Guy & Gals I really don't know if this is me being anal but anything like a vibration in a car or a noise anywhere I can't suss does my head in. Lately I've notice my front end feels a bit strange, there appears to be a very occasional very slight tap through the bars. I use mine everyday for work and the road is shite with speedhumps everywhere so it may be me, but just lately I've had a couple of instances where something has got stuck between the front mudguard and tyre, it sounded like a stick or something which did clear itself. I've checked the tyre and it looks fine, no marks or bits sticking out, pressure is ok. Also checked the front suspension and it's smooth and free, and taken the front mudguard off to check and alls fine. Is it me or does anyone have any pearls of wisdom that may quosh my undoubted paranoia !! TIA gang...
Ummm ... It's a thought, but it's not particularly happening when steering - not sure if a dodgy head set bearing would 'knock' in a straight line?. Difficult to describe but it's like a very slight knock through the hands... If anything my journey is a bit stop start all the way so no real cornering ... lots of braking mind ? Anything brake orientated spring to mind?, havn't checked the pads etc, will do this the weekend.
Head bearing would be my first port of call. They don't last forever and only ever wear in the straight ahead position. Cold weather means the grease can go hard which makes it feel a little notchy.
Yip I would check the head bearings too, they are meant to be stripped and regreased every 7500miles AFAIR. The bearings can wear and allow the forks to rock back and forth which can also happen when going over bumps as the weight comes on & off the suspension it can knock metal on metal at the headstock!
Let me add a bit more to that for you Martin, If it is the headstock bearing that's the issue you want get any knock when cornering as the weight of the bike is on the bearings, but when going over larger bumps the weight lifts off the front of bearing due to the weight of the forks/wheel and now rests on back of the bearing, when the wheel comes back down and weight transfers back to the front the gap caused by worn bearing allows no resistance until it hits the front part of the bearing again this transfer over the gap is what causes the knock!
Depends how happy you are with the spanners as most of the front end needs to get loosened and come off as the forks need to be removed along with the yokes, bearings are inside the tube part at the front of the frame but come out with the lower yoke to change them. So a decent set of tools will be required. Hope that helps
Cheers Sniny, Nuff said, down the local garage me thinks! I always have a habit of having nuts, bolts & washers left over when I do anything !!
Yep exactly what I said, I just took a short cut at cut out the middle with all the important useful info in lol
Give Arthur a shout mate I couldn't recomend a better place too take your pride and joy and his prices are good too, plus top bloke to chat too
Where abouts is Arthur ? Pls resists the Camelot gags !! It was a lot worse this morning, feels really unsafe so I need to sort it, still feels like it's coming from the front wheel though, something definately seems to be rubbing / knocking !? Wheel bearing ?
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Cheers guys, Front wheel bearings it is. managed to jack it up and there is quite a bit of play in the front wheel to say the least, enough that on cornering it's rubbing against the mudguard... Off to Farnham Honda me thinks... just not sure how i'm gonna get it there !!??
Ha just two days ago I noticed a tiny bit of play in my front wheel while on the paddock stand. Just enough so that it moves a mm and touches the pads, saying that riding it still feels like the front is flat. Anyway I've bought some bearings off eBay and they claim to be the same ones Honda use, Koyo. Does anyone know if these are a decent brand as I couldn't find any Honda ones.
