black.

(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-t9c61j_DRiw/U0aL-D12WbI/AAAAAAAACW8/l-sEIODCTHg/s640/Yellow_Connie.jpg)


 :rotflmao: :rotflmao: :rotflmao: :rotflmao: :rotflmao: :thumbs:

EVERYTIME I SEE THAT PHOTO IT MAKES ME THINK OF THIS....

(http://www.taxigourmet.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/light-taxista-bryant-park.jpg)

I dunno.... I just can't see a bike that color.... 8)

maybe a little more Bling....
(http://images02.olx-st.com/ui/7/12/43/1285991584_125600943_4-Yellow-Taxi-Shuttle-Relliable-24Hr-Mountain-View-Carpool-1285991584.jpg)
Title: Re: time for front wheel bearings?
Post by: stevewfl on May 20, 2014, 02:55:22 PM
Oh, we know, Steve.   We know.  Most unreliable bike you've ever had.  I'm surprised you didn't ditch it for an FJR... ;)   The nerve of that bike to take you near 100k miles without all of the other issues discussed on this forum happening to you... :rotflmao:

I never said any of that. Its the most reliable bike (or product) I've ever owned!  Just not a Kawasaki fan in general.  I don't know why I keep purchasing, riding touring and track daying them $#%^ing  bikes hehe
Title: Re: time for front wheel bearings?
Post by: stevewfl on May 20, 2014, 02:55:59 PM
and i would so rock that cabbie you posted ;D

(http://images02.olx-st.com/ui/7/12/43/1285991584_125600943_4-Yellow-Taxi-Shuttle-Relliable-24Hr-Mountain-View-Carpool-1285991584.jpg)
Title: Re: time for front wheel bearings?
Post by: jimmymac on May 20, 2014, 03:12:56 PM
That yellow .does look better than I thought. It looked.pretty good,  to be honest.
Title: Re: time for front wheel bearings?
Post by: VirginiaJim on May 20, 2014, 05:22:26 PM
 :)
Title: Re: time for front wheel bearings?
Post by: mike-s4 on May 20, 2014, 06:32:28 PM
All that and he couldn't paint his helmet?  :o

Or the fender?
Title: Re: time for front wheel bearings?
Post by: stevewfl on May 23, 2014, 12:33:55 PM
i haven't changed the bearings yet but pulled the wheel off and peaked under what is left of the seals.  Bearings appear to work fine from the inside, but the outside appears to be rusted to the rim.

I'll hit it with just a little heat before i remove the old bearings  ;D

(http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20130330131049/theflophouse/images/1/1f/Flamethrower_straight.jpg)
Title: Re: time for front wheel bearings?
Post by: Rhino on May 23, 2014, 12:47:29 PM
Thats what happens when i see one or two of the existing colors. Each to his own, yellow and flat black trim everything may happen as a 100K mile gift to my C14  ;D

Maybe one shade brighter than his, and all the emblems, trim, and wheels matte black.

(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-t9c61j_DRiw/U0aL-D12WbI/AAAAAAAACW8/l-sEIODCTHg/s640/Yellow_Connie.jpg)

Needs to be a much brighter yellow or it will look like a cab IMHO. Camaro bumble bee yellow.
Title: Re: time for front wheel bearings?
Post by: wildnphx on June 25, 2014, 09:54:55 AM
If it's not broke don't fix it...  I am at 89,000 with original wheel bearings.  No issues and I have them checked about 3 times a year when Kawi dealer is putting on new tires.
Title: Re: time for front wheel bearings?
Post by: nacademus on July 08, 2014, 10:56:37 AM
I've thought heavily about sourcing the color my 748/996 was and applying it to the 14 someday.
Its tough to tell because I've always had a crap camera, but the shade of yellow is a beautiful rich color that is unmatched.  It has depth and does NOTHING to hide the sculpt of the bike.

Seeing that yellow Connie got my wheels spinning again.  HAHA!!  For now, I'll just try and buff out the scratches of the Neutron Silver.
I just hate that most all of them of my year are the same color.
Title: Re: time for front wheel bearings?
Post by: The Pope on July 08, 2014, 05:05:59 PM
Needs to be a much brighter yellow or it will look like a cab IMHO. Camaro bumble bee yellow.
I know the guy. There's a shadow on it in the photo, so it's a brighter yellow than the image shows. The front fender isn't painted because it's a carbon fiber fender. I'll have to ask him about the helmet, but I feel that his response will be that he owns several bike,  so he didn't paint it.

Oh .... one more thing,  he did all of the paint & bodywork himself.
Title: Re: time for front wheel bearings?
Post by: VirginiaJim on July 08, 2014, 05:45:14 PM
Ok, enough on the yellow, guys.  This is a wheel bearing thread...   
Title: Re: time for front wheel bearings?
Post by: rocknrod on July 09, 2014, 03:29:48 PM
and i would so rock that cabbie you posted ;D
(http://images02.olx-st.com/ui/7/12/43/1285991584_125600943_4-Yellow-Taxi-Shuttle-Relliable-24Hr-Mountain-View-Carpool-1285991584.jpg)
Where's the 20 mule team?  ;D
Title: Re: time for front wheel bearings?
Post by: VirginiaJim on July 09, 2014, 03:57:32 PM
And yet another thread has run it's course....