On the first long tour my wife and I did on our tandem, the headset totally failed without warning on the Yellowhead hwy. While we were pondering our options, we met a lawyer from Kamloops who gave us and our bike a ride into town. There was a great bike shop that found some fancy roller-bearing replacement and put us on our way. We were lucky to have been bailed out; the bike was totally unrideable. Don't skimp on the headset if you are going to use the bike for any extended tours. It is a one-time expense when done right. It may leave you stranded, or worse, if you cut this corner. I consider the headset second only to the wheels when it comes to critical component decisions.

By the way, that headset is finally being replaced after 21 years; the forks are due for replacement so the head-tube is being re-bored to modern standards to accommodate the new forks.