Front end noise when hitting sharp bumps or potholes

Paulie M

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I have a new to me 2017 F7, when I drive over some bumps or hit a rough part in the road I hear a clunking noise or something rattling in the front end. I am not sure whether it is the fender or the headlight. The sound seems to be a hollow sound... this is the best way to describe it. Kind of plastic hitting plastic..... hell I don't know, this is why I'm here asking you cats.

I just checked to see if all the bolts and fasteners were tight and secure. All are tight now, there were a few that needed a little tweeking, but nothing really loose.

Can anyone provide some insight on this or is this normal?

Paulie
 
Can you try to rack the bike back and forth while holding the front brake on. JJH
 
Can you try to rack the bike back and forth while holding the front brake on. JJH

I just racked the bike back and forth, I can hear the front rotors move (floating rotors) but not the sound that I hear when I hit a bump in the road....
 
I've never noticed any clunking from the front on my F700S, and the potholes around here are unbelievable. My first thought would be head bearings but you should be able to provoke that my walking it forward then jamming the brakes on. Can you put it on the centre stand, get someone to lean on the back (to lift the front off the ground) and see if you can detect any movement or noise?

I don't think there's anything else that would explain a noise on bumps...
 
It might be the floating discs rattling on the bolts as you hit a bump, try gripping the disc and push+ pull it, my r 9 t does it, it took some time to find,
 
I've never noticed any clunking from the front on my F700S, and the potholes around here are unbelievable. My first thought would be head bearings but you should be able to provoke that my walking it forward then jamming the brakes on. Can you put it on the centre stand, get someone to lean on the back (to lift the front off the ground) and see if you can detect any movement or noise?

I don't think there's anything else that would explain a noise on bumps...

Had it on the center stand and put a jack under the engine to lift the front end. Pulled and pushed on the forks; solid as a rock. Took the front fender off and took it for a short ride.... I'm thinking the sound is coming from the fender. The sound that I am hearing is emanating from the fender due to the shock being transmitted through it and from the bumps... or am I on crack?
 
I have a new to me 2017 F7, when I drive over some bumps or hit a rough part in the road I hear a clunking noise or something rattling in the front end. I am not sure whether it is the fender or the headlight. The sound seems to be a hollow sound... this is the best way to describe it. Kind of plastic hitting plastic..... hell I don't know, this is why I'm here asking you cats.

I just checked to see if all the bolts and fasteners were tight and secure. All are tight now, there were a few that needed a little tweeking, but nothing really loose.

Can anyone provide some insight on this or is this normal?

Paulie

In 2013 BMW changed the front shocks to WP.
I have been told that the WP shocks makes a clicking sound when hitting bumps, apparently som internal valves in the shock absorber inside the fork that opens and hit a stopper or something. I have this on my -13 GS, and it has been there from my first day of ownership. If there is no external damage to the forks, this may be your case as well.
 
There's an old thread on this site about clonking forks . I had it many miles ago and the head bearings were adjusted up and it went away. I couldn't feel it when puling the front wheel back and fwd. It was only when riding it I Might need some more bearings soon though as there was a tiny bit of notchiness at last MOT (24000 miles, 11 years old)

Ta
 
I finally figured out what the cause of the noise and was able to isolate it. It was the rotors. I zap tied them to the inner ring of the rotors and it reduced the noise significantly. However you are only able to zip tie the inner part of the ring and the bushing as there will be interference and clearance issues with the brake caliper and brake pads if you try and zip tie the bushing to the outer portion of the rotor.

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