I have an 01 929 that, since Ive owned it, makes a ticking noise (which sounds identical to a bicycle rear tire free spinning) at about 4800 to 5900rpms. This year it seems like its gotten louder. I used to have a GSXR 1000 that had aftermarket cams, and it made a similar noise after they were installed. My friends 954 seems to to the same thing but isnt as noticable. Anyone else have any experience with this ?

 

Most likely just normal valve ticking. Shim under bucket was not invented to run quietly Generally the noise you should be concerned about with a bike is any grinding noise or a slapping noise from the crankcase ... squeaks and squeals that get worse over time are also something to be aware of.

 

Yep, my old 929 made a similar noise to what you describe. Those bikes are just mechanically noisy by nature. Just keep an eye on your oil and listen for any signs of it suddenly getting worse. I used to think it was getting louder all the time too, but it was just my imagination. Fuel injectors on those are a bit noisy and make a kind of ticking sound too. Also if it turns into a clacking be worried.