Squeak squeak squeak, scrape scrape scrape, grind grind grind!

[nudemetalz]

Don't you just love hearing those noises coming from your bike while commuting to work in peak hour traffic.

So, stopped the Guzzi at the side of the road on the Welly Motorway to find out what was going on.
Oh dear.....I can see shards of metal coming from the front RHS wheel bearing and only half of the ball bearings present...
Waiting for Mr Plod to tell me to move along so, I choose to gingerly continue my journey with the front brake lightly applied to keep the wheel from moving around and knocking the pads back.

The guys at Scooterazzi were quite surprised to see such a catastrophic failure of the front bearing (RHS) of a Guzzi. Normally would be severe abuse , ie wheelstands but that ain't me.
Ah well at least it's an easy fix.

[MotoKuzzi]

Bugger, mines got 90k on and I been thinking about pulling them down for a grease.

[tri boy]

I thought Guzzi's used blocks of wood dipped in animal fat for axle bearings.
Ya learn summit everyday

[breakaway]

Shoulda bought a Suzuki.

[Paul in NZ]

At various times all manufacturers allow accountants too close to the machine that orders things and all hell breaks loose.

[nudemetalz]

The great guys at Scooterazzi did a sterling job repairing it for me yesterday.
So now I think I will look at all of the other bearings on the Guzzi.

MotoKuzzi - they're sealed units and not that expensive to replace. Def recommend getting them seen to.

Breakaway - yes I did think that at the time

Paul - oh that is so true...expendable items keeps parts divisions in business.

[SMOKEU]

I thought Guzzi's used blocks of wood dipped in animal fat for axle bearings.
Ya learn summit everyday

I thought that only applied to Harleys.

[White trash]

I thought that only applied to Harleys.

No, that's their brake pads.

[Old Steve]

You'd be surprised how little grease is in a ball bearing. Sometimes I pop one rubber seal off a double sealed rearing for a customer, and they immediately want to fill it up with grease. Bearings, of a good quality, for front axle on a bike should only cost $10 to $15 ea, if you've got the front axle disassembled, then replace them with new ones.