I have a 1995 f3 and everytime I hit a bump or I hit the front brake quickly I hear a pop and you can feel it in the grips. How can I teel if this is the fork bushing or if it is steering stem bearings?

 

I would lean more towards steering head bearings. maybe there is excessive play, maybe they are getting worn. I woulld try to tighten the steering head bearings. As for the fork bushings? I'm not sure how to check for them other than when the forks are apart. They are teflon coated and have a dark grey coloring to them, when that coating wears you see the copper material more and more and you should replace them at that point. Also what i've seen is that your steering head bearings are good, and your fork bushings are good, but that top nut ontop of your triple clamps isn't as tight as it should be, and that allows play on the top triple causing what you describe. Give that a shot first, then adjust steering bearings, and then go to forks.

 

sounds just like what my bike was doing when the steering stem bearings went out.

I just rebuilt my forks and there really isnt anything in there that could get 'caught' and pop.