Fairing Rattle/bang

[timsatx]

Since I drilled a hole in my tire I can't ride until I get a new one installed, but until then I have this question that is a continuation from the old forum. A couple of weekends ago I pulled my fairing apart. The only part I didn't completely remove is the nose piece. I examined the bracket and did not see anything that looked cracked or broken, even using a spotlight so I could see everything clearly. I even jerked it around and nothing. I made sure that bolts for the bracket were tightened down. The front bolt I had already tightened a week or so before as it was pretty loose.

Anyplace that I could see that could take a wrench had one put to it. I checked the instrument cluster, all the nuts around both mirror mounting locations. I did find one area that had no screws in it at all. Nobody was ever able to tell me the name of it and I cannot find it in the parts fiche. It looks like it may be part of the #16146-COVER-ASSY,INNER COWLING,FR. This is it:


I also found the right damper (92075/92075A) was loose. I used a washer to tighten both it and the the left one (as a precautionary procedure). There was nothing as far as I know that did not get tightened, yet I still get the rattle. When I go over small bumps like expansion joints on the bridge I get the banging. I know someone else said that their fairing was quite but mine isn't. To be honest I am not certain that I didn't have it before, but it is something I notice now and it just seems that it shouldn't make the noise it does. Anybody have any ideas on what to quite it down?

[Pfloydgad]

Earplugs do wonders.
Check the fairing mount bracket bolt down the forwards side of the steering stem. You can see it by looking under the handelbars and forward. If that bolt has worked its way loose you will get that bang you are talking about, if it is broken or gone, well you know the answer.
Some sounds are normal with any fairing, My Gold Wings popped, an banged constantly. My Connie does at times, but not all the time. Good luck finding something that just might be normal, get with a few other Concours riders in your area and see what their bike do.
Ride safe all.
Greg

[George R. Young]

When I bought my used 2001, it only had 2 bolts inside the pockets, and there was an unused bracket/nut just hanging on the side fairing doing nothing.

I moved said bracket up to a mounting point on the side fairing below the pocket. Now there are 3 bolts from the pocket into front fairing, side fairing and sub-frame. Much quieter.

[bbroj]

I had a rattle over bumps after upgrading my horns. The new horns were mounted more loosely than the stockers in the rubber mounting bushings, and would bang off the fairing over bumps. I slipped some rubber cushioning between the horns and the fairing, all better!  Maybe yours are doing something similar, even if they are still the stock horns.

[timsatx]

I might have to look into the horn thing. That would probably be the only thing that I didn't check. All the bolts for the bracket were checked. The screws inside the fairing pockets were among the last things I tightened so I know they are good.

Update: I just went to check on the horns and realized that I could reach them through the openings in the front. I messed with them a bit and they seem mounted just fine.

[DarkKnight]

Don't over look the rear suspension such as loose bushings in the lowering link,etc. Places in rear can transmit a bang up through.

[timsatx]

Man, your not going to believe it. I think I figured out what was making all that noise. Even after going over the fairing I still had that noise. What really got me was the fact that the noise would come from the smallest of bumps. I just couldn't figure it out. This afternoon I was coming back from the movies (Super and when I got off the bike I did the same thing I have done a bunch of times before, turn my steering full right to lock it, and while it was there I would tap it to the stops so I could hear the banging. I was thinking man, what could be causing it. Then it hit me. I knew my front fender was a bit wobbly, has been for awhile, so I reached down and tapped the front of it up and down and there was the noise. That was it the whole time. Now I just have to look closely at it to see if I can figure out how to make it solid again.

[DarkKnight]

I just pulled my windshield to see if I had the bolts you circled in your first post.... I do have bolts there. Not sure what they hold with out disassembly.

[Furbo]

Then it hit me. I knew my front fender was a bit wobbly, has been for awhile, so I reached down and tapped the front of it up and down and there was the noise. That was it the whole time.

I went thru the same thing. I took some star lock washers and put them under the bolt heads. Fixed it right up.

[timsatx]

That didn't work on mine. Look at this pic. The problem is that the fenders holes are designed to fit over a boss. It is that boss that the screw goes thru to attach to the fork. When the bolt is tightened down, it bottoms out with the boss to the fork. The fender meanwhile continues to float around those bosses. Even adding a washer didn't do anything as the fender holes float around the bosses. What really holds it is the rivets (3 on each side).

I ended up taking it off yesterday to look at it. I didn't put it back on yet. I drove in to work today and it was oh, so quite.

[m hanlen]

That didn't work on mine. Look at this pic. The problem is that the fenders holes are designed to fit over a boss. It is that boss that the screw goes thru to attach to the fork. When the bolt is tightened down, it bottoms out with the boss to the fork. The fender meanwhile continues to float around those bosses. Even adding a washer didn't do anything as the fender holes float around the bosses. What really holds it is the rivets (3 on each side).

I ended up taking it off yesterday to look at it. I didn't put it back on yet. I drove in to work today and it was oh, so quite.

Had the same problem drive me crazy for a year and found it in the fender mounts like you did. I spread it apart enough to fill it with 'GOOP' glue and added more to the top area around the metal brace. Worked fine. read this one also http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=1643.0