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[rfpardal]

Hi everyone,

I ride an Energica Experia, and lately I’ve been noticing a slight stiffness or binding in the steering, especially when turning the handlebars at low speed or while stationary. It feels like something might be sticking slightly, and I’m starting to suspect it could be related to the steering head bearings.

However, I’m not sure which specific bearings the Experia uses or what the correct part numbers are.

Has anyone experienced something similar? And does anyone know which steering head bearings are used on the Energica Experia?

Thanks in advance for any help!

[DonTom]

Hi everyone,

I ride an Energica Experia, and lately I’ve been noticing a slight stiffness or binding in the steering, especially when turning the handlebars at low speed or while stationary. It feels like something might be sticking slightly, and I’m starting to suspect it could be related to the steering head bearings.

However, I’m not sure which specific bearings the Experia uses or what the correct part numbers are.

Has anyone experienced something similar? And does anyone know which steering head bearings are used on the Energica Experia?

Thanks in advance for any help!

I will assume you do not need new bearings, just some grease. I know on at least some ICE bikes, they are shipped new without enough grease on the steering head bearings. They also sometimes need adjustment for being too loose or too tight in just a few weeks after purchase.


However, I have not had such problems on any of my EV bikes.


-Don-  Reno, NV

[Motoproponent]

My Experia eats head bearings. I have just 30,000 miles on it and installed my 4th set of tapered roller bearings over the weekend.

The Stockers gave up the ghost at ~9000 miles. Energica replaced them under warranty since they shouldnt wear out so fast. Couldnt get the part from Energica, because reasons, so I went with a BMW part that is the same spec. Those bearings gave up the ghost at around 20000 miles. Decided to go with SKF bearings and had them replaced at the South City Service Center. Figuring I had eliminated the variables of both inferior quality (SKF is top notch) and ham handed installation ( maybe the tech at the dealership was having a bad day) so our own Demoni pushed the SKFs in, again under warranty. Those gave up last month at ~ 30,000. Getting warranty work is tougher these days so I invested in the specialized tools needed and did it myself. At least with my bike, it looks like head bearings are a 10000 mile consumable.

Some Experias just do that. 2 others others have complained of the same thing on social media. Still trying to figure out why.

My front end was really stiffly sprung. I had all the preload dialed out and still couldnt get enough sag. There is a hunch that many miles with a too stiff, long travel front end can act like a hammer on the bearing races.  I had the forks serviced and they took about 45% of the interior preload out. Hoping to make it soft enough that the external adjusters can get it on the nose. We'll see if I'm replacing this set in 10,000 miles.

The best source for the bearings, believe it or not is Napa Auto Parts. Part # BRG BR32. SKF Tapered Roller Bearings. 28x52x16. somewhere in the neighborhood of $40 each. You'll need two. BMW part #31427663941 if that works better for you. Those are around $100 each. Other stores have the same size bearings for as little as $18 each but they are not SKF, or All Balls or any other brand you should trust in your bike.

If you stand next to the bike, on the left side, you grab the frame on the right side and lean it over on the kickstand to get the front wheel off the ground.  With the front wheel in the air sweep the bars, gently, left and right. If it feels like there is a notch or detent at close to straight ahead the bearings are needing to be replaced.

[Richard230]

I had a 1993 Honda CB750 that developed the same feeling when steering at only 9K miles. I thought that the steering bearings were notched and took it to a shop to have them replaced. I asked for the ball bearings and races to be returned to me and once I cleaned off the old stiff grease, they turned out to be in perfect condition. Apparently, the grease had hardened over the years and cleaning and re-greasing the bearings would have been all that was necessary.

On the other hand, my 2009 BMW F650GS with 48K miles on the clock also developed a notchy feeling when steering. But when I went to check the tapered roller bearings to re-grease them, I found that the lower bearing race was badly notched all the way around the race. The upper bearing looked OK. These were captured roller bearings and were still well greased with the red stuff. Now I need to take things apart again and install a new set of bearings at $60 each, sourced from a BMW dealer.

So you never really know what is up until you take things apart and inspect them.

[Motoproponent]

I had a 2010 KTM 990 SMT. I sold it with 90,000 miles and it still had the stock head bearings that were fine when I sold it. I've owned many bikes and usually expect in the neighborhood of 50,000 miles from a set of head bearings. I guess sometimes you get a bike that is an anomaly. like the SMT was with longevity, I guess my Experia is the other end of the spectrum. As more Experia owners catch up to me in mileage and more people have this problem to solve, it will get figured out.

Even if 10% of owners have the issue that's only, like, 35 people on the planet affected.

@rfpardal keep us posted on how yours does.

[Grauteufel]

More like 38 people!

Faaaaark that is a low number. Getting parts is going to be a nightmare

[most]

My Experia also had them replaced under warranty after 6000km. Now I am at 20.000km and the new ones still work fine. A friend with a 2021 SS9+ with 55.000 had them replaced a couple of times. Being out of warranty, he did it himself and found out that the ID of the bearing bed was slightly distorted/oval-shaped. He had to machine the bearing bed to be perfectly round and then used SKF precision bearings. No issues since then, but he just did some 10.000 with it.
BMW bearings are cheaper over here in Germany - 38EUR instead of 100$ per set.

[svelectric]

I'm at 11,000 miles on my Experia.  I'll have to pay close attention to this.  Thanks for the info all.  Helpful to all ~400 of us (guessing).

[smithy]

I'm at 11,000 miles on my Experia.  I'll have to pay close attention to this.  Thanks for the info all.  Helpful to all ~400 of us (guessing).

Replaced my Experia head bearings at ~20k km, had the "notchy" feeling...used good quality SKF tapered roller bearings, no issues since...I have 36k km on it now.

There was very little grease on the OEM bearings too...why I don't know.

Smithy.

[svelectric]

I'm glad I found this thread.  I checked my steering, and it sure does have a notchy feeling.  UGH gotta replace that bearing.  Thanks all.

[Specter]

what happens if you don't replace the bearing?
just crappy steering,  front wheel falls off, what / how bad will it get?

just curious, if, as many fear, parts become a problem, how serious will this end up being.

aaron

[svelectric]

Right now, it's subtle, but it makes the low speed steering, sticky and seemingly top heavy as the front end is rotated on the bearing.  I can see it sticking and getting unsafe, if unresolved.  As noted above, the bearings are readily available at napa. 

[svelectric]

My dealer is recommending oil seals, dust seals and bushings for the forks as well, is any of that necessary?

[DonTom]

My dealer is recommending oil seals, dust seals and bushings for the forks as well, is any of that necessary?

For them to make more money, of course it is necessary. Otherwise, we all need to guess without seeing the bike.


-Don-  Verdi, NV

[svelectric]

Thanks Don, good point.  So they want to charge me 900 just for the steering bearing...  How hard is this job?  I will check out youtube first for 900.  Any special tools necessary?