I have a click, click sound from my front brakes that's driving me nuts. I only noticed this when wearing a p*s pot helmet; the full face deadens a lot of sound.

The click click increases with rotational speed of the wheel and I traced it down to the front, left break assembly. I determined this through a system of elimination. Basically, the following:

The sound starts up with the wheel rotating and increases with speed. When the front brake leaver is touched lightly, the sound goes away, only to return when the brake is released.

The wheel bearings are fine: I checked them when I replaced the fork seals. The disk brake pads are ok, they have about 80% thickness left. The brake pad pin; the front one, can be removed, but the back pin will not come out. The springs etc. are all there. I have not split the caliper.

The right brake caliper is ok. No sound from that one, although the pad pins are as loose as those on the left caliper.

I don't like funny noises on my bike, especially when these noises come from the brakes.

Advice please.

Next problem:

The brake light switch on the rear brakes failed. I used an industrial micro switch with a bracket setup to replace the switch unit and it works perfectly.

But, the red triangle warning light on the instrument cluster is driving me nuts. On start up, a light touch to both front and rear brakes will shut the light down. On the next occasion, the light hangs around for some mintes before shutting down. It seems its action is random.

Should I be concerned?

Sounds like something is brushing against the inside of a fork.   Jack up the front end and spont the front wheel by hand to see what's up.

Try a new brake light bulb.

If we knew the model and year of your bike then a diagnosis may be easier.

yes its frustrating

nino found that the brake tube through the steering head  contributed to this .

I even pulled mine out and taped up the flange at the top ...which stopped it for a while  (10,000 ks or so ) 


but I think the tape has worn through and its tapping again now ...must do it again with some  reasonably thick heat shrink (it seems to be related to the top threaded flange and the top triple clamp ...+ the location fitting tube at the bottom ) 
possibly some sympathetic transmission of the vibration up the brake lines ?

was thinking of trying some anti brake squeal compound to deaden up the pad backshells in the calliper

A friend had a 'click, click' from the front end and it turned out to be a loose brake pad pin.

Paul.

do you have ABS fitted to the front, maybe the pin on the unit.
ABS can make a similar sound when on full lock, due to a slight twist in the forks.
as requested , pop up your make /model in your profile signature, this will help others to troubleshoot.
good luck with it..

If 16V model then possibly the 'bobbins' round the floating disc brake are loose due to wear. It helps to know the model, of course.

Two Wheels Better wrote:If 16V model then possibly the 'bobbins' round the floating disc brake are loose due to wear. It helps to know the model, of course.

First thing that I was going to suggest as mine used to do it, but we still don't know the model.

If your disc has a bit of run-out and the pads are a tad lose then you will get a click at each rotation. A new or good disc will fix it but depending how much run-out is acceptable and how crazy you get listening to it, is it worth fixing.

2/1984 K100 2V

From his profile

Yes, it is a '84 K100 8v.

The wheel bearings are ok.

There is no run out on the brake disks; no loose bolts.

The forks are 100% straight.

The front mud guard is securely fitted and the wheel does not contact this in any place.

The sound eminates from the front left brake unit (caliper/disk/pins); determined by removing the calipers in turn and rotating the front wheel. The one brake pad pin can be removed, the other not. There is a little play (forward and back) on the pads when fitted in the caliper. The retaining spring/clips are ok. Pad wear on the brake pads are even.

My main concern here is safety.

Have you checked run-out with a dial gauge because .002" will do it. You wont feel it in the brake lever or pulsating when you brake.

There is no runout on the front disks. Measured with a dial guage indicator. Disk thickness is well within spec's.

About the red traingle warning light: Connections are clean and tight. All bulbs have been cleaned and are in good condition. Found out however that; when the head light is off, the warning light goes off when both the front and rear brake is activated. But, the moment you switch the head light on (In SA, it is compulsory to drive with the head light on at all times.), the warning light comes on and only goes off some time later; sometimes quickly, other times after quite a delay. Switching off the head light; the warning light goes off.

????????

If you haven't already done it put a new bulb in the tail and stop lights and clean the contacts as well as the plug under the tail section behind the light and the earth at the gearbox. Also remove the engine mount bolt on the bell housing (right side just behind the alternator) and make sure that it has a good electrical connection to the frame. That is the earth to the frame from the battery and engine.

had a similar issue gunsports

found that the cable to terminal socket connector was slightly corroded where the cable was crimped ... not enough for it to stop working but obviously enough for a current restriction ....which would reflect as a blown or wrong wattage globe . thus the bmu warning .
striped the cable and put a new connector on... all fixed

if it only comes on when the mains are turned on I suspect the running light rather than the stop lamp .... we have seen that the inside of the globe holder does become corroded a little ,,,especially where the ears - pins hold the globe to the metal retainer   deoxit works well for this

hope that helps some

Sounds like the pads are rocking on the rear pin causing the front pin to click, maybe get another pin for the front, is the BMU showing up on the park or running light or does it only work or lay up when the full headlight is on, park or running lights mean check each end again to find suss connectors or contact and the fully on main beam will mean check main beam contacts including switch