1250 RT odd metallic rattle/ringing

[mehere]

Hi all. My 2023 R1250RT (~16,500 km) has a quiet metallic rattling/ringing noise that I recently noticed after a service. I’m not certain whether it was present before.

The noise is almost entirely load-dependent rather than RPM-dependent. I can hear it in basically any gear and over a wide RPM range when the engine is pulling, especially even slightly uphill. As soon as I reduce the throttle/load, it disappears. On level ground I can ride at ~2,000 rpm without hearing it.

It sounds a bit like a saucepan lid lightly rattling while water is simmering, or a quiet metallic rustling/sizzling noise. The bike otherwise runs perfectly: no warning lights, power loss, unusual vibration or clutch problems. I’m also running 100 RON E5 fuel.

Has anyone with an R1250 experienced the same noise? Is this considered normal boxer/clutch/engine noise, or something worth having checked? I also have a recording: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1miRwO8lig1-bFK0i1qD4xEeWEn2HTn2p/view?usp=drivesdk
I'm riding with low rpm there, but the sound is heard on 4000 rpm too, if there's an uphill.

 

[Hann]

There have been quite a lot of 1250 owners who have reported the same noise, me included.
As far as i know no one has ever pinpointed a definitive cause or remedy.

For example, see here;

Thread 'New R1250RS “Pinking” noise'

Nov 17, 2024

Hi, new member, new bike. I took delivery of a new 1250 RS in August having had a 1200 RT and a Nine T in the past. From new, I have a “Pinking” noise when accelerating under load in lower gears at around 3000 revs. I am not “lugging” the bike and it revs very smoothly when not in gear. It has been through its 600 mile service and dealer says all ok. This gets some mention online but it all seems inconclusive with “some of them do that”. Do other owners experience the same ? Is this just a feature of Euro 5 fueling for this engine and bike ? Thanks for taking the time to read.

• Caterham07
• Replies: 68
• Forum: R1200/1250 RS

The noise is easily heard at about 25 seconds in the first video in this thread;

Thread 'R1250GS Rattling noise'

Sep 18, 2023

Hello. I face an issue with a rattling noise at my R1250GSA MY21. It is noticeable when I accelerate from 3000-4000rpm and when I am fully loaded and uphill is worst. So when load increases, noise is higher.

I have replaced exhaust cams under warranty, with dealer we suspected the decompression mechanisms but no luck. I have used the best fuels with additives but no luck. I have removed all protection bars and engine protection but no luck. I have inserted a spacer at right cam chain tensioner but no luck, left one replaced with the updated one. Any idea?

Below I attach 2 videos with 2...

• scarab1987
• Replies: 305
• Forum: 1200/1250 GS Watercooled

Is this the same noise you are experiencing?

 

[squibb34]

Sounds more like the TB or exhaust flapper rather than pre-ignition. Never noticed it on my R1250RS, but I guess the RT fairing will amplify the noise.

Let's not forget these motors like to be revved, so don't really enjoy lugging a high gear..............although they will.

Presumably the shift cam change is smooth but readily perceptible in terms of performance, with no strange tapping noises or CCT rattles. I gather opening the throttle hard at low revs in a high gear can induce a shift cam change at relatively low revs - sounds cruel, mechanically unsympathetic to me.

 

[Squonk]

I had something similar on the left cylinder, turned out to be cam chain tensioner. Was a bit worrying as the engine had only done 600 miles.

 

[Wierpig]

Mine definitely pinks under acceleration/ load. I took it up with a few different dealers but none would even admit hearing it. I just live with it now and the noise appears to have decreased in volume at 38000 miles. Earplugs help too.

 

[mehere]

Thank you for the replies!
Yes, indeed earplugs somewhat help, but I can now hear it all the time).
Here's even better shot recording, without choking the engine with low revs, you can clearly hear metallic noises like if someone would ring a small dampened bell, or if to put a nut in a jar, cover it with cloth and then shake.
I'm continuing riding, in the middle of Alps right now, worried that I might be wrecking the engine or transmission somehow...

Odd-rattling-sound-2.m4a

drive.google.com

 

[mehere]

There have been quite a lot of 1250 owners who have reported the same noise, me included.
As far as i know no one has ever pinpointed a definitive cause or remedy.

For example, see here;

Thread 'New R1250RS “Pinking” noise'

Nov 17, 2024

Hi, new member, new bike. I took delivery of a new 1250 RS in August having had a 1200 RT and a Nine T in the past. From new, I have a “Pinking” noise when accelerating under load in lower gears at around 3000 revs. I am not “lugging” the bike and it revs very smoothly when not in gear. It has been through its 600 mile service and dealer says all ok. This gets some mention online but it all seems inconclusive with “some of them do that”. Do other owners experience the same ? Is this just a feature of Euro 5 fueling for this engine and bike ? Thanks for taking the time to read.

• Caterham07
• Replies: 68
• Forum: R1200/1250 RS

The noise is easily heard at about 25 seconds in the first video in this thread;

Thread 'R1250GS Rattling noise'

Sep 18, 2023

Hello. I face an issue with a rattling noise at my R1250GSA MY21. It is noticeable when I accelerate from 3000-4000rpm and when I am fully loaded and uphill is worst. So when load increases, noise is higher.

I have replaced exhaust cams under warranty, with dealer we suspected the decompression mechanisms but no luck. I have used the best fuels with additives but no luck. I have removed all protection bars and engine protection but no luck. I have inserted a spacer at right cam chain tensioner but no luck, left one replaced with the updated one. Any idea?

Below I attach 2 videos with 2...

• scarab1987
• Replies: 305
• Forum: 1200/1250 GS Watercooled

Is this the same noise you are experiencing?

Hi! Thank you for your help!
Unfortunately, this is not my noise: https://www.ukgser.com/community/threads/r1250gs-rattling-noise.368797/
Mine sounds like metal "ringing", the one that on that thread is different. I attached another sound here in my response and the topic's head, that better illustrates my issue.
As for this thread, it says that video isn't available ( any idea where that might be found? I'll ask in that thread too): https://www.ukgser.com/community/threads/new-r1250rs-“pinking”-noise.442831/. Thanks!

 

[mehere]

PS looks like I cannot edit the head message anymore. Here's the link with clearer sound, again: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qQGMI4mFCHXOwIFfsq1rxRwyzWqdwYYP/view?usp=drivesdk

 

[Wierpig]

Sounds like timing chain to me.

 

[siddo]

Something loose rattling about/not tightened up?

 

[Barnoe]

As always though once heard you cant ignore it.

On my Honda it took me a while but it was the windscreen, it wasnt sat in the rubber grommets properly.
such a great feeling though when its gone lol

Also had the infamous front tyre hum on my GS with Road Pilot tyres... once heard, i found myself listening for it every time the road surface changed!

Remember that advert on TV were a guy had a squeak in his car, turned out to be his wife's earring lol
think it was a VW ad not sure.

 

[mehere]

Sounds like timing chain to me.

Would that be an emergency? Or is it ok to ride for a while?

 

[Wierpig]

Would that be an emergency? Or is it ok to ride for a while?

Get it into a decent dealer as soon as possible. Same as any undiagnosed engine noise. It needs a professional ear.

 

[mehere]

An update: as it turned out, the official dealer who was servicing my RT put there 15W50 MOTO BMW engine oil, instead of 5w40 that is required. Now I'm wondering how much damage it has caused to the engine, and can it be the rattling issue root cause. I have ridden 3.5k kilometers through Austrian Alps on this...

 

[siddo]

An update: as it turned out, the official dealer who was servicing my RT put there 15W50 MOTO BMW engine oil, instead of 5w40 that is required. Now I'm wondering how much damage it has caused to the engine, and can it be the rattling issue root cause. I have ridden 3.5k kilometers through Austrian Alps on this...

Result. Any damage is down to them.

 

[beemerboy9]

An update: as it turned out, the official dealer who was servicing my RT put there 15W50 MOTO BMW engine oil, instead of 5w40 that is required. Now I'm wondering how much damage it has caused to the engine, and can it be the rattling issue root cause. I have ridden 3.5k kilometers through Austrian Alps on this...

If the clutch/gearchange is working satisfactorily with the new oil then don't worry.