The other week I found myself using the Speed Twin in the wet to get to work. At the weekend I inspected the bike and noticed a spot of rust on the chrome steering nut. I went to rub the rust off with my thumb nail and was shocked to discover the nut was rotating and was completely loose. Upon unscrewing the nut I noticed the thread inside was completly devoid of any thread lock. This nut is supposed to be torqued to 90 N/m. I have no idea it had been like that. No adverse steering or braking symptoms but maybe something for other users to be aware of.
I assume that the nut was never torqued correctly as at a fairly hefty 90Nm it should never come loose and threadlock is unnecessary. Has the nut been removed at any point for adjusting or greasing the bearings?
Not that I am aware of, nothing in the service history to denote that happened. I am waiting for a new (and different) nut to arrive and then I will torque it down myself.
I had the same on my 2018 Speedmaster. The front end was feeling 'clunky' under braking and after a few weeks of not managing to work out the cause, was on my way to dealers (bike was under warranty) when I thought to check that head nut.
thanks for posting this, just went out and checked mine and it was also loose, on a 22 street twin, anyone know what size that bolt is, a 36mm is to small and thats the largest socket ive got
Off the top of my head, isn't it 38mm and 40 nm on a 900 Street Twin? This street/ speed twin name change nonsense is going to make things complicated as are we talking 900cc or 1200cc or are they the same on this issue?
Thanks Eldon, I picked up a 38 mm and snugged it up, I think I read its supposed to be torqued to 90 nm, Im going to call my dealer in the morning and ask about this problum
No probs on my bikes but my mate has got a 22 plate Speed Triple. Was telling me monday that he'd gone back to dealer to share about clunking noise under heavy braking and turned out to be this same nut not tight
Got subscription to Triumph Tech Manuals; 90nm is the torque setting shown there. Definitely going to check my 2023 T120's nut. Update 12/1/23; mine not loose; but, if I had to tighten it, that would require removing the handlebars mounted over it.
