I have a weird thing that has just started happening to my 2003 roadie that I think may be steering head bearing related. What happens.....when I come up to a stop sign or light my bike has the feeling at times that the steering (handlebars are locked up. It only does this at slow speeds stopping. I don't think it matters if I'm using the front brake or not. I think it does it either way but I normaly use the front brake. Because it doesn't happen in a perfectly straight line it gives the feeling that the bike is going to just fall over on the side opposite the lock direction. It hasn't been a problem yet but on any kind of uneven suface and things get really hairy at times. It's never done this before the last few weeks of riding. I have about 20,000 miles on the bike now.
Any ideas?

I have an 03 also, haven't had any problems with the steering but I think your looking in the right place. the head bearings are the only thing other than the steering lock mechanism that I can think of, that would cause a restriction in steering.
I don't think I would ride it too much until you figure it out tho..

jack up the bike with the front tire just off the ground and slowly turn the handlebars back and forth if there is any binding at all replace the bearings and expect the lower race to be a real pain in the arss to get of the stem.

Low tire pressure will reduce your steering by 20-40% you might be suprised...check your tire pressure and your fork tube distance on both sides to make sure nuttin has shifted,,,good luck...and yes this is from personal experiance,,a low front tire scared the crap out of me one evening.

I've got the same problem, my bike is an 06. I've been feeling it for the past couple of thousand miles, it hasn't really bothered me and i've already put it on the lift and I have no slack and everything is tight and air pressure is right on......I just recently had a new rear tire installed at the dealership and they took it for a test spin and when the guy came back he took it into the shop and asked me about the frontend. He said he was going to order the parts and for me to bring it back to him. I have yet to get the bike back to the dealership for the bearing replacement but I will next week. I'll let you know what the dealership finds wrong with mine. BTW Mine is still under warranty so this will be exploritory surgury, dealer thinks the bearings were set wrong from the factory, or somehow gotten water/moisture in them and rust has formed.

Thanks for the replies.....no doubt it locks up. But I can't duplicate it anywhere stopped. I have ridden a lot of miles in the rain too. I've also done a fair amount of pressure washing so maybe between the two there is a problem in the neck.

Im bettin it's the bearings n5ifi, like td1600 said, get the front wheel off the ground and check that neck for slop.

With 20K on the clock, have you ever serviced the steering head bearings? That is recommended at 16K. The white lithium grease will wash out and gets pretty cruddy. The recommended check for the steering head bearings is to lift the scooter off the ground with the forks straight push and pull on the lower fork legs if any play is felt the bearings need to be checked and retorqued. If after retorquing there is still play the bearing should be replaced. I would start with a full service of the bearings and check for damage. If they look OK clean - repack - retorque and see if the issue continues. If it still hangs up replace the bearings. I would not ride if this issue is present as you never know when you may loose steering due to a broken bearing!!!!

There are several strings on this subject and we are hear to help.

Roadstar Lockup, as a matter of fact my 1999 Roadstar just started locking up a low speeds, no matter witch break i use,first thing i check was tire presure, and it was dead nuts.
Bat

My 1999 has holes in the neck that let water in so after changing the bearings in the neck I siliconed some small neoprene tubes about 1/2" in length into the holes with the ends that stick out cut at about 45* with the longest point on top slightly to the front and I don't pressure wash the neck anymore. I hope I don't have to change them again ,and I did use a good grade of water resistant grease too when I reassembled the bearings.