patzx12
Registered user
Good idea. Proceed it's your bike.
why is it a secret?
Removed the valve covers and the noise is caused by backlash in the cam gearing.
It's possible, I'm told, to order oversized parts to cure this.
Toothless, please don't be deterred from posting in a motorcycle forum. There are no dumb questions. You should never be discouraged if someone behind a computer posts something that wasn't what you wanted to hear, and please realize that it is normal for there to be times when the discourse strays off topic, or for your question, or the intent of your question, to not be understood quite as you intended.
I am here to learn more about 2 specific models of motorcycles - the early-2000's R1150GS and the current R1200GS Liquid Cooled models. There are three main forums i know of - UKGSer.com, advrider.com, and bmwmoa.org. In each forum, there are experts, some who wrench bikes professionally, and some who aren't professional mechanics but who work on their own and others bikes (some of these people even have professional-level skills, knowledge and resources), as well as many owners with mechanical skill levels ranging from none to quite impressive. Questions in themselves can be as educating and informative as the replies. I think that I even have a little knowledge on some specific things, in general, those things i have studied and work i have performed myself.
Specifically, my answer to just wear plugs and ride your bike was in no way meant to put down the idea of installing sheet dampening material between the engine and your ears. Yes, I think you can do some quitening by doing so. But i would also never ride without earplugs. I believe that at speed, the noise of undampened bikes and dampened bikes would be pretty much the same because the wind noise drowns out the engine noise at some velocity, depending on a very large number of variables, and becomes the dominant sound heard.
I want to hear from all interested parties, especially the ones whom have done something and what their perception of the achieved result and its relative value is.
Please pardon my Texas, USA "english" - it is just one of my many defects and limitations.
All
Been away onbusiness for a while hence my silence on the subject raised. Just for clarification - I am a fully qualified,practicing Engineer unlike the Penis withhis usual shed full of negative b/sh*t who has the audacity to use the tag Engineer. I always respect others posts (ex Penis) & try to be supportive where possible, I am heartened by the positive comments above. I do wear ear plugs but am agitated by a 'quality' bike rattling like a bag of spanners at low speed / off load. I favour the theory that its the valve decompressor rattling myself? My 'experiment' clearly has massivley reduced this clatter for me- I am happy with the result & more than happy to advise on how to replicate if anyone is truly interested
Mac
Well, it would be helpful if could post the eBay number of the material you used ....
By all means try to quiten the engine if you wish with loads of sound deadening materials, but the real question is why? The answer is purely psychological, the noise offends ones mechanical sensibilities that's all - in a car carrying passengers on a long journey noise can be tiring and uncomfortable - a motorcycle is noisy even with a mechanically quiet engine once at normal travelling speeds due to wind noise, which is not only tiring but very damaging, so wear ear plugs or you will regret it. The mechanical noise is not damaging to you or you engine so forget about it - if you can't, then add loads of sound deadening material and be happy but it is all to do with your state of mind, nothing else.
The question of possible damage being caused is a fair question and has been my long standing search for the source, not yet really identified by BMW. In an OHV engine with push rod operated valves via rockers there is a tappet clearance. Run that engine with too wide a clearance and you soon produce wear to rocker or valve stem from "hammering", due to that clearance. It isn't just psychological but a need to know what is clattering upon what.
By all means try to quiten the engine if you wish with loads of sound deadening materials, but the real question is why? The answer is purely psychological, the noise offends ones mechanical sensibilities that's all - in a car carrying passengers on a long journey noise can be tiring and uncomfortable - a motorcycle is noisy even with a mechanically quiet engine once at normal travelling speeds due to wind noise, which is not only tiring but very damaging, so wear ear plugs or you will regret it. The mechanical noise is not damaging to you or you engine so forget about it - if you can't, then add loads of sound deadening material and be happy but it is all to do with your state of mind, nothing else.
MrMcNamara;
First of all thanks for your post. I've found the idea very interesting and would like to try it out on my 2016 GSWA. In fact, I've just purchsed the foam you recomended and should take delivery in a month or so as I live in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
I would be very interested to know exactly where did you applied it and if you could post some photos of your work it would be very helpful.
Please do not be put off on all the negative comments on your ideas posted here. They contribute nothing !
I find that many posts in UKGSER have an unfriendly and aggressive tone. Its strange as my image of englishmen was always of an educated and polite gentleman...
I actively participate in the american forum GSpot and find americans not only quite more helpful but also much friendlier as well. As a result I always try to contribute there and rarely write in this forum. After all participatting in forums is to be a pleasurabel experience rather than an irritating one. I wish the moderators were more active and filter the non contributing posts.
Its a shame the unfriendly and agressive and certainly unneccessary posture of too many UKGSER forum members.
Best regards,
Andre
Dear Mr Penis, please keep your petty opinions to yourself, they are not creditable, constructive or welcome
Mr McNamara