noises...tall windshield

[runstrom2003]

I noted recently while riding that my steering head nut was loose. I'm doing the adj. procedure today and have moved the adj. nut 3/4 times about 1/8 turn and still have play in the forks (bike is on a stand): My question is should I be putting the nut back on and torquing after each adj. ? Or should I adj. the tighener and get all the play out 1st? Then re-torque the nut? Hard to believe that it is this loose?? The bike is a new 2005 (3500 miles) and I could take it to the dealer. TIA Joe in Illinois PS- I do have manuals but they are a bit 'gray' in this area...

[runstrom2003]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "runstrom2003" wrote:

> I noted recently while riding that my steering head nut was loose.

I'm

> doing the adj. procedure today and have moved the adj. nut 3/4 times > about 1/8 turn and still have play in the forks (bike is on a stand): > > My question is should I be putting the nut back on and torquing after > each adj. ? Or should I adj. the tighener and get all the play out

1st?

> Then re-torque the nut? Hard to believe that it is this loose?? > > The bike is a new 2005 (3500 miles) and I could take it to the dealer. > > TIA > > Joe in Illinois > PS- I do have manuals but they are a bit 'gray' in this area...

I answered my own question: YES I may have to off a bit now

[Keith Saltzer]

It doesn't matter how many times you turn the adjuster nut........forget that. With your front end in the air, the front wheel straight, and the bike basically level, you want to be able to "lightly" tap the front wheel on either side and have it and the whole front end "fall" to that side. I like mine just a bit tighter, with just a touch more drag on it, so that I have to "smack the side of my front wheel a couple of times before it falls all the way to one side. In either case, you should NOT be able to feel any play in the forks when you get in front of the bike, hold onto the bottom of the fork sliders, grab them and push and pull on the them forward and backward. Take all of this into account when adjusting your front end and you will get it perfect. The harder you come to stops, the more wheelies that you do, and the harder your off road riding terrain is, the more you will need to adjust your steering stem bearing. I adjust mine about 3-4 times a year. MrMoose A8 (Barbie and Ken special) --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "runstrom2003" wrote:

> I noted recently while riding that my steering head nut was loose.

I'm

> doing the adj. procedure today and have moved the adj. nut 3/4 times > about 1/8 turn and still have play in the forks (bike is on a stand): > > My question is should I be putting the nut back on and torquing after > each adj. ? Or should I adj. the tighener and get all the play out

1st?

> Then re-torque the nut? Hard to believe that it is this loose?? > > The bike is a new 2005 (3500 miles) and I could take it to the dealer. > > TIA > > Joe in Illinois > PS- I do have manuals but they are a bit 'gray' in this area...

[runstrom2003]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Keith Saltzer" wrote:

> It doesn't matter how many times you turn the adjuster > nut........forget that. With your front end in the air, the front > wheel straight, and the bike basically level, you want to be able > to "lightly" tap the front wheel on either side and have it and the > whole front end "fall" to that side. I like mine just a bit

tighter,

> with just a touch more drag on it, so that I have to "smack the

side of

> my front wheel a couple of times before it falls all the way to one > side. In either case, you should NOT be able to feel any play in

the

> forks when you get in front of the bike, hold onto the bottom of

the

> fork sliders, grab them and push and pull on the them forward and > backward. Take all of this into account when adjusting your front

end

> and you will get it perfect. > > The harder you come to stops, the more wheelies that you do, and

the

> harder your off road riding terrain is, the more you will need to > adjust your steering stem bearing. I adjust mine about 3-4 times a > year. > > MrMoose > A8 (Barbie and Ken special) > > --

- Thanks for the clarification!! Joe

[Eric L. Green]

On Sun, 15 May 2005, runstrom2003 wrote:

> I noted recently while riding that my steering head nut was loose. I'm > doing the adj. procedure today and have moved the adj. nut 3/4 times > about 1/8 turn and still have play in the forks (bike is on a stand): > > My question is should I be putting the nut back on and torquing after > each adj. ?

Just crank the adjuster until it is tight enough, then put the nut back. I personally loosed up my top triple-clamp, slid it upwards, and just cranked down on the adjustment nut using a pair of channel-locks until it had a little bit of drag when I moved the handlebars. Then I slid everything back together and tightened things again. My bike was up on its centerstand with a big weight in the Givi topbag to keep the front wheel aloft while I was doing all this.

> Then re-torque the nut? Hard to believe that it is this loose?? > > The bike is a new 2005 (3500 miles) and I could take it to the dealer.

The dealer mechanic probably knows less than you .

> PS- I do have manuals but they are a bit 'gray' in this area...

Tell me about it! Damned manuals just say "Adjust until tight." Until HOW tight? They don't give you any kind of description of how tight you're supposed to crank this thing, how much drag there's supposed to be when you move the bars, etc.! _E

[dooden]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "runstrom2003" wrote:

> I noted recently while riding that my steering head nut was loose. I'm > doing the adj. procedure today and have moved the adj. nut 3/4 times > about 1/8 turn and still have play in the forks (bike is on a stand): > > My question is should I be putting the nut back on and torquing after > each adj. ? Or should I adj. the tighener and get all the play out 1st? > Then re-torque the nut? Hard to believe that it is this loose?? > > The bike is a new 2005 (3500 miles) and I could take it to the dealer. > > TIA > > Joe in Illinois > PS- I do have manuals but they are a bit 'gray' in this area...

I had mine back at the dealer within a couple weeks of buying it for the same reason. Speed Bumps drove me nuts, impact was fine but when the tire went over the bump and came down I got a awful "clunk". Mech there removed the bars, hex nut, used a punch and hammer to tighten the slotted nut, and reassembled, he had set the bars pushed forward a few degrees and I noticed right away that I liked it way better in a more forward position, nice to be on the pegs and not have the bars so close to you. Reason I brought it in, was I figured they had a socket or a tool to tighted the slotted nut, all I had was a punch and hammer and did'nt want to put dents on the slotted nut. ( Duh thats all they used ) Write that off and first brand new bike jitters I reckon. Dooden A15 Green Ape

[Kathi Clark]

I have found another quick fix to the noises -- the Kawasaki tall windshield. I am not blown all over at freeway speeds anymore, but the wind noise is now so loud that a gasoline tanker could explode behind me and I wouldn't notice until I got knocked off the bike by debris. Kathi --- Keith Saltzer wrote:

> You don't wear ear-plugs when you ride do you. Not > only will they save > your hearing, let you ride hundreds of miles further > in a day, let you > concentrate better when riding fast, and keeping you > sane, they will > also take care of any pesky squeaks, rattles, and > buzzes that may be > bothering you.

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