Front end rattle

[Simon White]

OK, well it looks like I may have jumped the gun somewhat.  I loosened off every clamp & nut (including the stem locking rings) I could find on the front end last night, then went through and methodically tightened them all.  Worked a treat - no more death rattle.  I think that when the exploratory work was done to find my electrical gremlin a month or two back, the mechanic may have not tightened everything back up completely.  Either that or something was binding rather than being properly tight, and worked loose over the intervening time.

Either way, it all seems OK now, so I'm a happy camper once again.  Now I just have to buy and fit new shifter and counterbalancer shaft seals, and change the oil/filter, and she'll be good to go through winter.

Thanks to all who responded.

Simon.

> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Simon White" <swhite at consultant.com>
> To: gpzlist at micapeak.com
> Subject: Front end rattle
> Date: Tue, 8 Apr 2008 10:54:42 +1000
> 
> 
> Hi all,
> 
> My venerable GPZ has developed a rattle in the front end.  It gives a 
> definite "clunk" over even fairly small bumps - similar to sloppy head 
> bearings.  I actually thought it may be the head stem bearings working loose 
> (as they seem to do from time to time), but I checked yesterday and they 
> appear OK.  A friend of mine who has a Concours suggested the engine mounts 
> may be going.  I checked them also, and it does appear there is little to no 
> clearance between the exhaust and the bottom of the engine.
> 
> My questions are as follows: how can I definitively check if the engine 
> mounts have collapsed; are they easily replaced (i.e. not requiring engine 
> removal); and how urgent is the replacement - am I damaging the bike riding 
> it like this?  I don't recall any other list member striking this issue, but 
> this may be due to having one of the higher milage/older models on the list.
> 
> Any info/advice appreciated - along with suggestions of alternative causes 
> for the rattle.
> 
> Simon
> '95 GPz1100 - It's big, it's blue, it's quick.
> Melbourne, Australia
> So many cats, so few recipes.

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