Machine Been up on blocks - sounds like popcorn being made

[r1200st]

Hey all,

I have been AWOL for a long time, and alas my poor machine has been up on blocks. Life is getting back to normal, so I put all the pieces back on from pulling the machine apart over a year ago. The electrical work I did shockingly worked out just fine, despite gas sitting in the tank (with some stabil) for a solid 18 months it turned over great. I was all set to be excited and then I tried putting the machine into gear to hear it run (I had a few adult beverages before hooking things up so was not going for a test ride).

Apart from my electrical melting the only issue I had before the machine sat out under a cover for 18 months was a bit of a leak dropping oil onto my clutch, so I popped off the tranny filler to see if I was low, and lovely clean red fluid came out (making me think it was not low). I didn't check the final drive (I guess I should) but I can not decide how much I hate the sound coming from the machine when it is just idling in second gear.

Maybe it is just wheel, but it sounds off to me, FYI I very unprofessionally snagged a video and you can hear the grumle about 20 seconds in. Trying to work out if I am just done for, and since this year is better than last I fear if I wait to do the clutch myself it will be another season with no riding so may just ride over to Battleys and get them to do it and maybe a full 36K service (hmmm, that is starting to sound really expensive just typing it).

I was so excited that once I put in the battery it fired (not sure when/where I got this battery that doesn't fit in the machine) bit I would appreciate any suggestions people can give. I sort of just want to put on my armor and go up and down my road at 5 MPH for an afternoon and see if it gets better or worse, but I imagine that is the worst possible thing to do.

Footage of machine running here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tilRBtsRwqo

Brian

[r1200st]

Ouch just looked . listened to the video again, clearly I need to do a valve adjustment sounds like a lot of slap in there, and the shiny red puddle you see at the end if of course the tranny fluid from me checking the level.

You will also see as soon as I let off the clutch that the wheel comes to a stop (I was not touching the brakes), I really hope the issue is just a sticky caliper so I will give them a bit of a greasing. I guess I could disconnect the breakes, cross my fingers and see if the noise goes away but would love to get some second opinions.

[Genen8kua]

Hi Brian,

So I hear a chuff-chuff-chuffing that's more reminiscent of what you hear when your bicycle tire gets out of true and starts rubbing against the brake pads every revolution. I wonder if in storage you had a little rust action between your semi-metallic pads and the rotor.

What do you hear and feel when you spin the wheel when the bike is in neutral with the engine off? No play when you rock the wheel at 6 & 12 and 9 & 3 o'clock?

I hope it turns out to be the brakes - more straightforward than a clutch.

Good luck!

[r1200st]

Gene,

Thanks for the advice, with the brakes off it all sounded a bit less scraping, but there is still some noise. Very good call on shaking the wheel at 12 and 6 and 3 and 9, it was solid. No wobble at all.

Spinning the wheel when the machine is off it goes pretty smoothly.

As for the clutch it was pretty much cooked when I stopped riding so I imagine I am still in trouble there, I had an oil leak on it an I am sure it got warped under heavy load. Was pretty slippy when I was coming back from Maine several summers ago to the point that I called off my planned diversion via Montreal.

I was bouncing the machine slowly up and down the driveway this morning and if seems solid enough, so nothing left but to reconnect the brakes and make a few trips around the neighbourhood.

Hopefully the luck you wished me still stands

Brian