How to locate a rattle?

**p.dath** · 27th November 2009, 17:10

I was riding along the other day, and there is a bit of a "ping" and I briefly saw something shiny flying up in front of the bikes wind visor.
At the time I was thinking lucky it didn't hit me in the helmet visor (would have given me a fright).
I can't tell if it was just a stone, a bolt, clip, or whatever. It was moving way too fast.

My bikes been making a rattling sound between 5 and 6 thousand RPM, and I think it has become far more pronounced since the "ping" incident.

I tried putting the bike up on the centre stand and running it between 5 and 6 thousand RPM, and can't re-produce the rattle.

While riding I have impression the rattle is coming from near the bottom of the front forks on the right hand side. But it's not possible to observe while riding.

I've looked all over this region of the bike, and I can't see any missing bolts or fixtures. I think I'll take the feerings off in the weekend and take a closer look.

I'm also wondering if it might also be a cable vibrating against the bike.

I was tossing up also putting duct tape around various bits of the bike (one at a time). The idea being to secure each area further, with the hope that the rattle stops, then I know what to look at to properly fix the issue.

So, any tips in trying to locate the source of my rattle?

**one fast tl1ooo** · 27th November 2009, 17:14

yo... go look on wiki.. your most used site..

**CookMySock** · 27th November 2009, 17:44

If you put your rattle somewhere safe, like if its little blue bag, then you won't lose it. In any case, its gone now so just go buy a new one.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Baby-gear/T...-255484435.htm

Steve

**vifferman** · 27th November 2009, 17:45

Turn up the exhaust - that'll make it disappear. Either that, or don't ride at between 5 and 6k rpm.

BTW - what's a feering? Is it summat that makes you a-feered?

**p.dath** · 30th November 2009, 18:06

I think I may have located my rattle. I managed to find two missing scrivets in the faring near the radiator tonight.

Also found some cables which I might secure further with more cable ties.

Need to take it for a ride and test it now.

**bsasuper** · 30th November 2009, 20:38

A tip, dont rev ya engine that high in neutral

**crazyhorse** · 30th November 2009, 20:42

Go to the baby factory and buy one

**FJRider** · 30th November 2009, 20:43

Best way to stop a rattle ... drain the oil out and run bike at speed/high revs ... the rattles WILL stop. SOON ...

**crazyhorse** · 30th November 2009, 20:55

Originally Posted by FJRider

Best way to stop a rattle ... drain the oil out and run bike at speed/high revs ... the rattles WILL stop. SOON ...

LOL.......................Only to find it was a baffle loose in the exhaust

**p.dath** · 30th November 2009, 21:25

Originally Posted by bsasuper

A tip, dont rev ya engine that high in neutral

It's the only way I could verify weather it was an engine noise or not.

**hayd3n** · 30th November 2009, 21:38

i had a similar noise on my bike it was the front guard bolt that was missing a rubber washer

**bsasuper** · 5th December 2009, 10:28

reving your engine is not the only way, take the fairings off and look, it will be obvoius if anything is missing, if you have a mechanical mind.Reving an engine with no load to high revs can damage it, but hey its a free country, feel free to torture it.

**AllanB** · 5th December 2009, 11:00

Originally Posted by bsasuper

Reving an engine with no load to high revs can damage it.

I've been hearing this forever and it is not something I do. Hell I don't think I have ever redlined an engine under any form of operation (bloody Nana I hear you say ....).

However.

On various bikes over the years when setting carbs and timing the factory handbooks clearly state one should bring the revs up to a certain point way above a high idle to check the balance on the carb dials (a Kawasaki springs to mind with a 7.5k redline and the checking revs were 4k).

And if you go past any bike workshop you will find someone charging you $65 an hour to rev the crap out of your bike in neutral.

And wait until that WOF guy wants to check your pipes for noise levels .......

I believe it is good practice not to for any sustained length of time, but a quick rev up to 5 thou to check a rattle should do zero harm.

**LBD** · 5th December 2009, 15:26

Get a Duc...you wont hear any other rattles over the clutch rattle

**p.dath** · 5th December 2009, 16:54

Originally Posted by bsasuper

reving your engine is not the only way, take the fairings off and look, it will be obvoius if anything is missing, if you have a mechanical mind.Reving an engine with no load to high revs can damage it, but hey its a free country, feel free to torture it.

6000 RPM is not even half way through my rev range ...