I just bought a 2013 ZX 14 R with only 900 km on clock, however I just found out that the front end produces clonking sound whenever I hit rough road or bumps. I immeadeately suspect the loose steering head bearings, do you think this is the case? has anyone have the same problem? please help me...

That would be my first guess but check for loose fender or something like that. If all looks good, it's not too hard to do the steering stem check. Find something very sturdy to hang the bike under the air box from. Don't really recommend roof rafters unless they're hefty, maybe. 2x4 in an old garage is risky.

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Check the 2 bolts that hold the spedo Gauges. Bolts mount to front of stearing stem neck..2012 zx14's were know to have the acorn nuts come loose.. Mine Did..Yeah yours is a 2013 but same setup

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Thanks a lot @Rook and @Blkcasper! I am looking for a 36mm rachet socket now...

Get a black metal one with 6 points. Impact socket or axle nut socket. Seems unlikely but I have been told the chrome ones are not made for high torque and they could split. Obviously the 12 point sockets are more likely to strip the points on the nut.

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It's a bit doubtful that your bike has maladjusted steering head bearings.I would look at the fork preload/compression settings first.Sounds to me like it's possibly bottoming out..or getting close to it.MANY experienced this 'clunk'.I have also.Forks were too soft...though they didn't APPEAR that way with normal riding.Just a thought.I mean...it's much easier to check that first and see where they're at...rule it out anyway.Any fork oil or dust rings on the inner tubes at the bottom of their travel?How much do you weigh?You might be 'packing' the front end at those times.

You probably won't be able to statically pump the front end (but maybe)in your garage to get it to bottom...but at speed,there's a lot more weight being transferred.It doesn't take much if your forks are not correctly adjusted for your weight(and the bike's).

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 1/22/2017 @ 10:24 AM *

Common and part of the maintenance intervals. Mine knocked within 600 miles. So the observation goes something like this.

1. Top crown: Loosen center nut and pinch bolts. This unloads the locker rings. Tap the lower locker cw so both lockers move together. If one was to disassemble the lower crown to grease the bearings, then yes, spin the top locker off after bending the lock tab, etc.
2. Bearings: One has to understand the difference between loading the balls as opposed to removing the knock. Thus, having the balls remove the knock, but are loose as a goose>> once the rings are under load.
3. Center Nut. That torqued nut; pulls the lower crown's [stem's] threads>> up against the locking rings. The top crown is lowered and needs to statically run down the fork tubes/legs. All of this has to be noticed if one is to attempt to making an adjustment. Noting how the parts are stacked on that center stem and what happens to the bend of the top crown; if one just unloaded the center nut only. This would flex a V at the top crown>> if one did not address the pinch bolts as well.

Still confused on setup?

How does knock occur:
a. The races move in the neck or are sent home in the cut, to being shot-peened like into soft metal until hardens.
b. The balls are flattened as they indent the races so both ball is being shot-peened flat as is the race becomes concave in profile. Moving from side to side to see the room light reflection would show an indented shadow. This would drop in the pocket or center itself and not swing away to either fork lock side.
c. The triple crown system loosens up somewhere. The rings walk. The center nut, the stem walks, etc.

Make sense now?

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Sounds to me like it's possibly bottoming out.

I had that when the bike was new. i could definitely feel it was the forks though. Ideally the front aand rear suspensions should be set according to sag measurements but for a quick test, you could crank up your front preload very easily. Cranking up compression damping would also inhibit bottom outs and if the noise stops, thats it. Go back and adjust proper sag.

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My bike had 8000km on it when the steering nut had to be tightened.

Thanks a lot @Rook and @Blkcasper! I am looking for a 36mm rachet socket now..

Get a black metal one with 6 points. Impact socket or axle nut socket. Seems unlikely but I have been told the chrome ones are not made for high torque and they could split. Obviously the 12 point sockets are more likely to strip the points on the nut.

I found that even a good quality 36mm socket was still a bit loose. If I measure the nut its about 35,6-7mm. I put a thin plastic sheet over the nut first to try and protect the nut. Still got marks on the nut but very slight. Is there not an Imperial size socket that fits better?

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On a related note, I just removed my clutch hub nut with a 30 mm socket. It felt a little more than the normal slop when you put a socket on the head of a bolt so I tried the next size smaller in imperial and it was too small. i think it may be that bigger bolts/nuts have bigger slop.

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Thanks a lot guys!!!