"buzzing" and knocking coming from front end

[Anonymous]

I'm not sure if these two issues are related, but they've both manifested recently and they both have me perturbed, so I'm including them together.

My bike is a 1981 GS850 with very nearly 80k miles and is, as far as I know, stock.

buzzing: I hear what sounds like engine breaking coming from my front wheel at various RPMs, whether the wheel is turned or straight, whether I have a passenger or not, whether I'm braking or not, whether I'm even in gear or not. I don't know if it's always there, or only when I'm at slower speeds, because I don't think I could hear it when I'm riding fast. And, it's not always even there. For instance, as I'm coming to a stop it'll be quite loud and obnoxious, but when I'm five feet or so from stoping it'll go away. It does NOT buzz when it's idling and it does NOT buzz when I have the bike turned off and out of gear and am rolling it. If it's buzzing and I brake or shift or clutch or turn, it doesn't change in intensity. I also can't FEEL the buzz.

knocking: this one has me REALLY worried. very infrequently when I'm at very slow speeds, like when I'm in a parking lot or my driveway, and I turn left (ONLY left, so far) I'll hear a very mechanical metal-on-metal rapid knocking sound coming from what sounds like my front wheel. Very similar to the sound of grinding gears. The first time this happend my steering even locked up and it wasn't until I stoped that I was able to move the bars again. I can feel the knocks very distinctly. However, this doesn't happen EVERY time I turn left. I can't even reproduce the effect.

Any ideas? Thanks.

[Anonymous]

WHEEL BEARINGS!

Quit riding it and pull the front wheel OFF!

a Dry Speedo Drive assembly creastes a buzzing sensation..
Ruined/dry & or possbly seizeing Wheel bearings are your second problem..

Pull it inspect it and DO NOT ride till you know 100% what it is..

[Anonymous]

thanks! I will do tomorrow! any ideas about the knocking?

[jtcrespo]

thanks! I will do tomorrow! any ideas about the knocking?

I would tear the whole front end down and replace all bearings in the wheels and steering at once. It sounds like your steering bearings may be suspect as well. Make sure nothing is binding the forks and that your brakes are not sticking.

[focus frenzy]

the knocking is the bearings!!
the buzz may also be related to the bearings.
I have a buzz that comes and goes and only rears its anoying head at a exact speed and RPm, it was driving me nuts as the noise is just like a nagging wife (not like I know what thats like, being single but I can guess)

I had gone over everything and was ready for a gas soaked rag when I finnaly stumbled on the cause, it was the chrome cover on the lower fork clamp that the reflectors screws into, at the right frequency a harmonic resonance set in and it would buzz like bee hive on a tin roof.

[shaftzuki]

I have a buzz that comes and goes and only rears its anoying head at a exact speed and RPm, it was driving me nuts as the noise is just like a nagging wife (not like I know what thats like, being single but I can guess)

That pretty much sums it up!! Only the exact speed and rpm don't really come into play ... 8O 8)

[Anonymous]

any way to check the condition of bearings?

Is there a way to check the condition of my bearings without pulling my bars or wheel? like, on a car, you can jack the front end up, grab the wheel and jiggle it if. if there's any play, the bearings are likely shot.

[jtcrespo]

Remember, you are trusting your life to that "jiggle". I know my life is worth the 30 minutes or so needed to pull the wheel apart and inspect it the right way.

You have steering that locks up., The thought of it happening again at highway speeds would be enough to have me tear my whole bike down to the bare frame to figure out the problem. I don't mean to be rude or smug, but your life means a lot to me as well.

[Anonymous]

i agree completely! the bearings are ordered, will be here in a week. I was just wondering if there was some way to diagnose more exactly what the problem is, instead of assuming it's the bearings. I guess I'll know for certain when I tear the thing apart tonight, but I love to hear about little indicative tips and tricks.

[Poot]

the knocking is the bearings!!
the buzz may also be related to the bearings.
I have a buzz that comes and goes and only rears its anoying head at a exact speed and RPm, it was driving me nuts as the noise is just like a nagging wife (not like I know what thats like, being single but I can guess)

I had gone over everything and was ready for a gas soaked rag when I finnaly stumbled on the cause, it was the chrome cover on the lower fork clamp that the reflectors screws into, at the right frequency a harmonic resonance set in and it would buzz like bee hive on a tin roof.

SO THATS WHAT IT IS!!!!! 8O