R1150GS FRONT END KNOCKING

[mmmlasagna]

Hi All

Bought my first GS a couple of months ago and absolutely love it.
on the down side All my previous bikes have been japs sports bikes so there has been a period of "is it supposed to be like that or is it broken"

An example is there is a light knocking coming through the Handle bars when travelling slowly over obstacles. there is no play under braking or anything noticeable at speed.

Any Ideas what it is before I get the hammer and mole grips out?

 

[Flipfly]

I had a click coming through the bars a while ago when traveling slowly, turned out to be the handlebar clamps, they mush have somehow been stressing the bars ever so slightly. Undid them and re tightened and the click went away. Took a couple of weeks to find it though
I'm sure I've read that the lower fork clamps can also cause a knock if the front wheel has been incorrectly tightened (ie weight on the wheel before tightening up the wheel and fork clamps iirc).

 

[Jamieboy]

Maybe could be a loose telelever ball joint? If you grab the top of the front wheel when on centre stand and yank it hard you might see some play at the ball joint.

Flipfly - interesting about the lower fork clamps, i'd not heard that. Are you saying the weight should be on the wheel when you clamp it, or there should be no weight on the wheel when you tighten it?

 

[Wrigsby1]

Maybe could be a loose telelever ball joint? If you grab the top of the front wheel when on centre stand and yank it hard you might see some play at the ball joint.

Flipfly - interesting about the lower fork clamps, i'd not heard that. Are you saying the weight should be on the wheel when you clamp it, or there should be no weight on the wheel when you tighten it?

I had a loose Telelever joint on one of my 11's... Easy to spot with bike on centrestand and lifting the arm up... Cheap 2nd hand part from the likes of Motorworks as they seem pretty robust usually...

 

[Flipfly]

Maybe could be a loose telelever ball joint? If you grab the top of the front wheel when on centre stand and yank it hard you might see some play at the ball joint.

Flipfly - interesting about the lower fork clamps, i'd not heard that. Are you saying the weight should be on the wheel when you clamp it, or there should be no weight on the wheel when you tighten it?

I'm sure I've read that the weight should be on the wheel before tightening up.

 

[Comfy Old Boots]

I'm sure I've read that the weight should be on the wheel before tightening up.

+1

At least that's what Dr farkoff did when he checked mine a few years ago.

 

[nick.ct]

Check that the nut on the top of the shock is not coming loose

 

[Beebop]

I have found that the small bushes in the top yoke where the forks bolt in are worn, and do exactly that.
I have 120 000km, and was not expecting this, but there you have it, and they not cheap to replace either.

 

[ahebron]

Brake pad pins worn caused a lot of grief till I tracked them down as the culprit on mine.
Adrian

 

[dubster]

Could the disc be loose? When I bought mine it was rattling around like a bitch because the mounts had worn. Might be worth checking, fix is here

 

[Jamieboy]

Do you mean a knocking noise, or that you are feeling a knock through the handlebar?

 

[Packer]

Maybe could be a loose telelever ball joint? If you grab the top of the front wheel when on centre stand and yank it hard you might see some play at the ball joint

Be careful not to yank it off the centre stand, run a cargo strap from the stand under the engine and up to the neck of the frame.

 

[mmmlasagna]

Do you mean a knocking noise, or that you are feeling a knock through the handlebar?

I am feeling a knock/clunk through the bars, bike has 28000 miles FYO