clonking front end
 

When I hit a big hole, like a dropped drain cover I feel a click in the handlebars, or a small knock.
It doesn't do it on normal holes just big ones. Has anyone else noticed this or is it just my bike,
Its a 2006 650 s. I prviously had a vfr vtec which was heavier, but never had any knocking at the front.

Re: clonking front end
 

ive heard of others doing this but i personally avoid big holes in the road.

Re: clonking front end
 

Same here occasionally. You should see some roads we have specially after winter...

Well changer the fork springs and oil yesterday and the bearings were ok. Front felt ok. And when the fairing was removed also mounted braided brake lines. A big syringe was a big help on bleeding the brakes. I pumped the lever and my brother sucked with the syringe from the bleeding points of fron calibers went fairly easy.

Went to the garage on sunshine around 1pm left at 7pm. Meanwhile started snowing 10cm of fresh heavy snow out of the blue ;) Winter hits back...

Re: clonking front end
 

Hi.

I have read about this on the forum before, my K3 model does it as well. I seem to remember a posting some time ago that details how you could get rid of it. It involved stripping the headstock and changing things around, what I can't remember though. As long as you can feel any clonking while braking sharply etc. then I would not worry about it. If you are unsure get a dealer to check it.

Tim

Re: clonking front end
 

'mechanics sarcastic tone'-:they all do that sir ,its quite common

Re: clonking front end
 

guess the search button has the day off :roll:

Re: clonking front end
 

majority of sv's happen to do this. cheap forks. thats it. plain and simple. not going deep into it but its to do with the dampening rods and the weight of the oil. the rods hit against the bottom of the fork or something like that. hence why anyone who has done a fork change, either s-rad forks or usd forks, no one has the problem. only real way of resolving it. if you change to better springs, like i did, it just returns after a good year after the spring looses its initial tension. mechanics not wrong though.

Re: clonking front end
 

I'm glad it's not just my bike!

Re: clonking front end
 

Mine still does it with the SRAD front end fitted can't work out what it is yet!! So I try to avoid pot holes to:cool:

Re: clonking front end
 

Thanks to all, excellent idea about the search button and avoiding holes in the roads, glad it's not just my bike, I will mention it next service and see what the dealer has to say.

Re: clonking front end
 

The search engine can be a bit dodgy on this one, because there's so many different things that can cause it... You could easily read how it's definately head bearings, then go and tighten yours, and be left with overtight head bearings and a clonk :)

So what I did was make sure everything worked, then ignore it. Bikes make noise.

Re: clonking front end
 

My SV is brand new, it's always clonked into big holes. It's the front suspension 'bottoming out'. Sometimes you just can't avoid the big holes.

Re: clonking front end
 

the thou dont do it.

Re: clonking front end
 

Thats cause the front wheel is never on the floor:D

Re: clonking front end
 

I don't think it's bottoming out. Mine does it too, but the tie wrap I have around one stanchion says it not bottoming...

Re: clonking front end
 

Mine K3 does it too, it's straight out of a dearlership with one of those 45 point checks (cough, cough). Maybe its a design flaw?

Re: clonking front end
 

It's probably the forks topping out, rather than bottoming out - they have no top-out spring in em so fully extend as the wheel goes off the edge of a drop eg the front edge of a recessed grate.

Re: clonking front end
 

I'm glad i'm not the only one thats noticed this problem, i can ignore it now and just continue to avoid as best poss the hidious pot holes in and around London!

Re: clonking front end
 

I agree with jonboy. My bike 'clonks' when coming off long speedhumps. My theory was that it was the forks reaching its full extension.

Re: clonking front end
 

We suffer occasional front end clonks,
I've checked the head stock, all appears nice and tight, with a smooth movement, its not noise being transmitted from the front brakes, being of the floating type?? or maybe its an indication that the fork bushes are getting worn?

I feels tight to ride, and is only a noise, we feel nothing through the bars.

Re: clonking front end
 

I had it/still got it on my naked k5. Clonks over big bumps and holes. Dealer told me that the headlight was spring loaded and that's what the clonk is. Is this true? Or should I pop to the hardware store for some long waits and sky hooks and half tone dots?;)