SHE'S BLEEDING !!!

[TheGDog]

It's been long enough after the crash that I've had a chance to start checking-out the K5 again and making notes on what things I'll need to [fix/replace/do maintenance on] just as soon as I can start using my other arm again.

Here's a picture showing the steering-head bearings.  Black gook is splattered and seeped out from the bearings. 



I think this might have been caused by fuel splashing onto the steering head on a prior outing where my vent hose came off.  I'm assuming the fuel perhaps caused the grease in their to break-down in viscosity!?

I know that I'll need to at least clean and re-grease the bearings in there... my question is... should I just go ahead and order a new set of bearings while I'm at it?  Does this drippage mean that my stearing head bearings are shot? 

Does anybody know how-much it costs for a replacement set of bearings?

Also... is it a pain the butt kinda job where It'd probably be worth my time to have a shop do it instead to save myself serious hassle? or is it pretty straight-forward to do?

And now for your viewing horror... my broken left clavicle... and 1 month Post Op. (the Ortho surgeon actually did a nice job I think)

[Hillclimb#42]

Steering head is fine. That is fuel from vent tube. That is a big bearring, that really doesn't get much abuse. Mine was the same way. I just picked up a vent tube with the little valve in the line. Doesn't wash bearrings much anyway as the steering stem is hollow and is really just going thru that tube. It does look like yours was seeping a bit above the absolute bottom, but you can also put the vent tube out in front of number plate, or you can find the short vent tube with a valve in it for under ten bucks.
  Good luck with the bike and injuries. Don't slack on the physical therapy. It works. Your body will try to talk you out of exercising injured parts. "No pain, no gain" was probably invented by a physical therapist.

[TheGDog]

I do have a "shorty" valve vent on the bike.  But I had previously lost one on the ride before because it wasn't safety-wired on.

Soo... you think I should just clean that slop off and not worry about it!?

[Hillclimb#42]

Thats what I did. Its a really big bearring for only turning 20 degrees or so. You could grease it, if you're concerned.