Hi guys, this is my first post in this forum!
Purchased my first Bird yesterday, a nice 1997 model..!

Anyway, I haven't got a hold of the Haynes manual yet, and the
bike needs an adjustment of the "steering bearing" (is that what it is called??)

Here is a picture of the part I am talking about:


I have done this operation on several other bikes before, but the bearing
on those bikes didn't quite look the same as the one on the Bird..!

How do I tighten this thing??

FWIW that is not the steering head bearing just a cap and other than getting a spanner like they use on angle grinder wheels or ( using a hammer and punch - ouch ) I have no idea The steering head bearing is underneath I believe

Pop that rubber cap in the center out and you'll see a hole, it's for a 12mm allen. That will remove that cap, which will allow you to remove the upper triple, then you can start thinking about ajusting or replacing the steering head bearings.

Thanks for the tip!

Err.. Sorry for asking another noob question, but how do I pull off the top bridge? (see picture)



Do I have to remove the handlebars and loosen the shocks? How come mr.Honda
didn't go for the "normal" setup, where adjusting the steering head bearing takes
less than 5 minutes..??

Loosen and remove the stem nut already discussed.

Remove the retaining clips on each fork leg, loosen the handlebars, and slip them off.

Loosen the bolts holding the forks in the top triple clamp, and slide it upward and off.

Ding.

Sounds like a 30 minute job when you know the drill, as opposed to 3 minutes on a "normal" bike

If I loosen the retaning clips and the bolts on the forks, won't that imply that the dampers
slide right through --> Serious nose-dive?

In other words, I have to place a jack under the engine to keep the bike upright???

By the way, word has it that pin bearings last longer than ball bearings..




Does anyone know of a place to get a pin bearing kit for the steering head on this bike?

The clamps on the lower triples do an excellent job of holding the forks in place when the bars and upper triple are removed. If you plan on replacing the steering head bearings, the yes, you will need to support the front end. That will be considerably more involved than simply tightening them, and I'd suggest getting your hands on a service manual before proceeding with that project.

Thanks, man! You're the best!

This is really a great forum, you'll probably hear more from me soon..

PS. A Haynes manual is now on it's way to my mailbox

The OEM ball bearings are one of the few substandard parts Honda put on this bike, according to the local Honda service techs I have talked with. They (gasp) recommend replacing the Honda ball bearings with aftermarket roller bearings, which a motorcycle shop should be able to get for you. I bought a set for $32. My '02 had 8K when I bought it, and there was a little play in the bearings. I'm going to replace the bearings this week, while I replace the fork cartridges.

allballs.com

that's where quite a few people around here, myself included, got thier tapered roller bearings... They're something like $40...

Mike

When you ordered the Haynes Manual (which is quite excellent, BTW), you should have ordered the special tool (Honda Steering Stem Socket p/n: 07916-3710101) required to properly torque the steering stem:



If you're going to go with tapered bearings (highly, HIGHLY recommended), here's how it is done:

Installing tapered steering stems bearings in the Blackbird