I just got done changing tires on my 99 Softail Custom, and while I had it on the jack I checked the front fork fall away. It seemed a little notchy when straight ahead and moved right or left from there. Since it has never been greased at least for the last 24,000 miles I got a tube of fork grease from the HD shop and gave them a good greasing. It pushed out a lot of hardened old grease before the new stuff started coming out and when I finished the notchyness was gone. It feels very smooth from full left to full right. So if you have not greased your fork bearings for some time it might be a good idea to give them a good greasing.

 

Did you grease them in place or did you take them out to grease them?

 

I just used the grease gun on the zerk in the neck. I don't think it had ever been greased as it took quite a bit to fill up the neck before it started pushing the old grease out. It even feels better when I am riding, but that could also be to the new tires. It just feels more solid and smoother. I guess that zerk is there for a reason.

 

Notchiness usually indicates neck bearings that have been out of adjustment too long resulting in race damage.

 

When I replaced my neck bearings there was no zerk fitting there.
There was a hole but no fitting.

I was just curious how you did yours.

 

Notchiness is also caused by a front end impact with something.

 

Make sure you use the correct grease if you fill the neck with the zerk fitting. Otherwise grease will forever drip down your front end.

 

True! Checking again after a decent ride will be interesting, to see if the newly introduced grease has been pushed aside and the notchiness has found its way back.

 

I have ridden about 200 miles since I greased it and it is fine so far. I did use Harley's special neck grease and with the cool weather now I don't look for it to leak out till next summer. I still think it was from dried out grease in the bearings as the notchyness was almost imperceptible. Time will tell I guess.

 

All righty then!!???