Ball joint tie rod questions

[crash83]

How do you check to see if they are bad?
Any ideas?

 

[MuddyLip]

Have someone turn and hold handlebars all the way to one side so the steering is "locked", grab a wheel and try to move it back and forth(the same way it would move if you were steering the machine) look for excessive play in the ball joints. Should be pretty obvious if one or more are shot. Probably easier if you jack up the front end.

 

[crash83]

Replaced the steering stem and pivot arm assembly.
Now I can really tell what needs changed next.
Right upper ball joint....
Also thought it was odd that the old steering stem was about 2-3" shorter than the new one.
Someone had to have swapped out the original one with a shorter one.
Odd.