Guys, I got back from driving my bike the other day and it had a nasty tick. Not very noticable at idle, but when I rev it you can hear it. Dies down a little once the idle levels off. Doesn't do it on deceleration. Seems to mainly do it under load. I was thinking valve tick or rod knock - but I don't think it's rod knock, cause it doesn't like its coming from up top in the head. Is there anything up in the head besides a valve that can cause a tick on these motors? The bike seems to idle fine - doesn't seem like it's lost power or has a stuttle like one of the cylinders as lost some compression from a bent valve or anything. I'll see if I can get a video of it with some good sound tonight.

 

CCT possibly?

 

I was thinking about that, but it's on the right side I thought and I'm not hearing noise on that side. Unless it being loose can cause noise on the left side.

 

if it's only during movement I'd check the chain tension and after that gear.

check whether it happens during riding and standing still, and while standing in neutral and also with the clutch pulled (because in neutral parts of the gear are still spinning).

 

I know it does it when standing still, but only if the rpms change (usually going up). It does it in neutral, haven't tried with clutch in.

 

try taking off the left fairing, and then rev up till you here the tick.
have someone hold the throttle while you with a long rod or screw driver try moving things inside and holding them still against the frame.
I have a guess it's something like a loose screw or maybe the wire harness on the left side ticking against the airbox.

good luck

 

Well guys I had another mechanic look and listen to the bike. The bike doesn't idle weird or anything. Doesn't seem to have a lost of power. So we were thinking it's probably one of 2 things, either some carbon build up on the valve or an exhaust leak. So I decided to take the bike out and push her on the freeway a little to see if the issue got better or worse. it seems to have gotten a little worse, but it's starting to sound more like an exhaust leak. Only seems to make the sound when I'm on the throttle. As soon as I let off or start coasting in gear it doesn't make the sound - if it was a valve I'd expect it to make the sound all the time. Also I don't have any loss of power, so I'm leaning towards exhaust leak at the head somewhere. I'm gonna pull the fairing off and take a look this week. Hoping it's that and not something valve related.

 

I think I got lucky - it took a look at the bike before work this morning in the light and noticed one of the header nuts was loss, then I noticed the one on the other side was missing completely. So when I get home tonight I'm gonna find a matching nut and put it on and see if my tick/exhaust leak goes away.

 

sounds like you got away okay! glad to hear it.. er.. or not hear it.. lol

 

Yeah, me too. I didn't feel like pulling the motor and the head apart. Especially now that I got the stupid idle/stutter fixed.