'Clunk' coming from front end

Firstly thanks for all the help and advice I have already read on this great forum. I have recently become the proud owner of a SV650S K5 and am in the process of getting her road ready for when I finish taking all the parts of the DAS test. This will be my first 'big' bike and can't wait.

The chap I bought it off had not serviced it for three years! as he had not done many mile on it, however this let me grab a bargain by beating him down .

The bike is now going to be professionally serviced to ensure it is in good condition before I take over the servicing schedule. Anyway onto the point.

When going over the bike today doing bits and bobs I held the front brake and depressed the suspension to check the smothness of the action and to see the tension. When I did this I got a clunking noise that I cannot trace at the moment as I cannot get the front wheel off the ground. My first thoughts are either headstock bearing, fork bushes or front wheel bearing. Any ideas which of these or what else this may be?

a front end clunk is pretty common but its usually detected by riding over pot holes ect, the service should pick up any problems.

SV's have a reasonably basic damping mechanism in the forks, I have been led to beleive. The clunk is pretty usual and well documented. If the bike has just been standing for three years, you would be wise to ovbiously give the engine a service (new engine oil, new engine coolant), service the brakes (especially change the brake fluid), check the battery (get an optimate trickle charger, they are money well invested!) and, if you have the time, change the fork oil.

A simple test that you might like to try for the head bearings is to get the front wheel onto a surface which would allow you to turn the handlebars easily (something smooth, like a marble tile or soemthing?). Turn the handlebars side to side in a consistent, smooth action, one lock to the other and back a few times. If there is a notchy, non-smooth feeling, this couuuld be the headrace bearings (but dont discount that it could just be the inadequacy of the method being used!).

I deeply suspect though you have just discovered one of the well-documented characteristics of the Suzuki SV650s...the fork clunk. Whilst on that subject then of SV noises to scare new owners, when you ride the bike, you may notice a sort of very fast tickety noise around 4000-5000 rpm. Dont worry about this either, its a resonance thing and is not your cam chain's slapping about due to failed cam chain tensioners (that would be more likley to manifest itself as a ticking throughout the rev range!).

Originally Posted by kwak zzr

a front end clunk is pretty common but its usually detected by riding over pot holes ect, the service should pick up any problems.

+1

Thanks for that info, as stated it will be picked up in the service if there is a problem, but thanks for the heads up on the odd noises! I habe my mod 1 on Wednesday and can then book my mod2 if I pass, can't wait to get back on bikes again. Happy riding.

The "click" you hear when pressing front while holding front brake is floating disks i think. They move a bit so they give this sound.

The "clunk" when riding over the potholes comes from forks usually.

Originally Posted by Domas

The "click" you hear when pressing front while holding front brake is floating disks i think. They move a bit so they give this sound.

More commonly the brake pads, they sit a little loose but this is nothing to worry about.

[Steve_God]

All the above is generally correct.

Only other clunk I've had come from the front is when one of my break calpers had come a little loose and needed the bolts tightening, but generally speaking it's pretty rare for that to happen!

Well it's awlays good thing to investigate strange noises. My friends er5 developed some strange squeaking sounds. After some searching we found that front axle was lose. Not something you would want to ignore