Red Plastic Plug in the Neck

[King Tut]

I noticed today that the bike has a red plastic plug in the bottom of the neck. I know that plugs like that are normally used when shipping things so that stuff doesn't get in the hole. I was wondering if it was supposed to be left in or can be removed. It is pretty easily viewable from the front.

[Ferris]

Mine is there too. I gathered it was to stop crap from getting up there.

[motonut]

The plug is removed when you use a front wheel stand to support the front of the bike-a front wheel stand, like a Pit-bull, has a metal cylinder that goes in the hole to stabilize the bike as you raise it up on the stand. You can remove the plug with some needle nosed pliers, and push it back in when you take the stand out. I leave it in to keep any water getting up there when commuting in the rain

[jaket]

if you remove it, the is usually some head bearing grease dropping out of there.

then people post threads that 'why there is grease on my bellypan'

JT