Front end clicking noise

Frosty Rider · Nov 25, 2024

Ok big brains, i'm at a bit of a loss here, 2020 R3 GT, when riding, or even if i'm just pushing the bike and hit the front brake, going forwards or backwards, i get a clicking noise out of the front somewhere, and i can't seem to find it. I thought it might be the brake pads moving, but that wasn't it, the sound is more in the upper neck area, sounds plasticky if that makes any sense, but could be metal as well. i was thinking possible head bearings, but i only have 60,000km on the bike i wouldn't think that the head bearings should be done already, but hey what do i know. has anyone else had anything like this, it is driving me nuts.

Jagster · Nov 25, 2024

After checking if the front fender is secured as it should be and that nothing looks ok around the TFT screen mount etc...
Cast your eyes over to the front discs. Check to see how much play there is. They are floating discs but if there is too much play, they can be a source of noise when you push the bike backward or forward etc...
If you can, try getting the front end up off the ground and check for wheel bearing failure.
You can also check the headstock while the front end is in the air.

I can tell you that I get a similar noise to what you're describing from the play in my front discs and I tend to hear it when I push my bike around in the garage, using the front brake to control the movement as i'm maneuvering the beast around.
It's not something i'm too concerned about at the moment, but I do like to keep my eye on these kinds of things generally.

Frosty Rider · Nov 25, 2024

Jagster said:
After checking if the front fender is secured as it should be and that nothing looks ok around the TFT screen mount etc...
Cast your eyes over to the front discs. Check to see how much play there is. They are floating discs but if there is too much play, they can be a source of noise when you push the bike backward or forward etc...
If you can, try getting the front end up off the ground and check for wheel bearing failure.
You can also check the headstock while the front end is in the air.

I can tell you that I get a similar noise to what you're describing from the play in my front discs and I tend to hear it when I push my bike around in the garage, using the front brake to control the movement as i'm maneuvering the beast around.
It's not something i'm too concerned about at the moment, but I do like to keep my eye on these kinds of things generally.

i didn't think of the disks, i'll check that as well, and everything attached to the front end, TFT, fender, front piece where the wiring is all seem to be tight

Journeyman · Nov 25, 2024

Head stock bearing may just be loose, as it was in my case (although after gliding the bike horizontally for a distance across pavement). In any event, I'll bet that's your issue. I bought the tool and tightened it up- no more clicking. Have a look here....

Steering Head Bearing Check/Adjustment

I was feeling a click when I'd come to a stop and then let off the front brake. I wasn't sure if it was a sticky caliper or the steering head bearing/adjustment. After lifting the bike and rocking the front end back and forth holding the forks I could feel it, so guessing it must be the bearing...

www.r3owners.net

Jagster · Nov 25, 2024

Journeyman said:
Head stock bearing may just be loose, as it was in my case (although after gliding the bike horizontally for a distance across pavement). In any event, I'll bet that's your issue. I bought the tool and tightened it up- no more clicking. Have a look here....

Steering Head Bearing Check/Adjustment

I was feeling a click when I'd come to a stop and then let off the front brake. I wasn't sure if it was a sticky caliper or the steering head bearing/adjustment. After lifting the bike and rocking the front end back and forth holding the forks I could feel it, so guessing it must be the bearing...

www.r3owners.net

I think I should check mine, based on your info.

I will make my voice heard loudly at my local dealership if my headstock is loose. They service the bike every year an i've been experiencing those symptoms for over a year.
Also....The bike is checked for bush and bearing play every year via our annual MOT (roadworthiness examination)

Journeyman · Nov 25, 2024

Jagster said:
I think I should check mine, based on your info.

I will make my voice heard loudly at my local dealership if my headstock is loose. They service the bike every year an i've been experiencing those symptoms for over a year.
Also....The bike is checked for bush and bearing play every year via our annual MOT (roadworthiness examination)

I always figure they don't do any of the "check" things on the list. Please let us know.
I was in a crash and had to realign my forks, etc so I wasn't too surprised that the bearings were loose, but otherwise it seems too soon for most of the low mileage 2.5 bikes out there.

Jagster · Nov 26, 2024

Journeyman said:
I always figure they don't do any of the "check" things on the list. Please let us know.
I was in a crash and had to realign my forks, etc so I wasn't too surprised that the bearings were loose, but otherwise it seems too soon for most of the low mileage 2.5 bikes out there.

It doesn't seem plausible that my bearings are loose and the bike handles fine etc...
But I do get a clicking noise when I push the bike around while operating the front brake, so.....worth checking.
I hadn't thought about the headstock being a cause.

Tal · Nov 26, 2024

Frosty Rider said:
i didn't think of the disks, i'll check that as well, and everything attached to the front end, TFT, fender, front piece where the wiring is all seem to be tight

I know you have checked the front fender but consider this...undo the bolts holding it in place and slide the fender back and off..now take a look underneath the fender and you will see the small loop where it fits into a tag...possibly the tag will have a small rubber boot on it...if not try using some clear tube to make one and reassemble the fender putting the tag thru the loop. Often this is not assembled correctly and it makes a noise when you hit a bump...probably like what you are hearing...Good luck.

Einar · Nov 26, 2024

To narrow down possible sources, you can either chock a wheel with a rubber chock or push the front wheel against a wall, then bounce the front up and down without using the brake. The chock or wall eliminates the brake as a potential source of the noise. You can also "firmly" bounce the bike into a sturdy wall (not drywall!) in neutral, front wheel first (obviously). No noise on either test means it's probably just the brakes.

Front end clicking noise

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Jagster

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Frosty Rider

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Tal

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