Royal Enfield Model D

[L.A.B.]

I always like to lift the seals and see just how much (or how little) grease is in a bearing. Here we get SKF brand made in China and this is one I recently purchased to put in a front wheel. How long do you think it would have lasted at 60 mph?

http://www.skf.com/uk/products/bearings-units-housings/super-precision-bearings/principles/lubrication/grease-lubrication/initial-grease-fill/index.html

Initial grease fill
Super-precision bearings operating at high speeds should have less than 30% of the free space in the bearings filled with grease.

Sealed bearings are filled with a high grade, low viscosity grease that fills ~ 15% of the free space in the bearing.

[Rex]

I always like to lift the seals and see just how much (or how little) grease is in a bearing. Here we get SKF brand made in China and this is one I recently purchased to put in a front wheel. How long do you think it would have lasted at 60 mph?

That's bizarre. In industry no-one would dream of pulling the seal off a bearing to see how much grease is in there.
Only a thin smear is ever needed, and that bearing will last a lot longer at 60 than your bike would!

[iansoady]

A ball bearing doesn't actually need much lubrication except for the cage.....

[murdo]

Well maybe because I've grown up and worked with agricultural machinery where more grease will make it last longer, but I have always popped the seals and added a bit more grease to all bearings (every time I replace a tyre I add a bit more to the bearing) and in all the years and bikes have never had to replace a bearing yet. Maybe I have been doing it wrong compared to the text books, but that method has worked for me.