Reducing front end knock?
 

Hi

Is there anything that can reduce front end knock on the 03 sv650 ??

i first encountered it on the test ride and got the dealer to take it out, i thought it was plastic or something as it still handled smooth so i know its not forks.

The dealer confirmed its one of the quirks of an sv and theres nothing much that can be done to fix as its all todo with the floating discs which is designed to stop disc warp and makes it brake straight and true.

Every speed bump at 15-20 knock .........KNOCK..........KNOCKKKK

I searched the forums and got a load of old posts and multiple theorys so I put posted this for your info to as to what caused front end KNOCK :)
I kinda believe the dealers theory as he is sound and he even made it knock by pedaling the bike and braking hard.

regards

Re: front end knock
 

be aware dealers are about selling bikes, they aren't generally mechanics, nice guys normally and sometimes helpful, just have a pinch of salt handy....;)

Some of us have solved that "quirks of an sv "

Cheers Mark.

Re: front end knock
 

I would be checking fork oil and springs if its on the front end. Mine handled great on bends but on heavy breaking bottomed out easily.

Re: Reducing front end knock?
 

Does it knock when the forks dip, or on the rebound?

Re: Reducing front end knock?
 

Mind me asking how heavy you are?

Mine hardly ever bottoms out unless i hit a pot hole or sudden heavy braking (normally followed by a few swear words at somebody lol). Im only about 12 stone though, obviously it would get much worse the heavier the ridder?

Just a thought :).

Re: Reducing front end knock?
 

i noticed a bad knocking on mine too and i thought it seemed like it was handly fine but turned out my headstock bearings had gone and the was a slight notch when the bars were just off center

Re: Reducing front end knock?
 

Assuming your bearings are all OK, the "SV knock" is generally considered to be a function of the forks.

I do not believe it is the forks bottoming out, as this requires about 120mm of travel, but rather the noise is the damper rod assembly doing what it does when the fork moves very fast, and the oil has to move from one chamber to another.

Mine doesn't do it after I fitted debrix / racetech emulators. Others have found stiffer springs have slowed the fork travel down enough to solve it.

Just my understanding, and it may well be wrong.

Jambo

Re: Reducing front end knock?
 

Same here

Cured it to an extent with new oil and heavier springs. The standard springs are for a 7 stone Japanese person, not a 13/14 stone brit

Re: Reducing front end knock?
 

hey
im 6ft 5 , 15 stone but im skinny as fook....beer buldge thats it !!:D

the forks dont seem to bottom out not at those speeds, it sounds like a plastic banging sound but it definately from the front end not clocks rattling etc like a said the dealer guy made it doit stood up over the bike and braking hard after just a couple of steps so i dont think weight is an issue here

ill try and get a video together:smt021

Re: Reducing front end knock?
 

They (almost) all do it. Including mine which has 350 miles on the clock. I'll probably be changing the springs and thicker fork oil next year, possibly including emulators. Seems silly to spend the money now while its all still new.

But for now I wouldn't worry about it too much.