I low-sided my 2011 Fz6r @ 25-30mph 5 months ago. Luckily i was not injured at all. However the bike has never been the same. Immediately after the accident. When i rode away, the bike felt wobbley and lose. I did hit hard on the left fork. Lower left fork was replaced. The steering is still loose. Bike feels unstable does not track center well. turns hard and loose when i lean from side to side on and off, Constant change in handling. I took the bike in to the dealership. They tightened the steering stem. About a week later the steering went lose again. Rode the bike home still same prob feels loose. I then removed the top tree and accessed the steering stem nut. I noticed there was a top and bottom gear looking nut. I used a the spanner and a screwdriver to adjust the top nut. At first steering was great. Then 2 days later steering became to tight. I then loosened the nut back to original setting. Felt great for about 4 days. Then went lose again. The ins company says at the speed i low-sided (20-30 mph). There would be no bearing damage. Yamaha blames the wreck. The ins company now wants me to pay to have the front end dropped and allow them to see the bearings. They will then decide if there is damage and if so may pay for the repair. Dealer wants 3 hrs of labor to remove and replace assembly at 90 per hour. Any ideas what could be wrong. Don't want to spend money and find issue is something different.
****UPDATE***** May 5th 2012
I had the dealership replace the front bearings. They replaced them to a tapered bearing. There was a crack found on upper bearing outer race. They also put on new Michelin road 3 dual compound tires. First day the bike felt great. It was tracking nice, felt stable etc. The next day the problem came back and few weeks later, The problem is worse then before!! I ended up adjusting the steering stem and that helped. But I still feel a front end wobble at at high speed and bike weaves at low speed very bad. The steering stem will also still not hold the tension the next day after i have tightened the steering stem itself. Bike also turns (like before) fast (touchy) from side to side. Still on and off as if, something comes lose. I wounder now if this is due to the rear spring. I overtightened past 7 by mistake. Few months later the adjuster is bent so bad i cant even adjust it anymore. Could this rear spring be damaged causing a wobble? I have tried to put lateral pressure on the rear of bike. Does not seem loose. I'm so mad at this point i may just get rid of bike! Master mechanic says he has done everything he can. Says maybe frame is bent. But they have no way of testing. If frame was bent, I would think problem would not be intermittent. Any advise on this issue would be great. I have spend a great deal of time and money on this issue. Any direction would be great!!! other blogs i have read suggest damaged axles, forks, suspension. To many directions!!
****UPDATE***** May 5th 2012
I had the dealership replace the front bearings. They replaced them to a tapered bearing. There was a crack found on upper bearing outer race. They also put on new Michelin road 3 dual compound tires. First day the bike felt great. It was tracking nice, felt stable etc. The next day the problem came back and few weeks later, The problem is worse then before!! I ended up adjusting the steering stem and that helped. But I still feel a front end wobble at at high speed and bike weaves at low speed very bad. The steering stem will also still not hold the tension the next day after i have tightened the steering stem itself. Bike also turns (like before) fast (touchy) from side to side. Still on and off as if, something comes lose. I wounder now if this is due to the rear spring. I overtightened past 7 by mistake. Few months later the adjuster is bent so bad i cant even adjust it anymore. Could this rear spring be damaged causing a wobble? I have tried to put lateral pressure on the rear of bike. Does not seem loose. I'm so mad at this point i may just get rid of bike! Master mechanic says he has done everything he can. Says maybe frame is bent. But they have no way of testing. If frame was bent, I would think problem would not be intermittent. Any advise on this issue would be great. I have spend a great deal of time and money on this issue. Any direction would be great!!! other blogs i have read suggest damaged axles, forks, suspension. To many directions!!