View Full Version : New 08 SV650S rattle noise
JediT243
01-10-10, 05:37 PM
Hey all, I'm new to this forum as I just got my new SV650 a few weeks ago. From the day I got it, I noticed an odd rattling noise coming from the front left of the bike, only while in gear, and only while accelerating from 2500 to 5000rpm, beyond that the engine is too loud to hear it. I took it back to the shop I got it from, and the service tech being in a hurry rode it around the building and admitted to hearing the noise, but not sure what it was claiming it could be an exhaust leak or just "the valves", well I took his certified word for it although in my opinion the noise should of been present in neutral as well. Anyway I rode it for about 130 miles thinking this is simply a new engine break-in issue, but that's before the rattling got louder. I decided to take it back and insist they found the cause of the sound. On my way there I took a nasty spill on a road I've been on plenty going an average speed. I lucked out with only some nice road rash since my dumbass only had tshirt and cargo shorts on. Anyway to me it felt like the bike ceased up on me or something cause it straight lowsided on me. I decided to take it to a different shop to have them check it. They also notice the sound, yet can not figure it out.. claiming its "probably normal drivechain noise" and Vtwins have louder valvetrains... :confused: I'm still absolutely lost on the issue and any input from anyone familiar with the issue would be greatly appreciated
warrenhewitt10
01-10-10, 08:34 PM
the valves on the sv are noisy in general, but just check the usual things such as chain tension... and that all the nuts and bolts are tight
fizzwheel
01-10-10, 09:35 PM
More than likely cam chain tensioner rattling, they all do that. If thats all it is, just a metally rattle coming from the bike, then whilst annoying it isnt anything specific to worry about. Loud knocking and thumping though is.
Have a search theres plenty of threads on the subject. See if the symptoms sound like the noise you are hearing.
JediT243
01-10-10, 10:18 PM
Thx for the post replies guys. I have done a little bit of research on here and have also narrowed it down to the cam chain tensioner, but I wouldn't know why it would be faulty on brand new sv, and wonder if it was the cause of the wreck wouldn't the valves have thrashed through the pistons?.. I also realize that the valves are bigger and therefore louder then on I4s, but the rattling comes only in gear while accelerating..
I've got a similar noise on my bike, only while in gear and accelerating. My bike did the noise from new I figured it was just running in, after 2000 miles I took it in but they couldnt find the problem. Having my 4000 miles service done tomorrow I told them to have another look as it's still making the noise, my dad says it sounds like a dry bearing I can't describe it myself.
JediT243
01-10-10, 10:40 PM
I thought the same thing myself, that it might be a bearing that was to blame for the noise and my unlucky wipeout, but the bike still rolls, so I doubt it.. unless wheel bearings can just temporarily cease up when close to going bad.. its odd thought since it was a new 08 leftover with 0 miles.. I did notice a little bit of rust on the gastank bolts and a little on the front forks which could have run down from those bolts, but this indicates that they were frequently displaying it outside, and its real humid here in fl.. idk if rust could have come about in areas that I don't want, such as my wheel bearings?...
OK,
There's a few possibly culprits for the noise, but bike engines do make some noise so my thoughts are as follows:
1) Whatever the noise is, it seems unlikely to have been a factor in your off.
2) The best way to determine if a noise is normal is to listen to another bike of equivalent type and see if it sounds the same. There have been cases of people describing a noise over the internet and being assured the engine needed work, when it was sounding quite normal. There have also been people assured "they all sound like that" shortly before a failure. With so few miles on it, provided the oil level is correct I'd be very surprised if there was anything to worry about.
Jambo
JediT243
01-10-10, 11:01 PM
I know its absolutely impossible to diagnose anything through just word of mouth. Whats a loud noise to one may be not so loud to another.. I wish a had another sv to compare with in person, as if this is a normal sound I might be quite unimpressed.. I had a buell xb9 before this and as I know it a completely different bike/motor: long stroke with heavy components and quite loose tolerances, I would have expected the overhead valvetrain in it to contribute to a much louder motor sound then the much refined sv650..
Find another SV (in the USA you may want to look at svrider.com for more local contacts).
The SV and Buel are mechanically very different, not least in terms of valve train drive.
Once you've established that the noise is normal, fit a loud exhaust or wear earplugs :)
Jambo
Mine does it, and has done it since new. At ~ 700 miles now!
Didn't hear it so much on my last Sv, or the one before!
Got it checked out, and was told thats just how the engines are.
could be the lower fairings rattling. mine done it from new. mine also had all sorts of weird noises while i was running it it, most of which disappeared after a 1000 or so miles. another thing to watch is its almost impossible to align the rear wheel properly using the naff suzi alignment marks on the washers which causes a rather loud metallic sound while riding.
Yeah I did run my last 2 without lowers! Will just wait it out! Cheers
JediT243
02-10-10, 04:32 PM
I guess it could have been the lower fairings, but I could of swore the sound was more on the mechanical side, soundind like a metalic rattle at specific rpms.. I guess I'll find out when I get it back from the body shop since it should have a new left lower.. Do you guys think I could of wiped out due to the new tires' "slippery film" that people talk about? A friend of mine told me he would always use a brillow pad on his new bike tires to get rid of it.. I guess I could of hit a patch of gravel and the sound was only coincidental..?
Spikenipple
02-10-10, 05:17 PM
Have you considered that it might be the sound of the chain going around the front sprocket?
JediT243
02-10-10, 08:29 PM
thx for the idea spikenipple.. I guess that's possible, but the chain felt fairly tight when I checked it, and I would expect to hear it at all times, and increase with road speed which it doesn't, the rattling increased in speed only relative to the engine speed reguardless of the gear I'm in.. engaging the clutch completely eliminates the rattle. I know that a chain drive bike has more sound then my old belt driven buell, but I've owned a kawi zx6 before that and the sound was never that pronounced from the chain, and if anything it was consistant and variable on road speed as you'd expect.. Are you hearing a similar sound from your bike?
yorkie_chris
04-10-10, 09:32 PM
So did you fall off on gravel? Or did it seize up?
Bikes don't tend to fall over for no reason while moving!
JediT243
05-10-10, 02:22 AM
honestly im not sure man.. its possible the new tires caught some sand or gravel on the road before getting into the bend, but really i put 2 and 2 together that the rattling sound i was hearing, which was only getting louder was a sound that shouldn't of been there and therefore caused me to slide out.. considering I've talked that turn plenty of times on other bikes and the fact that i wasn't going fast by any means makes me directly blame it on the abnormal sound... I'm trying to keep an open mind about it, i guess its possible the the new tires lost traction from normal deceleration..
MrSixString
01-03-11, 04:17 PM
Hey there Jedi, you've described the same sound as I'm hearing on my 2006 SV. Did you get to the bottom of this? I've heard this on my bike since I picked it up with 4k on the clock and always wondered about it. Now it has 6k on the clock and I'm convinced it is getting louder! I've done regular chain cleaning and re-lube, slack adjustment etc and it's made no difference.
I find that if I roll off the throttle then the noise goes. If I pull in the clutch the noise goes, even when maintaining engine revs. The noise also seems 'in sync' with speed but doesn't occur if free revving the bike when in neutral.
For these reasons, I figured it was general drive chain noise from the front sprocket and that it only occurs when the chain is under load.
...maybe time for a bigger can to mask it ;)
This has been happening to my bike for some time now & sounds the same as Jedi & MrSixString. It's so loud you can hear it riding behind me.
Today I eventually sussed it was coming from the clutch / front sprocket area. The noise went away when I pulled in the clutch. it is very intermitent and was not too bad coming home. My first thoughts were drive chain / sprocket but adjustment is fine and I have a Scottoiler, I also thought it might be someting under my seat that was rattling! It' fine revving in neutral and free wheeling.
It's bizzare but that others have experienced this is some sort of comfort. It hasn't affected my day to day riding so what next? I'm still tempted to think it's something to do with the chain or it's alignment being affected by being under load? Maybe when it's time ti change them or get them aligned by laser and not the swinging arm mark I might find out?
MrSixString
24-05-11, 09:11 AM
This has been happening to my bike for some time now & sounds the same as Jedi & MrSixString. It's so loud you can hear it riding behind me.
Today I eventually sussed it was coming from the clutch / front sprocket area. The noise went away when I pulled in the clutch. it is very intermitent and was not too bad coming home. My first thoughts were drive chain / sprocket but adjustment is fine and I have a Scottoiler, I also thought it might be someting under my seat that was rattling! It' fine revving in neutral and free wheeling.
It's bizzare but that others have experienced this is some sort of comfort. It hasn't affected my day to day riding so what next? I'm still tempted to think it's something to do with the chain or it's alignment being affected by being under load? Maybe when it's time ti change them or get them aligned by laser and not the swinging arm mark I might find out?
In the end I just started ignoring it and have not seen any problems. I've done multiple alignment / chain adjustments since and a few thousand miles and doesn't seem to be as bad as it was...but I've also changed oil since then and also tried a few different types of chain lube and cleaners!
I've just put it down to being another SV noise and not to worry about it and now I never really notice it. [-o<
At least it's not just me. I'll try to ignore it best I can. If it was there when I road tested the bike I might have though twice! I'm still having plenty of SV fun so that's the main thing.
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