Honda-SOHC

I've just got home from the Kempton Bike Show and autojumble. I'd like to say I had a really good ride over on the VFR but riding through the London 'burbs' is  painful even on a bike, so many idiots and morons in cars. I actually had one guy next to me at a set of red lights who decided he'd had enough of waitng and just decided to go despite all the traffic coming around the roundabout!
The show was pretty good, the CR Rotary racer was there and was run up on the rollers, what a sound as was the Jawa 2 valve speedway bike.
The Best in Show was won by a Honda Phil Read Replica with a very nice back story. There was a 90cc twin Yamaha that was highly comended as well as a CB72/77?
I was hoping to get some 10/40 oil for Ratty but nothing available, plenty of 20/50 or straight 30/40/50! In order not to feel I had a wasted trip I bought a can of electrical contact cleaner instead!

I used the kit from Pyramid Parts and whilst it did fit there was only 1.5 turns on the castelated nut. I contact Pyramid and they requested photos and these were duly sent with the measurements. Pyramid admitted the kit was not suitable for the 400/4 despite their listing stating it was and gave me my money back. This was the same kit many have used on here. Pyramid agreed with my findings that it could be dangerous.
I bought a set of caged ball bearings in the end and they fitted perfectly using a 2mm shim on the lower yoke.
I have contacted Pyramid a couple of times since to request an update and I also voluntered to try the stepped bearing they were proposing but they told me they are currently speaking to several restorers of these machines to obtain a solution. Needless to say I had a pig of a job to get the taper races out of my newly powder coated frame!

I have used the taper roller kits sold by Pyramid Parts without issue, the kit includes a decent lower seal arrangement. I did not use the top seal to avoid any issues with sufficient top threads. I'm not an engineer so made some measurements of the bottom taper roller height to ensure I put the right shim below the bearing. A simple comparison of bearing thickness/height between original plain bearing and taper replacement was straight forwards. I have a cheapish tool that can remove the bottom races without damage.

The shocker bushes can be a pig to remove depending on the level of rusting - deffo take them out before painting.

Steering Head Ball Bearing Kit - 013075 on Motorccle Products pages £10.04 inc vat plus postage, check what else you need before order

If yo meanthe pivot in the frame that the pedal fits on yes it knocks out after swing arm removed.
Personally i only think tapers are worth it if you want the last ounce of performance and handling, tapers can be a pain to fit right and are a real bugger to get the outer races out again! You can get ball races where the balls are in a cage so easier to fit, i think i have seen them on motorcycle products site, yes thats the second time i have mentioned them today and no i dont get anything fo it!