Description

Klack on… Klack off… KlackStoppers!

KlackStoppers are a pair of rubber bushings, designed to fit inside your fork tubes, under the top cap.

Got a BMW F800GS? Then you’ve probably heard a klacking noise when the front tire hit a sharp bump in the road.  It sounds like something’s loose, something’s wrong, something’s about to fall of the bike. We heard it ourselves the first time we rode our F800GS, and everytime thereafter.

As a result of this klacking sound, many riders have taken their bike back to the dealer for repairs. The dealers don’t know the cause of the noise, so they’ve chalked it up as a “normal sound for the bike”.  Yeah, right.

Much speculation has been made about the cause of that sound. Floating brake rotors? Plastic fork protectors? Loose steering head bearings? No, no, no! It’s none of these things. It’s something more simple. 

The klacking noise on our F800GS was caused by the upper fork spring guide slapping against upward against the jamb-nut, inside the top of the fork tube. 

This next photo shows the damper rod, the black spring spacer, the jamb nut, and the top cap. The spring has been removed. The black spring guide is in the lowest position.

This next photo shows the spring guide in the highest position. 

The difference between the two positions is about 1/4″. When the guide moves abruptly as a result of the spring compressing sharply, the guide wacks against the jamb-nut and you get a klacking noise.

To remove the free play, we came up with a set of special buna rubber spacer bushings. They fit snugly between the spring guide and the jamb-nut. The result is a quiet compression of the fork springs, and the klacking noise disappears. 

Here’s what the KlackStopper looks like after installation. No more free play, no more klacking noise.

You don’t need to remove the front forks to install the KlackStoppers. You’ll do all your work from the top end, but you will need to remove the handlebars, loosen the pinch bolts for the top caps, remove the top caps, and remove the fork springs. Written instructions are included. 

Tools needed: 19mm wrench, 13mm wrench, torx wrenches to fit the pinch clamp bolts, needle nose pliers, and a floor jack (the jack supports the bike when the fork caps are removed and the front suspension bottoms out). You could use stacked 2×4’s under the skid plate, in lieu of a floor jack, just get a buddy to help you.

FYI, that klacking noise does not affect the performance of the front forks. But it’s pretty darn annoying, to the point of spoiling the ride. If you learn to ignore it, great! but for us we needed to solve the problem, no matter what the cost. Our investment of time was worth it. Yours will be too.

Price is $7.00 for a PAIR of KlackStoppers.  Order one set and you can service both fork tubes.

To all our fellow F800GS riders out there – these bushings are sold at our cost, as a service to you.  We hope this product adds to your riding experience. We’ll see you on the road or the trail. Ride safe!