Got a 2000 M900Sie with a cracked lower triple clamp. I hit a deer a little over a year ago and got off relatively easy, but I believe that I must have damaged the triple then -- the crack must have been developing over the last few months and is now a full-through crack running along the left side of the clamp around the fork.
Has anybody seen anything like this before. Anything more you would replace besides the lower triple, and grease/repack/replace steering bearings?
Of course, if anybody has a lower stock triple handy to fit a 2000 M900Sie, I am interested!
Check out the Desmoworld site, he has beefy aftermarket billet units (and top triples that match if you 'must' have it match ;)
And no, had not seen a triple crack before, but it definitely has been around since the deer incident I believe, and has been growing. Time to quit riding that bike until you get it sorted out. When the front it goes away, the wheelie home might be fun until its time to stop....
I completely agree. No way I am riding that until it is fixed. Looking at Desmoworld now.
Does anybody know if the 2000 M900s had tapered bearings or just regular sealed bearings? It looks like it just had regular sealed bearings. Does anybody know of a place to get a tapered set for a 2000? Desmotimes has a set but only for 2002+ Monsters.
You might want to check with (call) the folks down at SpeedyMoto, who make the tapered bearings and see what the dealio is.
There are different stem sizes and I think that's the main thing. My 99 has a narrow stem. Newer bikes have a bigger stem. I don't work in a bike shop to have seen enough bikes to know when (year) they changed over. I'll venture a guess that some of the builders on the board do know.
I've heard of / or seen 3 stock lower triples that have developed a crack along the side. All 3 (your's included) were 2000 M900's. Maybe there was a bad batch, maybe something else or nothing else.
Regardless, all the monsters from 1993 -2001 (except the 2001 S4) were tapered bearings from the factory.
You can find a stock lower triple from a Monster (1993-2001) or an SS from around the same years as they're the same to fit.
Also Speedy Moto was talking about making lower triples for the older gen monsters last year at Indy, but I don't know if they ever got that off the ground.
Don't ride till it's fixed and Do replace the bearings while you're in there.
Good luck! [thumbsup]
Edit,
Just realized I'm logged in as my girlfriends account. This post was from 2001cromo doh!
Excellent information, 2001cromo. I will replace the steering head bearings while I am in there.
One quesiton about getting the old triple off -- I just realized that my PitBull front stand plugs into the bottom of the triple clamp. Should I remove the pipes and jack the bike up off the motor? Any other suggestions?
Quote from: nomadwarmachine on August 16, 2009, 02:11:43 PM
Excellent information, 2001cromo. I will replace the steering head bearings while I am in there.
One quesiton about getting the old triple off -- I just realized that my PitBull front stand plugs into the bottom of the triple clamp. Should I remove the pipes and jack the bike up off the motor? Any other suggestions?
Nylon cam-buckle straps hung from a come-along suspended from... skyhooks? I have an I-beam running through the garage, rafters will do - it's not a lot of weight. Or there's the popular stepladder trick, do a search.
Good idea. Will give that a go:
Found this lower on eBay -- looks like it will fit:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120458120953 (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120458120953)
Also checked the parts schematic for the M900Sie and it looks like the bearings are non-tapered sealed units, which is strange because the bearings on the triple are clearly tapered. Any ideas which is which?
Quote from: nomadwarmachine on August 16, 2009, 02:28:44 PM
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Found this lower on eBay -- looks like it will fit:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120458120953 (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120458120953)
Also checked the parts schematic for the M900Sie and it looks like the bearings are non-tapered sealed units, which is strange because the bearings on the triple are clearly tapered. Any ideas which is which?
If you're sure a 900SS lower triple will fit your bike, I have one (off a '99-'01) that I don't need and will let it go for less than that auction starting price. It came with the 900SS forks I bought for my M800. And you're right - it has tapered bearings... PM me if you're interested, I can provide a pic or two.
PM sent!
iirc to use ss triples u need the top and bottom as the offset, or angle, dont remember which is dif from the monster. also heard it makes the monster handle better.