If your bike has more than 20 000 on, it is really time to take a look at your wheal bearings
or do you want to crash and die!!!

Very easy remove back wheel, there are three bearings on the back wheel (remove the crap japaneees bearings)
replace with SKF (2 x 206-2RS) (1 x 6006-2RS)
Just hit them out on the inner ring and put them back using a socket (fits on outer ring) and hammer on the outer ring.

Do the same for the front wheel bearings. Easy to replace and not very expensive

What was wrong with your bearings at 20,000 miles? I must have had 30k on mine and they felt perfectly smooth, turning them with my fingers.

Don't read this as being critical. Everyone appreciates insight and tips. Kaw's maintenance schedule includes wheel bearing inspection every 7500 miles. So if you've waited until 20,000 miles to do this, then I have a more important tip for you, follow the maintenance schedule.

Frankly I get more concerned about rider's inspecting their steering head play properly. Anyone not using a jack or pivot stand cannot properly perform this aspect of maintenance. I'll take a bad wheel bearing over loose or bad steering head bearings any day.

As far as stock bearings they seem fine to me. I recently bought a second set of wheels which were off a 0 mile bike. When I installed them, the OEM bearings spun just as freely as any video I've seen supposedly showing how much better aftermarket bearings are.

Yes that is a good tip, follow the maintenance schedule.
I think am to busy customizing that I did not even looked at the wheal bearings until I a strange knocking sound very low speed (I thought it was the chain but it was the bearing with half of the balls almost gone)
When knocking the bearing out the inner ring came off..mmm big problem!
Not al the balls where round some of them had 1/3 flat area.

My problem is that I wash the bike to much and I think water went through the seal and into the bearing.
Lots of rust in the bearing.

Do you have any other bearing problems on your bikes?

Karl

I must have washed mine with water about 1 time every 3-4 weeks. Never had a problem with bearings. I have not removed them to inspect, however. I do not spray the bike with water anymore. I just drench it over with a wet cloth to avoid forcing any water into electrical wires or other areas. I always give the seals a good gob of grease before putting the spacers in. Wheel bearing problems are not common at all with the 14.

Are you talking about the bearing in the rear sprocket coupling (hub)? That bearing isn't sealed like wheel bearings. There's a seal that should be in place too, but the bearing itself isn't sealed. Inspecting this bearing is part of the wheel bearing damage inspection process (2-29 in service manual), every 7500 miles.

I recommend taking advantage any time you remove the rear tire to inspect it (see 11-14), and repack it. There's no reason not to. If over time this bearing grease has been washed and rinsed away, and never periodically inspected and packed it's no wonder it's rusty and falling apart at 20k miles. That's a sign of neglect, not a quality or expected useful life issue.

Washing your bike
If you're using a power washer, stop it. This is definitely blowing right by seals and probably other things. Hand wash only, using low pressure water to rinse the bike down. If you've been power washing your bike it's whole life, I'd expect the whole thing to start falling apart just like that bearing about any time now.

Time to reset your maintenance schedule
When someone buys a used bike and ask me, this is what I recommend to them unless they have both documented and physical evidence maintenance was performed. This way you know exactly where your bike sits maintenance wise.

Your bike has symptoms of neglect. My guess is your rear suspension parts, steering head bearings, haven't been greased in all that time either and probably are just as dry as your coupling bearing. Fork oil breaks down over time, might be due to be changed. Whens the last time a real bolt tightening inspection was performed? If hydraulic fluids haven't been changed I'd guess you'd find some pretty nasty gunk in those system.

Generally we take cars a little for advantage. It's just kind of the 'murican way. You can't do this with your motorcycle. Being on 2 wheels changes everything.

Hi VicThing,

Awesome reply..
The bearing that was gone, was the one on the other side (brake disc side)
I have replaced all of them with new one's (all the bearings (all three) are sealed ... - 2RS (2 x rubber seal))
I still need to do the front one's do you know the size of the wheel bearings for the front.
I don't have a front wheel stand (only back wheel one) last time I removed the front wheel to check the bearings I removed the front wheel guard and lifted it by hand onto a support with the back wheel on the stand.
The bike is a little bit heavy in the front, I think I will look for a stand next time.

I have a 2010 ZX14R by the way, the guy before me did the cams, the idling is not so smooth but the power is insane.
At 6500 rpm the cam starts to kick in. I got the bike at 6500 odo.

Will the steering neck bearing get damage if you wheelie the bike?
I tri not to do that to much but it is just easy with the power of the bike.

Thanks !!

The bearing that was gone, was the one on the other side (brake disc side)
I have replaced all of them with new one's (all the bearings (all three) are sealed ... - 2RS (2 x rubber seal))
I still need to do the front one's do you know the size of the wheel bearings for the front.
I don't have a front wheel stand (only back wheel one) last time I removed the front wheel to check the bearings I removed the front wheel guard and lifted it by hand onto a support with the back wheel on the stand.
The bike is a little bit heavy in the front, I think I will look for a stand next time.

I have a 2010 ZX14R by the way, the guy before me did the cams, the idling is not so smooth but the power is insane.
At 6500 rpm the cam starts to kick in. I got the bike at 6500 odo.

Will the steering neck bearing get damage if you wheelie the bike?
I tri not to do that to much but it is just easy with the power of the bike.

Man, I can't imagine what it would take to do that to one of those wheel bearings like that. I'd give that bike a good going over, either someone's been power washing the shit out of it or there's some serious neglect. Unless you have it documented, I'd check valve clearance too, all fluids, brake calipers, etc. As far as wheel bearing size, honestly have no idea but I'd order something specific to motorcycling and 14's.

You must be a beast if you're lifting that bike like that. Lots of alternatives out there, some use something like a couple ladders as a make shift A frame stand, using straps to hold the front end up.

Power
Gen 1s and Gen 2s are different animals. Gen 1s have that upper RPM woosh, and Gen 2s seemingly don't. I say seemingly because Gen 2s just have more low and mid range so the upper rpm woosh isn't as apparent as it is with Gen 1s.

Wheelies
I wouldn't recommend learning how to wheelie on a 14. I'd be much more concerned with cracking frame welds on a 14 than steering head bearings.

Hi VicThing,

I am not really new with wheelies, had a bike since I was 12 and 8-9 bikes in between.
80 two stroke, 500R, 1100 KAWA, 250KTM, 1000 YAMAHA, 1100 GSXR, ZX12, ZX 14R NOW
It is just I want to take care of the bike not over doing it with wheelies and safe chain and sprocket.
Wheel bearings went because it was standing and not riding and to much washing.

The guy that sold me the bike,his wife told him if he spends more money on the bike she is going to divorce him.
Then after the mods she said - me or the bike????

The rest of the bike is in a very good condition, not even marks on the radiator, disc front and back like new also engine is very smooth accept for cam when idling.
With the mods (cam gas flow) the new ZX14R 2015 is to slow for me. I waited for a 2015 model just after a toll road stop and he pulled away, i opened up 1,2,3,4,5, hid the limit almost breaking my neck, looked back.. he is still racing himself, when we stopped he ask me if I had a turbo on the bike?? I told him no man it is standard ha ha..
Wish it was a Hayabusa that is always funny.

Thanks INFO on bearings!!