Front end-the sound of Maracas

[caddman11]

I hardly ever ride without a helmet, so some of the noises that people talk about I've never heard. Well, this weekend, I left the helmet at home and went out for a 50 mile drive.

Every time time I hit a small bump in the road my front end echoes a sound similar to one shake of a set of maracas. Any ideas? ???

[MarkG]

Sounds like the clunk sound that the gadget site mentions coming from the headlight. Guess you can take it apart and tie up the wiring so it doesn't do it. I never bothered.

[fish]

I rarely hear it but the wife said she can here it.

[Top Cat]

I didn't like the sound so I bothered to take the headlight rim off and bundle up the wires.
It took about 10 min. and no more clunking sound.
caddman11, keep the damn helmet ON!

[caddman11]

I wear the helmet almost all the time, but when we get our 1st 80 degree day, its a bitch to keep it on; I know I should always wear one.

Anyway, been in the headlight and fixed that long ago, it's not a clunk--it's more like a bunch of BEE BEEs, given one good shake in a hollowed out dried gourd, maracas. Everything in the headlight looks good.

[ringadingh]

Check the radiator screen, front fender mount bolts, and brake pads to see if thats what is rattling. Sometimes it takes a bit of time to track down.

[cactusjack]

Originally Posted by caddman11

I hardly ever ride without a helmet, so some of the noises that people talk about I've never heard. Well, this weekend, I left the helmet at home and went out for a 50 mile drive.

Every time time I hit a small bump in the road my front end echoes a sound similar to one shake of a set of maracas. Any ideas? ???

Here's an idea: lay off the margaritas until after the ride.

I was riding for a while yesterday without a helmet and I heard a rattle in the front end somewhere. I pulled into a parking lot to see if something was loose, never found anything out of place. I usually wear a helmet, and usually have MP3 tunes going while I do. There's a lot of subtle nuances you miss when helmeted.

[dantama]

One suggestion that you might already know, but I'll say just in case.

Try to identify when the noise is made. Square edged bumps, bumps that dip down, then hit the other side etc.

Then try to find a parking lot, or 25mph street with a similar bump. Try to get the sound hitting a similar bump in a controlled condition, and you can keep going over it over and over, while listening to different areas as you lean your head to different areas.

If you can reproduce it in a somewhat controlled environment it will be much easier to isolate. Once you think you know where it originates, put a hand pushing on what ever is in that area and see if it doesn't make the sound hitting the bump with a hand pushing or pulling on things in that area.

I bought my first Nomad new, the second used. On the second one I had a sound that was hard to find. I found it with that technique, and it ended up being the chrome fork surround.

The two common things are wires slapping the inside of the headlight shell and brake pads rattling around.

[cactusjack]

Originally Posted by caddmannq

The two common things are wires slapping the inside of the headlight shell and brake pads rattling around.

Good call - I think the noise I heard was brake pads rattling. Next time I have the headlamp assembly apart, I'll tie up the connector so it doesn't rattle, too.

[skeeter]

It's all in your head!

Well, it is in mine!

Who said that?