SORRY, LONG POST

First we'll start with the smell. The past couple days there has been a funny burning smell, while the bike is warming up or when i am sitting at a stop light. It seems to be coming from the "engine" area, and I THINK it is coming from the left side.

I just cleaned and lubed the chain a few days ago, so it might be excess lube. i did let the bike sit for 12hrs or so before riding it. My oil is a little above the low marker, so i thought it might be oil but there isn't any smoke. My third thought was the clutch? When shifting from 1st to 2nd or vice a versa, it sometimes engages hard, or it feels like it hits something before engaging. I plan on taking the fairings off tomorrow to check if any insulation is burning or if any electrical is melting, but i don't think it is cause its not a pungent rubber smell.

i have reading many forums and doing lots of searching on google, for an explanation, but unfortunately no one can smell it thru the computer. If anyone has any suggestions they are greatly appreciated.

Now the Save of the day

So if anyone lives in Los Angeles area, I am sure you have noticed the rainy weather the past few days, especially if you live in the north like me!
On my way home a few blocks from my house, I came to a 4-way stop sign intersection. I needed to take a right, but there was a car that had it's emergency light on right before the turn. So I went around him, and didn't see a 4ft pile of gravel/dirt and when i hit it the bike started to fishtail, and it ALMOST fell over but stuck my leg out just in time to save it, and in the process falling I gripped the handle bars tighter and revved the engine to 8000RPM by accident. Thank god I had the clutch pulled in!!!

It was pretty dumb on my part. I was leaving work as the sun was setting, and I ALWAYS switch from sunny shield to my clear shield at night. But I was lazy and I thought i would get home before the sun set. If i had my clear one on, i think i would have seen it and avoided the whole situation. So it was a lesson learned.

As soon as it happened I pulled over for a breather and took a couple pics of the gravel.

The silver Pontiac on the left is the car that was pulled over. It's hard to see the dirt patch in this picture.


Here is a different angle and close up of the patch. Right before i took the picture a mini cooper also did a little fishtail through the gravel.

 

Lesson learned. Good save.

 

There's even crummy riding conditions in L.A. You don't have to be in mountain areas to have messed up roads.

 

I would take the fairings off and look for any weeping around the gaskets while the bike is warm. Also check the headers, if oil gets on them it will smell. What does it smell like? oil? coolant? rubber? cat ****? Glad to hear you didnt take a spill!!

 

When somebody uses the word "funny" when talking about smells from a motor vehicle, I always get the impression of brake/clutch problems. However, aren't the plates immersed in oil? You don't really get the "burned clutch" stench from motorcycles that have wet plates, right?

 

I've been riding everyday since then and it seems like the smell has for the most part went away. I think it was excess lube from the chain, that just took a few days to burn off. Now the only smell, is when i let the bike warm up, it sort of smells like a car heater that hasn't been used in a while. haha don't know if that makes sense.

Thanks for all the help, I am pretty new to bikes so I am sure I will have MANY more questions soon.