clunking/knocking from drive train
 

Hi everyone,

I was riding home today and as I came off a roundabout I heard a clonking start as I accelerated, it was quite loud and I could feel it through the pegs so I stopped to check nothing was stuck in the wheel. Nothing unusual so I limped it home. It's most noticeable in first gear as I accelerate. Any ideas? I've had a look through the forum and it seemed to point towards rear wheel bearings. There's no movement at all if I shake the rear wheel and it spins perfectly freely. I took the wheel off to check the bearings though just in case and they all seem fine, nice and smooth. I put the bike in gear on the paddock stand and the chain slapped about a bit but is this just because its on the paddock stand. Surely if it was chain or sprocket wear it wouldn't be so sudden. It's very hard to locate exactly where the clunking is coming from. Any help or ideas at all would be very much appreciated.

Cheers guys.

Re: clunking/knocking from drive train
 

Is it possible the chain may be jumping teeth? Is the chain and sprockets front and back in good condition?

Re: clunking/knocking from drive train
 

Sprocket/s knackered or loose? Chain goosed?

Need a bit more to go than 'there's a noise'.

Re: clunking/knocking from drive train
 

It is quite possible sprockets and/or chain are knackered, how do I check properly, I've pulled the chain off the rear sprocket and it doesn't there doesn't seem to be too much play, I just thought if it was this it wouldn't go so suddenly? The knock sounds a lot like when the front calipers knock on the sv's, that's the best thing I can relate it to. Thanks for the replies.

Re: clunking/knocking from drive train
 

Take the front sprocket cover off & check there too.

Re: clunking/knocking from drive train
 

It does sound, from the scanty description, like you need to have a good look at that front sprocket.

Re: clunking/knocking from drive train
 

I took the bike out for a ride this morning and to my surprise the knocking has gone. Maybe taking the wheel off put something back in place? I don't know. I readjusted the chain and lubed it too. If I spin the wheel very slowly on the paddock stand there is a very slight clunk and the chain shifts to the left on the rear sprocket every clunk. Is this normal or a sign the sprockets and chain need doing? Nowhere near as big as the clunk I had yesterday though. Thanks for the help.

Re: clunking/knocking from drive train
 

Sounds to me like either the rear wheel is misaligned or there is a stiff link in the chain making the clunking noise.

Is the rear sprocket hub sitting on the damper rubbers correctly? Put the rear of the bike up on a stand and look down in line of the chain down into the front sprocket and turn the wheel and see if you can spot misalignment or a sticky chain link. For the time it takes remove the front sprocket cover.

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Re: clunking/knocking from drive train
 

Right I've taken the sprocket cover off and had a good look down while spinning the wheel and it looks fine. Rear rubbers and hub are together properly and sitting right. I've just put it on the paddock stand and run it in first gear, it's far too often to be a sticking link, it gets really bad if I put a little bit of back brake on, the wheel goes really jolty and you can see the wheel stopping and starting. As I say I don't think it's misaligned. thanks