Was out today on the multi again and when we slowed to enter a car park I hit a couple of smallish bumps and I could hear the knocking noise again. it sounds stupid but I swear it's almost like the clocks or something around that area (headstock/cockpit) is banging up and down. now I know people have mentioned some forks needing 'shimming'? I'm not sure I fully understand the shimming bit but I think my bike has had this done before according to the warranty history on Nellys computer (cornerspeed) however, I also think my bike got some new forks after that so I'm wondering if what I can hear is the new forks now going bad? Perhaps they couldn't fix the old ones hence the swap out? i don't hear it riding along, it's mainly slow moving and when I hit a bump. to me it sounds like plastic knocking somewhere, although I don't have the experience to say one way or the other when it comes to the sound of a fork that requires a good shimming
mine does the same Ohlins forks, spoke with service at Snells, who said they could re-shim, however it may not improve the knock, I believe there was a few peeps that had the shim to no avail, have a look bellow http://ducatiforum.co.uk/f6/front-end-noise-bulletin-844-something-else-3076/
Thanks, seems to be a well known issue then. ill get Nelly to have a look and hopefully sort, there's a few other bits as well so worthwhile logging them as the warranty is out end of April.
damodici, Had my forks shimmed last year (a 2012 Touring) when the bike was in for a service. Although it reduced the knocking somewhat, it's still there and I just had to get used to it.
I think my main concern is whether its detrimental to the handling or longevity of the forks. would new internals sort them out?
According to the workshop guys at my dealer there's no risk of damage and the shims are purely to try and solve the noise issue. I haven't noticed anything wrong with the handling either but it is disconcerting to hear the knocking - I've got used to it now to be honest.
That noise may be the screen mounting..? The sliding carrier has a lower mounting that sometimes wears a little loose then starts knocking when you go over bumps. Try pulling back and forth on the lower mounting point and see if you can replicate the noise. Its a bit of a pig to tighten up, as you have to gain access from the rear (cockpit area). Worth checking before you start looking at the front fork shimming etc.
Or just whip the screen off - only takes a minute then ride slowly over your favourite bumps that caused the noise. You will soon know if it was the screen.
Sounds like the Ohlins fork knock to me. Had mine shimmed twice before they fitted a new fork leg. That didn't cure it completely so I had it shimmed yet again before it was finally cured, thank Gawd!
