Odd looking gunk and some fluid leaking

[Rianna]

Hmmm...it's almost too much for me to think about. Looks like I could have 2 or 3 (or more) things going on here. Gotta try to break it down into parts.

Okay, so I understand what you're saying about greasing the steering stem. It could wait a little. OR...I could do it all at once while it's apart if I can get my hands on some grease (and tools) and learn about 10 times more than I was prepared to learn this soon. Do you by chance know the name of the grease so I could add it to my wish list?

So it seems to me there should be some way to detect tiny fractures, but I haven't a clue what the trick might be, short of filling it up and then checking and checking to see if more shows up where it shouldn't. My mind keeps going to that soapy water thing with tires. Maybe a pair of those magnifying goggle things the dentist uses with the light attached. lol I'm hating the thought of putting it all back together and filling it up only to tear it apart again a few days or a week later. Was really hoping this was all old stuff left on by the dealer's doing.

[Rianna]

you should be able to tell the dif. beteewn brake fluid and grease. grease would be thicker.

Yes, one is thicker than the other.

Maybe it's the pictures - but would brake fluid be that dark?

This is a pretty new scooter.
The lower pics is where the darker stuff is. It's a little bit thick, but not as thick as the lighter stuff in the higher up pics. I wiped a bit of each on a white paper towel to see the difference. It could just be that one is fresher than the other. Not sure.

[sidthesloth]

having another look at the pics, that grease on the out side does not look rusty, it looks like someone has put grease on those parts that are touching the frame and brackets to stop squeaking.
I used silicone spray on my GS500 where the cable goes through the guide.

[Rianna]

I took a couple more shots, maybe they will come out a little better or closer up.

[Rianna]

Another one.

[Rianna]

Paper towel. LOL!

The one on the left is from up higher near the top. The one on the right is from the very bottom of the steering. It smells a bit burnt to me, but the one on the left doesn't. And no, I didn't taste either of them.  

[oswaldters]

Paper towel. LOL!

Man, this is like something out of Kymco CSI.

[Rianna]

I used silicone spray on my GS500 where the cable goes through the guide.
There's a big glop of it behind the metal of that guide, sid! Oh I hope that's it.

[Rianna]

Man, this is like something out of Kymco CSI.
lmao...Funny, but true! Life's too short not to have some fun. lol

[art]

  I'd say excess grease if you can turn the handle bars your good to go 100+mph  Non issue get that brake figured out 

[Rianna]

Thank you, art. 

[art]

  Ha! Really! You just need to get those brakes going. Not to say maintanince isn't good but if it aint broke don't fix it. Speacially that head set it can be a challenge for a newbee    I was one once,bearings and things will fall out of there.  If it aint grinding or hopping up and down it will be fine.   
   Not stopping properly is a conciern,if its just noise you can get away with it,but need to address it at some point,it will still go 
  I've been riding off road most my life and you would be suprised at how much abuse these bikes can take. (not that i condone it on a scooter) Ha! but these things are built pretty well.

[Rianna]

lol. I appreciate you keeping me focused, art! I can get sidetracked so easily. I made a little headway on the brake issue today, but now I can't stop yawning.

bearings and things will fall out of there
Yeah, I hear ya. I figure that will happen to me. But (if you're lucky) you only make those mistakes once.

[art]

 Actually i think they assemble this part of the bike upside down before the motor is installed,so no matter how carefull the bearings will fall out once the grease has been broke down abit. I'm on my third one and don't know an easy way yet. But i'm ready to catch them now to save a trip to the bearing shop    On the people's model you have to disasemble all to change a damaged fender  Don't know about the other models

[Rianna]

Makes ya wonder if the fellas drawing up the designs didn't get bored and have a few too many one nite then try to figure out how to complicate things. lol Hey, you learn something every time, though. And now you know to catch them. That's great!