xl650v engine noise

[mad max]

Hi there

I have a xl650v transalp 06 model with 3000 miles on the clock. I have had the bike from new and serviced every year with oil and filter. I notice on tickover there can be a slight knock coming from the bottom of the engine it has been there from new.Can any of you guys that have a transalp help me on this one. Is that normal on a v twin.
Cheers.

[©-©]

The TA ticks over like a subdued sewing machine, in its quiet, considerately understated fashion.
Bimbling along on my TA, sometimes I’m hearing the engine chuff, chuff, chuff like an old steam train, or grumble rumble and whirr as though there’s Lord Knows What something seriously amiss going on down in there.
Resonant rattles come and go at particular RPM and road speed combinations.
The chain slithers around and around like some endless slithery thing.
Clicks, thuds and an assortment of other alarming sounds I think I hear.
But Open The Throttle ... and all becomes staccato surging forward purposely, poetry in fluid motion.

[StumpyFingers]

Are you sure it is the engine?
It could be a loose bolt somewhere.

[veodoble]

Well, I may understand what you're saying, let me ask you something:

Do you notice that sound when stopped, neutral gear? If so, you rev up the bike a bit, in neutral position? Some engines make some noise in the clutch when iddle, or rev up in neutral. To check that out, be stopped and in neutral and rev it, and pull the clutch lever back and forth to try to notice any change in the sound.

It happened to me when I had a Guzzi, she was so temperamental...

Tell us if that helps.

So far, my 2003 TA with 40.000 kms does some of this sound when cold and iddle. After some trip, engine warm and stuff she purrs like a kitten

[largewayround]

So when I am stopped in neutral there is a slight ticking noise, pulling in the clutch just a tiny bit.. sound goes away.. Does this mean I need to adjust the clutch cable alittle.. ?

[©-©]

Dear Mr.S.Fingers,
Sir, What exactly are you inferring?

[veodoble]

So when I am stopped in neutral there is a slight ticking noise, pulling in the clutch just a tiny bit.. sound goes away.. Does this mean I need to adjust the clutch cable alittle.. ?

Well, in my honest opinion you don't have to adjust anything, neither do I, because it is nothing related to fatigue in materials. It is just a design matter. Nothing bad.

As far as I understand the whole thing of the clutch (last week I replaced disks in a friend's Dommie, so I have it fresh in my mind), when lever is untouched, the clutch and its system of disks is completely unpressed by any lever and tolerances among their pieces and set of disks make the overall sound we hear. But when you press the lever, you act with strength in that system, trough the cable and then the pusher rod inside the clutch, and compress the system so tolerances and small clearances in clutch are reduced to zero. That's why we hear a "tick-tick-tick" sound when stopped and in neutral, lever resting alone, and it dissappears when we pull the lever (we compress the system and disengage the engine from the clutch-gearbox)

Phiuwww! My english is not so good to explain such a complex thing. I hope you understand what I tried to say. Correct me if either syntax or message are wrong.

Cheers

[Baggy]

Honda clutches have a reputation for being a bit grumbly - they can make all sorts or rumbling/ticking noises when in neutral.

I've owned a number of Hondas in the 550-750cc range and they all had some kind of clutch noise when in neutral.

[StumpyFingers]

Dear Mr.S.Fingers,
Sir, What exactly are you inferring?

I was suggesting that a bolt may have worked loose and be rattling with the vibration from the engine.
Have you ever found things you dropped / lost in the sump guard?

[mad max]

Are you sure it is the engine?
It could be a loose bolt somewhere.

no nothing loose or nothing fell off.
thanks stumpyfingers,