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JimmyGulp
01-01-08, 11:18 AM
Howdy,

I've noticed an odd noise from the bottom (around the pegs) on my Curvy (99/X). Its the same noise you'd get on a train as it goes over the joins in the track (tickety-tock, tickety-tock, etc).

Now, it only seems to be there when on the power (ie, accelerating), and not when coasting, or slowing down. I'd don't believe it to be the chain, as if I pull in the clutch, the noise disappears. Its more noticable in 1st and 2nd, and is almost gone by 3rd, and disappears by 4th and up.

Any clues on what it might be, and where to start looking (I'm not entirely mechanically minded, but I'll give it a go) would be appreciated.

Oh, and happy new year and all that :)

Cheers

tigersaw
01-01-08, 11:36 AM
But when you pull in the clutch you are no longer applying power to the chain..
Sure your chain is not too tight, or stretched?

Dangerous Dave
01-01-08, 01:45 PM
Chain too tight....

JimmyGulp
01-01-08, 05:01 PM
I don't think its the chain... mainly cause the last chain I had, I'd over tightened it, and got it to snap on the M1 at ~90mph, so I was deliberately leaving it on the slack side, so much so that when I got my tyres replaced on Saturday, the chap said "your chain is practically scraping the floor, want me to tighten it up for you?"

I did tighten it up (about 2inch vertical movement when not sat on it) towards the beginning of Dec, so it probably needed the adjustment anyway...

I'll try and get a look at the front sprocket tonight to see if anyhting is amiss there.

Thanks for your help

JimmyGulp
01-01-08, 05:03 PM
Oh, and its regularly lubed up (every night when I get home, the daily commute it 90miles). I'll also check the chain while I'm out in the cold to see if I can spot any tight spots.

Wideboy
01-01-08, 09:22 PM
it could be just where the motor is under load, mines does it if you accelerate hard from low revs in 2nd or 3rd. That's what mine does anyway

Wideboy
01-01-08, 09:24 PM
mind you mine doesn't sound like a train on the tracks

jambo
02-01-08, 10:20 AM
The chain would be my first port of call. Having your chain too slack isn't the best way of protecting it (though I understand your caution). Use a rear paddock stand, that way the weight is still on the swing arm and you can check the tension as if the bike was on the side stand. The thing is you can turn the wheel and check the whole chain. 2 inches is about 50mm of slack from top to bottom of travel, that's too much, IIRC the SV wants about 30mm of slack at the tightest point.

Make sure you check carefully for tight spots as I've seen some chains adjusted so that they're spot on at one point, and like a bow sting at others, mind you that tends to imply the chain's shot anyway!

Jambo

JimmyGulp
02-01-08, 11:12 AM
Annoyingly, I didn't get a chance to look at the bike last night, but had a look this morning before setting off to work. It looked a little dry (been sat for most of the week), so lubed it up, and didn't get any annoying sounds... I'll lube it tonight, and again in the morning to see if that helps.

If it does, sounds like its time to get a scottoiler or something :)

yorkie_chris
02-01-08, 11:59 AM
If it does, sounds like its time to get a scottoiler or something :)

Mine hasn't been touched for the last 4000 miles except to put more oil in it, the chain looks the same as when I fitted the oiler and hasn't needed adjusting once.

tomjones2
03-01-08, 03:41 PM
Annoyingly, I didn't get a chance to look at the bike last night, but had a look this morning before setting off to work. It looked a little dry (been sat for most of the week), so lubed it up, and didn't get any annoying sounds... I'll lube it tonight, and again in the morning to see if that helps.

If it does, sounds like its time to get a scottoiler or something :)

I hate loobing the chain on a bike I use everyday, its just one of those job I dont want to do in the morning or evening when its dark and cold. Scottolier are awesome and the chain should last ages.

SoulKiss
03-01-08, 04:05 PM
Sounds to me that if the sound goes away when you lube the chain, that its masking the noise rather than taking it away.

I think that Mr Jambo may be right and the noise you hear is the chain "dropping" onto the sprocket due to being loose - tighten the chain to about half of the slack you have na dtake it for a short run and see if the noise goes away.

I would also suggest NOT lubing the chain for this short run so as not to possibly mask the noise, but remember to re-lube after the test.

JimmyGulp
03-01-08, 04:26 PM
Soulkiss, thanks for the info. When the garage tightened it up to 'normal tension' last Sat (when I got new tyres), the noise was still present, though less so. I got home, after the ~5mile journey, and didn't lube anything. Used it Sunday, and the noise was back :/

However, lubing it up in the morning, before I went to work (yesterday) it was okay. I had a look at the chain last night, and the front sprocket, and other than looking a little dry (done ~90miles since last lube), it all looked okay to me. I've given it a good spray of lube everywhere on the chain and sprockets, but didn't get a chance to ride to work today (working from home).

I'll see how it goes tomorrow, and try and get a scottoiler this weekend if I can :)

Thanks everyone, and I'll try and keep you updated

SoulKiss
03-01-08, 04:33 PM
Please note that I was only building on the posts of other people, and when I need help I get no the phone to Jambo :P

iw dont thank me, than the others :) (same goes for blame BTW :P

jambo
03-01-08, 05:24 PM
If the tension is now correct at the tightest spot, and this doesn't leave it too far off at the loosest spot, and the noise goes away when you lube the chain, it sounds like the chain is just in need of more lube.

A Scottoiler is a good way to get this, but if you're using spray lubes make sure you're cleaning the old lube off rather than just letting new stuff sit on top of old.