Front End Clunk

[NoVaFJR]

Here's the deal. 2006 base model. Picked up 13 June. Now has 280 miles on the odometer. From the very beginning, and throughout the accumulated miles, it exhibits a "clunk" in the front end that can be heard and felt through the handlebars when the engine's off, and felt through the handlebars at very low speeds when the engine's on. Following are the symptoms:

(1) Engine off, roll the bike forward (paddle-walking while seated on bike), apply front brakes, hear and feel clunk, bike stops. Roll the bike forward again, apply front brakes, no clunk.

(2) Roll bike backward, apply front brakes, hear and feel clunk (slightly different pitch to sound), bike stops. Roll bike backward again, apply front brakes, no clunk. But, roll bike forward, apply front brakes, and (1) happens again.

It's almost like something is being "reset" with the forward and rearward movement of the bike. Checked brake rotors, brake calipers, fork play (lateral and logitudinal), other hardware in the front of the bike--all seem okay. Bike handles and brakes nicely. No apparent effect on ride. Haven't checked this symptom while using the rear brake only (that thought just occurred to me).

Any thoughts, ideas, or similar experience? Thanks.

 

[Warchild]

Yep... the steering head bearings are not torqued to spec. This is disturbingly common on a lot of FJRs right out of the crate....

Fortunately, it's an easy fix. Return it to your dealer... it takes a special wrench that you're likely not to have in your toolbox....

 

[Fred H.]

I have a similar clunk in the front end of my 06, and it has nothing to do with the stem bearings.

It is the semi floating rotors moving on their carrier mounts. I can duplicate the sound/effect by grasping one of the rotors (like a steering wheel) and rotating it. It will move about 1/16 of an inch forward and back and makes a loud pop/click/clunk when I do. Others have observed the same behavior. I have come to the conclusion that it really is not a problem other than the slight annoyance of the noise.

 

[flyinlow]

On the 06 its the brakes, nothing to worry about.

 

[yamahlr]

On my 04 it was the fork springs, I believe that Yamaha had a bunch that differed in length. The dealer installed new springs (under warranty) and the noise was cured.

 

[fjrchooser]

Mine clunked, found the battery hadn't been tied down correctly.

 

[Growler]

Well I have an "05" with 18K miles on the clock and I think it can come from

both areas, Brakes or steering head bearings at least I have had this symptom

from both areas. FJR’s are sensitive to head bearing adjustment and I perform

it every 6K-7K miles and torque to 16 ft/lbs with 35mm socket. I’ve also had the

mounting bolts on a brake caliper loosen up.

B)

 

[FJamR]

I've had other bikes that had this "clunk" like my V-Max and 06' FJR. The noise on mine are the floating calipers.

 

[Shane Stump]

I have a similar clunk in the front end of my 06, and it has nothing to do with the stem bearings.
It is the semi floating rotors moving on their carrier mounts. I can duplicate the sound/effect by grasping one of the rotors (like a steering wheel) and rotating it. It will move about 1/16 of an inch forward and back and makes a loud pop/click/clunk when I do. Others have observed the same behavior. I have come to the conclusion that it really is not a problem other than the slight annoyance of the noise.

I am glad I saw this thread - I have the same problem if I apply the brakes and shift my weight forward on the bike.

I guess when I am at the dealer's next week I'll ask them about it.

Best Regards,

Shane

 

[NoVaFJR]

I jacked up the front of the bike and checked the fore-aft movement of the forks. Seems like there's a millimeter or three of play. Made an appointment with the dealer and the service manager checked it out this morning. He checked the play and said it's okay. He also checked the brake components and said they're okay. He says the sound comes from the pads moving in the calipers.

I told him this is my fifth bike, none made this noise, and my 2002 FZ1 doesn't and never has.

He said it's related to the four-pads-per-caliper design of the FJR.

I'm, like, whatever.

There's a steering head bolt spanner enroute from BikeJohnny. When it arrives I'll retorque the head bearings myself and report the outcome to the board.

BTW--I ordered a 2006 repair manual and the dealership got a manual for a 2005 FJR. Upon return to the dealer, they've determined that the 2006 uses the 2005 manual with a supplement, which they're ordering. Anyone else encounter this issue? Thanks.

 

[jaster]

I notice a front end clunk on my AE very soon after picking it up. I assumed loose steering head bearings. It seems to have gotten much worse over the past couple weeks. I took it to my dealer this past Saturday. He checked the steering head bearings and qualified them as o.k. They were not sure where the noise was coming from, but thought it was in the valving in the forks. :blink: They were going to get with Yamaha this week and ask if there was anything reported on this issue.

Sunday we discovered the problem. It is the fit, or lack of fit, in the front floating rotors. By rocking the bike with the front brake on you can see and feel the movement where the inner, hub meets the outer ring of the disk. The rivets that keep the inner and outer together is too loose. The clunk seems to get even lounder when the rotor is hot.

I have had floating rotors before on my fj1200, they did not clunk. I have ridden other bikes with floating rotors, they did not clunk. I believe Yamaha has some fit issues with these rotors. I am going to ask my dealer to check into this.

As much movement as I'm seeing in it now when it is new, what will it be like in 10 or 20,000 miles. Is there a potential for these rivets to fail.

Even if there is no issue with this and it never gets any worse, why should I have to put up with it on a $15,000 motorcycle :angry2:

 

[Groo]

I had a clunk in the front end of my bike before leaving for WFO... turned out I hadn't fully retightened the attachment screws for the front fender, and it was wobbling a bit.

 

[odot]

Clunk no more....thanks, radman...the ole torque wrench in the arm worked like a charm.(steering head)

 

[Fred H.]

Sunday we discovered the problem. It is the fit, or lack of fit, in the front floating rotors. By rocking the bike with the front brake on you can see and feel the movement where the inner, hub meets the outer ring of the disk. The rivets that keep the inner and outer together is too loose. The clunk seems to get even lounder when the rotor is hot.

This is the same thing I have discovered. Several have blamed it on the brake pads moving, but that is not the case. In my case it was the rotors moving slightly on the aluminum carriers. They moved almost 2mm when the bike was new. As I have put on miles, they seem to have seated themselves in some and don't move as much now.

I wonder if folks with new bikes are blaming the clunk on loose steering head bearings when that it not the source. When my bike was new, I could grasp my rotor from the side (like a steering wheel) and physical rotate it on the carrier and reproduce the exact sound I heard when riding. I haven't tried it lately as the noise seems to have subsided.

 

[S76]

I haven't tried it lately as the noise seems to have subsided.

I have the same exact thing. And yes it seems to have lessened with age. But I wonder...do these noises and quirks lessen, or do we just get used to them?

bob

 

[SpeedFreak]

I did have a strange clunck as well in the front end. It could be heard just by turning the wheel from side to side. When doing so the front brake would go flat.

\Turned out to be loose front axle. Dealer fix under warrenty

 

[mdisher]

Sunday we discovered the problem. It is the fit, or lack of fit, in the front floating rotors. By rocking the bike with the front brake on you can see and feel the movement where the inner, hub meets the outer ring of the disk. The rivets that keep the inner and outer together is too loose. The clunk seems to get even lounder when the rotor is hot.

This is the same thing I have discovered. Several have blamed it on the brake pads moving, but that is not the case. In my case it was the rotors moving slightly on the aluminum carriers. They moved almost 2mm when the bike was new. As I have put on miles, they seem to have seated themselves in some and don't move as much now.

I wonder if folks with new bikes are blaming the clunk on loose steering head bearings when that it not the source. When my bike was new, I could grasp my rotor from the side (like a steering wheel) and physical rotate it on the carrier and reproduce the exact sound I heard when riding. I haven't tried it lately as the noise seems to have subsided.

I need to check/play with my rotors.

But I did end up with some looseness in my head bearing as well after about ~1000 miles. I can still reproduce a clunk noise every once in a while but there is no play in the head. So this must be it eh? :glare:

 

[BobA]

I jacked up the front of the bike and checked the fore-aft movement of the forks. Seems like there's a millimeter or three of play. Made an appointment with the dealer and the service manager checked it out this morning. He checked the play and said it's okay. He also checked the brake components and said they're okay. He says the sound comes from the pads moving in the calipers.
I told him this is my fifth bike, none made this noise, and my 2002 FZ1 doesn't and never has.

He said it's related to the four-pads-per-caliper design of the FJR.

I'm, like, whatever.

There's a steering head bolt spanner enroute from BikeJohnny. When it arrives I'll retorque the head bearings myself and report the outcome to the board.

BTW--I ordered a 2006 repair manual and the dealership got a manual for a 2005 FJR. Upon return to the dealer, they've determined that the 2006 uses the 2005 manual with a supplement, which they're ordering. Anyone else encounter this issue? Thanks.

I jacked up the front of the bike and checked the fore-aft movement of the forks. Seems like there's a millimeter or three of play. Made an appointment with the dealer and the service manager checked it out this morning. He checked the play and said it's okay. He also checked the brake components and said they're okay. He says the sound comes from the pads moving in the calipers.

I told him this is my fifth bike, none made this noise, and my 2002 FZ1 doesn't and never has.

He said it's related to the four-pads-per-caliper design of the FJR.

I'm, like, whatever.

There's a steering head bolt spanner enroute from BikeJohnny. When it arrives I'll retorque the head bearings myself and report the outcome to the board.

BTW--I ordered a 2006 repair manual and the dealership got a manual for a 2005 FJR. Upon return to the dealer, they've determined that the 2006 uses the 2005 manual with a supplement, which they're ordering. Anyone else encounter this issue? Thanks.

I had the same problem so I searched the web and sure enough, the '06 Service Manual p/n is

LIT-11616-19-83 so I ordered it and received it today. There is a p/n problem in the Yamaha records. If the dealer enters the p/n I mentioned above, it will show up as the manual for the '06. If he searches for an '06 manual, the wrong p/n shows up.

Hope this helps.

 

[fjrrider]

Its a common problem no doubt! My o6 with 3200k has the problem too! I can make it "clunk" by simply rolling forward and quickly applying front brake. If the forks dont compress far enough, it wont "clunk" otherwise it will "clunk" everytime.

I'm in hopes that somebody alot smarter than me (not hard to find) will have solutions. I am going to apply some tips already provided in this thread. Keep this thread going this seems to be the first problem with the 06 that is unanimous. Some of you are expecting replies from dealers and or factory. I for one would be interested in the various replies!