Biglry are you sure the OEM F6B bearings are round? It was my belief they are roller bearing themselves referred to as needle by some. Not everyone thinks the All Balls are an upgrade to the more expensive OEM. Just recently changed out the neck bearing on a Yamaha Venture with 120K on the odo and the stock bearings were roller just like the aftermarket replacements I put in. I do know one thing I will not use any Chinese made bearings.
I'm reading that some people say ball and some say roller. Looking at the parts fitch it looks like roller. Have to wait for someone who has actually been in to see what was there. Hopefully it will not be me, already had four apart and want no more. Expecting 100k plus on these original ones round or tapered. You can really tell when you have a bad bearing that needs replacement just by the grinding feel. I think many just need to tighten them down some rather than replace to get rid of the wobble. Thankfully I don't have it on my F6B.
My F6B developed the dreaded wobble also. I tried everything including a Super Brace and changing to Elite 4 tires. The fix was to change to the All Balls bearings. Not a problem since then. The bike tracks and handles much better too.
So you did not try just tightening the head bearings first? When you changed the bearings what type were found to exist in stock form. Or maybe a shop did the work and you did not see.
Yes, I am sure 2wheelsforme...
I belive Honda uses BALL bearings in the steering stem bearings in a majority of Honda motorcycles. The only model I know of to use the tapered roller bearings is the VTX1800... even the VTX1300 uses ball bearings in the stem bearings and then they along with the GL1800 & F6B may gain much front end stability improvement by switching to the tapered roller bearings found in the "All Balls" bearings replacement kit.
For those who do not know the difference here is pic of the ball bearings Honda uses in the F6B and pre 2018 GL1800 steering stems. This pic is from Honda and the GL1800 Parts fiche.
and here is what a set of tapered roller bearings look like.
I can not comment on what other MC manufactures use for their steering stem bearings.
The guy who invented the first wheel was an idiot -
the guy who invented the second one... he was the genius!
http://theringfinders.com/blog/Larry.Royal/
21 years Army (retired)
...been everywhere, seen everything, done almost everything.
IBA 80537
I'm glad someone layed eyes on them. Everytime I look at a parts fitch they call them needle bearings. I guess I'm looking in the wrong place. But you know being from Florida I'm allowed to be stupid.
The guy who invented the first wheel was an idiot -
the guy who invented the second one... he was the genius!
http://theringfinders.com/blog/Larry.Royal/