Question about a knocking noise

GerryB · Post by **GerryB** » Mon Sep 21, 2015 9:31 am

I have scanned loads of Tech threads , but not found what I'm looking for .

My R1100S some times makes a knock sound that I can feel through the bars , when riding slowly over uneven surdace , small holes etc in the tarmac.

I've never noticed it at higher speeds .

I think its on the front, but not absolutley sure .

I've jacked the front up , checked wheel bearings etc , shaken and cant feel any play in the suspension on the front .

I can't find any thing loose at the rear either ..

Ideas please

gus · Post by **gus** » Mon Sep 21, 2015 11:37 am

Hi
Worn ball joints?
Gus

Boxered · Post by **Boxered** » Mon Sep 21, 2015 11:48 am

Loose or rattling brake pads?

Steve

bikerboy · Post by **bikerboy** » Mon Sep 21, 2015 1:03 pm

carbs out of sync!?

GerryB · Post by **GerryB** » Mon Sep 21, 2015 3:08 pm

bikerboy wrote:carbs out of sync!?

Not carbs !!! When slowly riding over bumps ???

GerryB · Post by **GerryB** » Mon Sep 21, 2015 3:09 pm

Boxered wrote:Loose or rattling brake pads?

Steve

Checked , they seem nice and snug .

GerryB · Post by **GerryB** » Mon Sep 21, 2015 3:10 pm

gus wrote:Hi
Worn ball joints?
Gus

Hmmm maybe ....

roadburner · Post by **roadburner** » Mon Sep 21, 2015 3:11 pm

i have exactly the same thing over pot holes ao really bumpy surfaces, but only low speed. sounds like there's something loose up front, but can't find anything. worn ball joint makes sense, do they come on all of a sudden?, and how difficult is it to fix?

GerryB · Post by **GerryB** » Mon Sep 21, 2015 3:12 pm

roadburner wrote:i have exactly the same thing over pot holes ao really bumpy surfaces, but only low speed. sounds like there's something loose up front, but can't find anything. worn ball joint makes sense, do they come on all of a sudden?, and how difficult is it to fix?

From your description , sounds like my problem too .

I will peruse the manuals later .

Corvus · Post by **Corvus** » Mon Sep 21, 2015 6:26 pm

Did you take care to "shake" the front end in the direction of wheel travel? It's maybe possible that the main ball joint is in early stages of wear and perhaps this can only be detected if pushed in direction of wheel travel, which is pretty much vertical and slightly forwards. Pushing and pulling, as you would on a traditional steering head, might not be easily detectable. Dunno, just a thought.

boxerscott · Post by **boxerscott** » Mon Sep 21, 2015 6:26 pm

GerryB wrote:
roadburner wrote:i have exactly the same thing over pot holes ao really bumpy surfaces, but only low speed. sounds like there's something loose up front, but can't find anything. worn ball joint makes sense, do they come on all of a sudden?, and how difficult is it to fix?

From your description , sounds like my problem too .

I will peruse the manuals later .

My money is on bearings.

GerryB · Post by **GerryB** » Mon Sep 21, 2015 7:56 pm

Corvus wrote:Did you take care to "shake" the front end in the direction of wheel travel? It's maybe possible that the main ball joint is in early stages of wear and perhaps this can only be detected if pushed in direction of wheel travel, which is pretty much vertical and slightly forwards. Pushing and pulling, as you would on a traditional steering head, might not be easily detectable. Dunno, just a thought.

Thanks , will check this out soon .

Grip Fast · Post by **Grip Fast** » Tue Sep 22, 2015 7:55 am

I had a similar thing with my R1200S when I first bought it, though maybe slightly different symptoms. When riding slowly (30 mph or less), there was a real harshness that became clunking that I could feel through the bars, if the road surface was poor. Once going faster, the bike was fine.

The difference with mine is it felt like I had wooden wheels on the bike, with no tyres, so I was looking at the suspension locking up rather than something worn or loose. Eventually took it to a suspension specialist who fixed a problem in the rear (Ohlins) unit and serviced the front. The bike has been great since. Strange that I felt it through the bars, so thought front end, but it was the rear end that had failed. So it might be deceptive.

Maybe worth suspecting the suspension internals if you can't find anything else worn/loose. Just a thought...

GerryB · Post by **GerryB** » Tue Sep 22, 2015 10:32 am

Grip Fast wrote:I had a similar thing with my R1200S when I first bought it, though maybe slightly different symptoms. When riding slowly (30 mph or less), there was a real harshness that became clunking that I could feel through the bars, if the road surface was poor. Once going faster, the bike was fine.

The difference with mine is it felt like I had wooden wheels on the bike, with no tyres, so I was looking at the suspension locking up rather than something worn or loose. Eventually took it to a suspension specialist who fixed a problem in the rear (Ohlins) unit and serviced the front. The bike has been great since. Strange that I felt it through the bars, so thought front end, but it was the rear end that had failed. So it might be deceptive.

Maybe worth suspecting the suspension internals if you can't find anything else worn/loose. Just a thought...

This is very interesting .

I hadn't thought that , but yes, it feels like solid wheels , wooden ones .

I will sort out some space in my lock up shortly and then strip it down and check .

jeznewsome · Post by **jeznewsome** » Tue Sep 22, 2015 6:00 pm

Gerry, the front was rebuilt in 2013, by Firefox in Keighley. So I would hope that hasn't gone already.