Hey all,

I just purchased a '94 CBR6F2 since my beloved first big bike GPZ500 seized on me.

The CBR has 30k on the clock and seems to look in pretty good nick however I noticed today that when the bike is idling I can hear a either a grinding noise or what sounds like a chain skipping. Strangely though if I hold the clutch in the noise stops, release the clutch and it comes back again.

It also seems to be smoking a bit and I assumed it was because the AM exhaust had the baffle removed, ive put it back in but im still getting smoke out the exhaust. Its not black smoke, more a greyish white and I know its cold where I am at the moment (Wales, UK) and I could be mistaking it for condensation but even when the bike is warm im still getting it albeit not as bad.

I just paid a lot of money for this bike and its my only means of transport to work and if it dies on me im gonna be pretty much ****ed, especially for work.

I dont know if the grinding/chain slipping noise stops once warm as ive only just noticed it and I dont want to start the bike again just incase something bad happens.

Any information or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Scott.

 

The sound your hearing, which stops when you disengage the clutch, is just the clutch basket - nothing to worry about there, as these just tend to be a bit noisy - they're all like that.

I hope you're right about the exhaust - but I would check your coolant level, and also check for coolant in the oil and vice versa.

If the smoke has any bluish tint, you could be burning oil, if it's purely white/grey in color, you might be burning coolant, IF, it's not just condensation. At any rate, if you ARE burning something you shouldn't be, you would prefer it to be coolant, as changing a head gasket is much prferred to bad pistion rings!

Good luck, and welcome to the fourm!

 

Thanks for the warm welcome and quick response.

You say the noise im hearing is normal, and im hoping it is however ive never noticed it before. Could the cold weather have something to do with it?

When I got the bike I checked a few levels, both brakes, and the bottle thats right near the back brake res, I could see the level was at the 'high' mark. Where else should I look? I haven't got around to getting myself a Haynes Manual yet, I got the bike 3 days ago.

Will the clutch basket noise stop once the engine has warmed?

Again, many thanks.

Scott.

 

Make sure you also check your coolant level in the radiator itself, should be just behind the right side inspection cover. Look at the color of the coolant, make sure there is no oil in it. Also, if you let it idle with the cap off the radiator pay attention for forceful bubbling, thats usually a sign of a bad head gasket (compression leaking into the water jackets).

 

Ok great i'll do that when I get home from work this afternoon, i'll try and make a quick video of the noise and smoke just to be sure.

I can hear this noise from the L/H/S of the bike more so than the R/H/S.

Thanks guys.

Scott.

 

Left side, while sitting on the bike, facing forward?

 

LHS while sitting on it, well I'm standing next to it but facing the same way as if I was sitting on it.

 

So update.

The smoke has disappeared, I started the bike up when I got home from work and it smoked a little, I went to get petrol and when I got off it had stopped so im assuming its condensation as it wasn't too cold this afternoon, but the grinding/whining sound is still there even after the bike has been ridden 30miles so it probably is the clutch basket.

Thanks to everyone who offered support it was greatly appreciated.

 

Hey,

So the smoking is back, its quite cold outside today, around 2-3c. I started my bike and it seems to be smoking bad, from my point of view anyways. Ive checked all the levels and everything seems fine.

Do you reckon this is condensation?

 

Its normal to smoke white a bit when the engine is cold. Does it go away after it warms up? Typically it is condensation.