Re: bloooody suzuki parts
 

it will have 'excessive' play... was the answer i got from Cupar

Re: bloooody suzuki parts
 

Clear as mud then :p

Re: bloooody suzuki parts
 

What I don't get is quite few people have commented on the manufacturers frugal-ness with the grease, yet no-one has done anything about it! I think Lozzo (and probably YC) is the only person I know who bought an SV and re-greased his head, wheel and swingarm/linkage bearings straightaway knowing this.

Everyone else seems be waiting for them to wear out prematurely!

Re: bloooody suzuki parts
 

Ello :-P Yes, I stripped whole bike down and greased everything. I figure a weekend messing about and 1/10th of a tub of grease is a lot cheaper in the long run.

So why does my curvy have no play in the bearings?

Needle roller like that will batter itself to bits if there is slop there. look at how quickly loose head bearings are ruined, same action occuring.

As for metal fatigue etc. the shock absorber can move enough for this. By this "logic" my mates GPZ1000R handles better than a brand new, very rigid GSXR. That is not what my experience said (he says, getting off the bike shaking and chain smoking nervously).

Re: bloooody suzuki parts
 

my reaction/reasoning was exactly the same. but suzuki are shipping brand new bikes with built in 'play' in the bearings.. i personally dont like it and i think its responsible for some of the 'head shaking' thats going on with the SV's (mine included). i think i will strip the rear out next week and grease them up properly then asses the head shaking.

Re: bloooody suzuki parts
 

I'm going to shut up with the engineering theory and go with your experiences, and probably do the same - regreasing the lot. I'm assuming the age old haynes manual will help the best?!

Re: bloooody suzuki parts
 

I'd like to see what MCN and the like would make of this, sounds like a good story! It would be good to hear opinions form race teams etc too.

Re: bloooody suzuki parts
 

There are firms out there who are frame tuners who make a living eliminating slop and flex.

Rigid, precise = good = safe handling. Sloppy, flexible = bad = 70s bikes with a deathwish.

Re: bloooody suzuki parts
 

I think that is a different subject though. Free-play in bearings is one thing, but frame flex is another! I think current thoughts are rigidity in parts of the frame with controlled flex in others. This is determined however by design and materials used, rather than play in bearings! (or so I always thought :scratch:)

Re: bloooody suzuki parts
 

Lance did Cupar say what part had changed to give them the play in the swingarm? Is it smaller bearings or a bigger hole?
Just wondering if I order new bearings, will they give me sloppy bearings? Or is it a different part number