[csdexter]

Howdy,

Ireland absolutely loves speed bumps and I've noticed that I get a strange and disconcerting clunk from the front end if I ride over the shortest ones at "speed" (i.e. with 15km/h instead of 5km/h).

I kept my hands on the bars and I could feel no free play as the clunk is heard but I'm still worried. Also, coming to a stop using the front brakes does not elicit any freeplay or clunk from the steering.

(for the record: I did ride a bike with a broken upper raceway so I know how 1mm of freeplay looks, feels and sounds like)

Could it be the calipers? I don't keep the front brakes on when riding over the bumps and as the calipers and the discs are floating, I'm guessing that's where the noise comes from but I thought I'd ask anyway.

What do you think?

 

[willajabir]

I haven't experienced this on the CTX, but on my V-Star I have the same symptom which was the forks compressing all the way. Took almost 2 weeks to figure it out running over different size humps at different speeds with observers on each side of the bike.
Another rider figured it out: Changed to a heavier oil while another changed to progressive springs. I just accepted it and went on.

Hopefully that is all it is in your case too.

 

[csdexter]

What you're saying makes a lot of sense. If it ever gets to it, I'll go the heavier oil route as I've also tested that before and (to my taste) it was a huge improvement.

 

[Terry]

One way to check if your forks are bottoming out over bumps/hard braking is to put a cable tie around the stanchion just tight enough so it will slide. it will stay at the highest point in the fork travel.

 

[Miks]

Often it is the front fender that makes that "clunk" sound you are hearing. Try thumping the fender to see if it is that same sound you think you are hearing. Nothing is probably loose, some fenders just amplify the sound of the wheel hitting an object that size.

 

[csdexter]

I've since verified it's the calipers + disc making the sound. If you grab one fork leg and shake it, you can hear the calipers and disc clunking slightly. Same if you push it forward (engine off and in a quiet place), apply the front brakes to stop it, then release the brakes and start moving backwards: you'll hear the calipers and pads "falling off" the disc as it starts moving in reverse.

A very similar sound to the one train bogies make when the brake shoes get released and the wheels start turning.


I also ran a round of straight line front brake -only stops to make double sure there is no "click" in the steering and there is none.