Accident Damage Help (2007 CB600F Hornet)

[Dpalmer_220992]

Hi all

It's not ST1300 related but it is Honda related (2007 CB600F Hornet) and neither of us can sign up to the forum for some reason.

Anyway, my friend had just passed his test and we went out for his first ride a few days back, unfortunately for him it didn't end too well and he rear ended a car at about 10/15mph. He'd had his hornet for about 2 months prior to getting his license and spent some time restoring it and getting it resprayed so he is wanting to put it back on the road. But there is a few things I'd like some help with which I'll bullet point below.

- His forks are knocking slighty, by this I mean you can sit on the bike with the front brake on, rock the bike forward and back and you can feel a slight knock through the bars. I'm 99% sure the forks are not bent, so am I right in thinking that he could have just knackered his steering bearings?

- His steering lock will not engage anymore, is this simply because it's out of line maybe? I'm thinking this because the headlight has cracked and has been bent out of line and his clocks have also been smashed in the impact.

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[Oldbikefixr]

Sounds like his forks are bent. Just a little bit will cause all manner of problems with the front suspension.
I'm not familiar with the Hornet, but I would loosen up all the clamp bolts holding the fork tubes...with the front end supported...to see if the assembly can twist back into place. Since you mentioned shell and instrument damage, I'm suspecting bent over twisted.

 

[SMSW]

Ten to 15 mph is quite a jolt for the front forks. All the forces will be directed aft, trying to bend the forks. Normal force for a bike is slightly off the axis of the tube, i.e. upward as the wheel goes over a bump. My guess is the knocking is the top of the fork slider moving forward and aft inside the fork tube. Only way to know for sure is to pull the forks and put a straight edge along the slider. Sorry he damaged his bike so soon after a restoration, but I'm glad he was not injured. That's the important fact.

 

[MajorTom]

Many years ago I had an "accident" that produced similar front end damage, in that the front headlight was destroyed and the forks were slightly bent. I had the fork downtubes checked and straightened by a machine shop and replaced the headlight assembly with a Vetter fairing. IMHO that improved the ride-ability of the bike and I've never owned an un-faired bike since. I hope your friend finds a similar silver lining.

 

[Upt' North]

Sounds like his forks are bent. Just a little bit will cause all manner of problems with the front suspension.
I'm not familiar with the Hornet, but I would loosen up all the clamp bolts holding the fork tubes...with the front end supported...to see if the assembly can twist back into place. Since you mentioned shell and instrument damage, I'm suspecting bent over twisted.

+1 OBF, loosen all the clamps until they'll just hold the legs, then push the suspension up and down a few times. Check the bars and wheel are in alignment and retighten. Check once more.
If problems persist you'll need a methodical strip and checking of parts. Might not be a bad idea anyway but the forks can look a right twisted mess that somehow pull themselves back straight with a few good pumps.
Good luck.
Upt'North.

 

[Al st1100]

get it upon the center stand , front wheel off the ground and pull up on the front wheel and see if there is any looseness or movement, isolate where it is. You can loosen the triple trees and turn the fork tubes to check if they are bent.