I've worked out that the dodgy handling and steering when coming to a stop isn't my badly worn tyres... Rather the headstock bearings seem to be worn and very notchy. I've read that this was a problem with some of the early bikes, due lack of grease applied during factory assembly and I know that due to the oil in the frame the grease around the bearings gets a harder than normal time, but should they have failed at 8000 miles of road riding? I've done literally a day of trail riding in that time. Has anyone had them changed / replaced under warranty?

mine were trouble at around 5>6000 miles unless bike is under warrenty they are not interested. if you use a pressure washer to clean the bike that can remove grease etc. i just re greased mine and they have been ok since

I regreased my at 25.000km, replaced them at 50.000 and regreased them again at 70.000km. All because slow riding in a straight line became difficult. The bottom one becomes rusty even after applying a lot of grease. I think it is the combination of heating up every time (due to the oil) and a bad seal from the bottom end.

I actually regreased them yesterday, without taking out the wheel and forks, only the steering bar and upper tripple clamp need to be removed. Its a 3/4h job in that way.

Niek, give me a quick run down on how you did it without removing everything please!

Support bike on stand with front wheel 10cm from the ground. Remove the bar, remove central nut, loosen upper triple clamp bolds. Remove upper trippel clamp and the central black ring (actually 2 rings with holder). The forks with wheel will drop down. Now you can clean and lube the bottom and top bearings.

Do you have any special tool for central bolts?
How did you tighten them?