Clicking sound around steering stem area.

[RonW]

Recently I've been hearing a clicking sound around the steering stem. Something like the sound of a party clicker, or the random clicks you hear when you park the bike and things cool down. This is when I rotate the handlebars. More around the 10 o' clock to 2 o' clock positions than at full lock etc.

For several weeks prior to this I had a tinkling noise under the radiator cover which I assumed was the loose screw problem. I let that alone just to avoid having to pry off the reflector. Anyways the tinkling sound went away on it's own. Or did it? Is this new sound, the clicking, really the radiator cover's tinkling mutating to a click and then traveling up the steering stem?

[jimmytee]

I'm betting your steering head bearings are "indexed", and will need replaced. I replaced mine last winter. I didn't have the noise, but I was trying to track down a weird handling issue at speeds above 80 mph. I have a batwing fairing on mine. It wasn't until I pulled the fairing off and the front wheel, that I could feel the "indexing" while I slowly rotated steering stem/ handlebars from right to left and left to right.

[RonW]

These 'clicks' are audible even with the engine running. Replacing the steering bearings would be a huge job, nothing complicated, but with all that removing and reinstalling everything. True, bearings aren't very expensive. And I'm sure the stock bearings aren't herculean to bang off. Still it's something I rather avoid until I review the other suspects. Part and parcel to the problem is that I only have a basement parking stall to work in and the bike doesn't fit in the apartment building's elevator.

Fyi, I usually let these oddities alone and they've always disappeared to whence they came on their own volition, yes, humanizing them gremlins. Anyways, every year I plan to buy the special nut tool and maybe this is the year for that. In this situation, I'm really inquiring if the 'clicks' are legitimately a precursor to something bigger about to befall humanity if instead left unattended and of course that the culprit is NOT the steering bearings. Is this the only Valk that has had this happen? I really doubt I'm that special.

[RonW]

okay, I think I might have narrowed it down to where them clicks are resonating from. Leaning over the fuel tank, I grasped the top bridge at the corners where the forks nuts are and rotated the steering stem without the handlebars, and there were no more clicks, so probably something to do with the risers. Using the handlebars to rotate the steering stem still produces the clicks. So perhaps a fissure in the risers and my handlebars was a hair away from gaining independence. These are the LaMounts 4-inchers. Too dark and no light in my walk-in locker to get the tools needed to remove the risers and inspect them.

[Gryphon Rider]

Could it be your throttle cables are shifting position as the steering moves, "snapping" from one place to another?

[Ricky-D]

I think you can eliminate indexed bearing being your problem.

For two reasons. (1) Indexing normally occurs at the straight

ahead position of the steering, where the majority of time is

spent. (2) Indexing is normally relegated to a single position

of the steering, not multiple positions.

***

[Willow]

Do your risers need to be tightened?  Clamps to the fork tubes loose?

I too think you can eliminate indexing of the steering head bearings.  I've never heard of that issue resulting in a noise.

[RonW]

in no particular order ....

no, it's nought the throttle cables. I've rerouted them every which way becuz of the aftermarket 4-inch risers if you know the drill. And in the process, I'm acquainted with any odd noise from the cables sleevings rubbing lock to lock. Someday I'll get the I/S half of the lower right clamshell housing.

I don't think the bearings are notched mainly becuz the 'clicks' are too loud and high pitched which would only be possible with some sharp-edged divots which is hard to do with the stock tapered bearings or even ball bearings.

I haven't checked the fork pinch bolts, still trying to find the larger diameter chrome buttons for the upper bolts that's MIA.

The risers might need tightening indeed at the bottom bolt but they don't feel wiggly. *I erred when I stated I have the LaMount risers, it's rather the 4-inchers, chrome and taller than the Oem, but pipe type stems. I ordered the LaMounts for something else. Anyways, I have an aftermarket chrome cap for the risers. Same shape/design as the Oem's single cap that bridges both risers at the top. The torque specs might not apply to these aftermarket items or the factory tossed in sawdust in the material.

I'll post a follow up.

 

[RonW]

Apparently the culprit turned out to be the top bolts for the risers. 4 of them were guessing 16-17 ft-lbs becuz when I turned the torque wrench (20 ft-lbs, per manual), the bolts did rotate quite a bit. Since all 4 rotated about the same amount, I must have torque them incorrectly from the start, 4 years already. Doubt they would have loosen identical amounts. I don't know whether the bottom bolts for the risers were too loose becuz I just went ahead and loosened them to align the risers. Didn't set the torque wrench at 47 ft-lbs to see if the torque wrench would click without the bolts moving, so on. Top bridge pinch bolt for the fork was spot on. I guess the moral of the story is if you start hearing mystery 'clicks' radiating from the steering stem when you rotate the handlebars .... it's possibly the riser bolts. The end.

[Willow]

It's good to hear you found it.  Those were the ones that were loose on mine.  My symptom was more of a snap than click.

Glad you got it taken care of.