Steering head bearing source

[junior varsity]

Quick Question about the Steering Head Bearing.

If I am correct in doing my research, I have found that pre-02 Monsters ("hooped Monsters", or 851/888/Monsters) and Supersports come from the factory with tapered bearings - this was because the superbike series at the time of origination (851/888) came with tapered bearings, and the Supersports and Monsters used the same steering head tube diameter.

Newer Monsters and the like came with standard bearings and also feature a larger steering head tube.

Are the SpeedyMoto tapered bearings an improvement over the factory bearings provided on the older Monster's and the like? (I'm asking about the Kit-2, tapered bearings for pre-02 Monsters, all Supersports, etc).

Does anybody have a source with them in stock? I'm seeing them out of stock lots of places, and didn't get a reply back from Speedymoto themselves. Similarly, one email to a vendor (not a board sponsor) who listed them in stock must have been confused, because he told me they didn't make such a product.

Would I be better served going with OEM replacements?

I've been keeping up with the other posts/threads about freezing and heating to get things to fit, etc. I'm looking to put new bearings in when I upgrade upper and lower triple clamps.

[Ddan]

WHen I put new bearings in my SS, the only ones available were OEM.  I think the tapered bearings most vendors supply are to replace the non-tapered ones in later Monsters.

[junior varsity]

Right, that's the Kit-1 that Speedymoto sells. I saw the "Kit-2" as well, for the older Monsters and Supersports and wondered if anybody had gotten their mittens on these.

[Ddan]

Right, that's the Kit-1 that Speedymoto sells. I saw the "Kit-2" as well, for the older Monsters and Supersports and wondered if anybody had gotten their mittens on these.

Not me, and I looked around for a while before I got the OEM ones.

[junior varsity]

I was going to source a set from Commonwealth Motorsports, but the listing "069191010" is a "Product Not Found" error. Running a google search, I can verify that the product number should be the aforementioned 0691.91.010:

SKF 26/52/15 bearings:

http://www.ducati.ms/forums/showthread.php?p=615791
http://www.guzzino.com/sthebe.html
http://www.shop.bevelheaven.com/detail.aspx?ID=615

And for ze Germans reading along:
http://shop.italo-shop-neuss.de/product_info.php?info=p466_Lenkkopflager-600-1000er.html

[ducpainter]

When I needed a set for my 96 I ended up getting them from Chris @ ca-cycleworks.

They were OEM bearings.

[junior varsity]

The OEM appear to be the SKF manufacture, yes?

I've read elsewhere that Timken bearings are the top available. Anybody have FHE? Opinions on the matter (re: bearing manufacturers)

I've gotten word back from SpeedyMoto, they have them in stock they say.

[ducpainter]

the OEM bearings are/were indeed SKF,

IIRC it was a problem with the cup OD in the aftermarket regarding availability.

If you bought 2 sets of bearings things would work, but the price became higher than OEM.

[junior varsity]

Any reason to try to upgrade from SKF to another, or SKF plenty good?

[junior varsity]

IIRC it was a problem with the cup OD in the aftermarket regarding availability.

Yeah, I have inner 26mm, outer 52mm, and that's an odd sizing combo.

[Howie]

SKF is a good bearing and a common supplier of bearings on European products. 

[Speeddog]

+1 on SKF.

Timken is good as well, I wouldn't mind using them if they've got the same size.