Knocking from front end

[dave hendy]

Hi my wifes 250R has developed a knock from the front end that you get over bumps and feels like the head bearings or front forks When it does it, it feels like something is broken or missing I put it on the front paddock stand and checked the front wheel bearing but that seems fine. I can't feel or see anything obvious. Has anyone had a fault like this? Her bike is an 08 with 4.5K miles on it, she has had it about 6 weeks.

Dave

[kkim]

with the bike up on a front steering stem type stand, grab the front forks and try to wiggle them front to back and side to side to check for play.

have you checked the fork bolts that hold the forks into the triple clamps?

[noche_caliente]

Dave - I can't help you much, but wanted to officially welcome you (even if I am a few months late!) You should post in the new members section!

[dave hendy]

Originally Posted by noche_caliente

Dave - I can't help you much, but wanted to officially welcome you (even if I am a few months late!) You should post in the new members section!

Thanks for that. I know I need to do it but it's getting round to it all I usually do is have a quick look at the site a couple of times a week and that's it

[dave hendy]

Originally Posted by kkim

with the bike up on a front steering stem type stand, grab the front forks and try to wiggle them front to back and side to side to check for play.

have you checked the fork bolts that hold the forks into the triple clamps?

Hoping to get a chance to look at the bike tomorrow evening all I have though is a standard front and rear padock stand. A mate might pop round as well so we will see if we can spot anything!!

[kkim]

if you don't have a steering stem type lift, you can lift the front end of the bike by some rafters of your garage roof, if you have some, using the handlebars as attachment points for hanging.

[dave hendy]

Good news the knock is cured. The centre steering stem nut was loose, torqued it up to 40Nm and its nice and quiet. Hopefully the head bearings haven't been damaged

[kkim]

how did you tighten it up? which nut is that exactly... the one above or below the triple clamp?

[dave hendy]

Originally Posted by kkim

how did you tighten it up? which nut is that exactly... the one above or below the triple clamp?

The one at the top in the middle below the ignition switch. The one you loosen before adjusting the head bearings.

[kkim]

okay, thanks. how loose was it? any idea why it was loose? had the bike had work done to it previously?

sorry for all the questions... I think this is the first time I've heard of the stem nut being loose on the 250 plus I have a front wheel wobble that I'm trying to track down on my bike.

[dave hendy]

Originally Posted by kkim

okay, thanks. how loose was it? any idea why it was loose? had the bike had work done to it previously?

sorry for all the questions... I think this is the first time I've heard of the stem nut being loose on the 250 plus I have a front wheel wobble that I'm trying to track down on my bike.

It was more than finger tight but turned easily with a socket. It can't have been more than 0-5 Nm. Don't know why it was loose my wife got it 2nd hand at end of May with about 3.5K miles it's now on 4.2K. It was serviced when she got it at an independant garage not sure what they did as we didn't get an invoice just a stamp in the service book Sorry to hear about your problem, goodluck!