So ever since the obligatory 1st service, I get a clunk in the front end upon hard braking - classic "stem nut needs tightening" sound.
Well, I'm lazy, didn't get to it until yesterday. Take off the bars and top clamp, lock nut/washer - damn if it doesn't want to turn at all. Don't have the proper spanner tool, so was using a bronze drift. So the nut is some sort of shit metal (or maybe alum) since it actually marred up a tiny bit - whatever, I did get it to tighten about maybe 3 degrees.

Here's the dilemma: get the top triple clamp (BTW, it's not a f'n 'tree', it's a clamp, even though the manual calls it a cover) on the forks, slide down and what the? Stem does NOT line up. First time I've ever seen that, and I've had plenty of front ends apart before. My guess is the bottom triple bolts need to be loosened, then maybe get the play needed to get the stem to align.

Weird - and no, I don't do alot of hard-landing wheelies - or better put, I have yet to land one hard.

Will find out what's up later after getting home from work.

Oh yeah - 2012 14R

* Last updated by: ZRXDarryl on 9/1/2012 @ 9:59 AM *

tap tap tap..... This thing on? Check one two....hello hello...heeeeyyyyyyyyyy

Anyway, I persuaded the top clamp back on by way of a 2X and a deadblow hammer. Worked quite nicely, and the clunk is gone. Not sure if it was the teeny tiny amount of tightening or maybe the clamp/stem top nut (which seemed not too torqued to begin with) weren't tight enough from the factory.

Hopefully I didn't dent the races.

* Last updated by: ZRXDarryl on 9/4/2012 @ 9:55 AM *

Doubt you hurt the races as you used a 2x to softened the impact. Would probably feel damage anyway I'd guess. Bet the nut was loose from the shops original set up. Nothing new there lol.

So ever since the obligatory 1st service, I get a clunk in the front end upon hard braking - classic "stem nut needs tightening" sound.

I seriously doubt anyone touched your triple clamp on your first service. And no one at a dealership road test these bikes "hard" after getting serviced (at the risk of being fired) unless a customer advice them to check for a specific problem.

Kofla

NINJA ZX-14 MotoVlog

My reference to the races were in regards to landing wheelie's, not from hammering the triple back on, but I catch your drift. I did go easy, and it went on easily, no ill effects so far - clunk is gone, front end feels smooth as silk.
I also doubt they touched it at the dealer, but seeing that it seems to be a common issue from what I've read on just this forum, you'd think they'd know about it and at least tighten it, as it takes about what, 1 minute max? Odd.

I'd like to add that the young man who I think did the service was very nice to me, accomodated me about my complaint about the scratches on the tank when I took delivery - he took the time to "buff them out" and was successful, which pleased me, all with no attitude, indifference or smart-ass comments like some other dealers I've had dealings with over the years.

I plan to take it up to the dragway in NH this friday night to get a few runs in.

* Last updated by: ZRXDarryl on 9/13/2012 @ 5:57 AM *

I did end up taking it to the dragway in NH

Got in 12 runs, best of 10.55 at 142 at street tire pressure - didn't change a thing. Had tire spin every run, couple wheelies, all in all, a ton of fun.
Consistenyly ran 137 - 142 trap speed regardless of how shitty I launched, which I'm still not so good at.

Want to go back, but need to get a real kill switch lanyard since my cheapo "screw with wire attached to the toggle" was reluctantly allowed for that night only.

When one pulls the top clamp off one needs to put a floor jack under the motor to take weight off the forks. If one does not then the tops of the forks tend to move towards the tank and the top clamp will not line up to the stem.

That is when people start beating on the top clamp to get it over the stem.