Motorcycle Repair: Steering head bearings, bad tire, triple trees

Question
My question is quite simple. My 96 Sportster seems to wobble at high speeds. Everyone says I should adjust the head steering bearings. However no one seems to know how much to tighten them? How much do I torque them to?

Thanks Jerald

Answer
You first need to see if your steering head bearing is loose. Lean the bike over on the kickstand so that the front wheel is off the ground. Now have somebody else pull the front wheel back and forth, inline with the bike. If you feel movement then its either loose or the bearing is bad. To tighten it, just snug it up so that the triple trees move freely. If that is not hte problem, inspect the front tire. You might have a bad tire and needs replaced. If you rub your hand around it, it should feel smooth with no bumps
Good luck and happy riding
Mike