Bmw R1300GSA Rattling

[Pukmeister]

Maybe buy a bottle of octane booster and throw a large dose in the tank then do a test ride?

Mannol do it on Amazon for £8.99 a bottle, I might try it in my 1250 which is also as noisy as shit.

If the rattling then stops or decreases significantly, your issue is due to pre-ignition/combustion knock.

 

[Hoopylemitch]

Maybe buy a bottle of octane booster and throw a large dose in the tank then do a test ride?

Mannol do it on Amazon for £8.99 a bottle, I might try it in my 1250 which is also as noisy as shit.

If the rattling then stops or decreases significantly, your issue is due to pre-ignition/combustion knock.

Im doing a 300 mile round trip later this week, next time I fill up I will use super unleaded.
Whether this fixes it or not ill speak to my dealer later in the week.
You think this will be covered under warranty?

 

[Pukmeister]

No idea, but if you don't ask you don't get.

Lots of speculation about causes of noise in these engines so you aren't the only one likely to complain.

 

[Shinyface408]

Maybe buy a bottle of octane booster and throw a large dose in the tank then do a test ride?

Mannol do it on Amazon for £8.99 a bottle, I might try it in my 1250 which is also as noisy as shit.

If the rattling then stops or decreases significantly, your issue is due to pre-ignition/combustion knock.

The noise on mine varied depending how long the oil had been in and the ambient temperature.....had the oil changed in Portugal by the dealer and it made a big difference.....and the original oil had only done about 3k......

 

[Pukmeister]

The noise on mine varied depending how long the oil had been in and the ambient temperature.....had the oil changed in Portugal by the dealer and it made a big difference.....and the original oil had only done about 3k......

Probably due to BMW specifying piss thin oil in all its modern vehicles.

My first brand new hexhead (early 2004 GS) would have a rattle when hot and the oil light would flicker at idle in traffic as BMW originally specified 10W40 grade oil.

I complained as an early adopter to my local dealers SPC (now Bahnstormer) and after discussing it with BMW they upped the oil to 20W50 and the problem disappeared.

 

[Engineer]

All the test reports say the 1300 engine is noisier than the outgoing 1250.

 

[Hoopylemitch]

Ive done more than 500 miles in the last week, from Warwick to Cardiff and back and then to north wales llangollen and back. Most of those miles were done with ear plugs in at high speed shifting between 4th to 6th. Except for yesterday evening when i rode without earplugs over the panorama and up the old horseshoe pass then down the new horseshoe pass past the now closed ponderosa in north east wales. I filled up with super unleaded ron 98 in north wales.
I hardly notice the rattle anymore, i think it still sounds the same, or maybe the super unleaded improved it, but i have to be really paying attention to notice it. Most of the time the engine sounds awesome and goes like stink. And averages around 48 - 50 mpg.
So to be honest this issue is not really concerning me at the moment.

 

[Arsey]

it's impossible to determine anything from that video and everyone in this thread is simply guessing down a very narrow road with blinders on. A proper diagnostics procedure is the only way to deal with this.

Are they pinky blinders ?

 

[TaskMule]

Ive done more than 500 miles in the last week, from Warwick to Cardiff and back and then to north wales llangollen and back. Most of those miles were done with ear plugs in at high speed shifting between 4th to 6th. Except for yesterday evening when i rode without earplugs over the panorama and up the old horseshoe pass then down the new horseshoe pass past the now closed ponderosa in north east wales. I filled up with super unleaded ron 98 in north wales.
I hardly notice the rattle anymore, i think it still sounds the same, or maybe the super unleaded improved it, but i have to be really paying attention to notice it. Most of the time the engine sounds awesome and goes like stink. And averages around 48 - 50 mpg.
So to be honest this issue is not really concerning me at the moment.

Actaully I backtrack on my previous post. THIS is the best way to deal with the issue.

 

[roundincircles]

First of all Hello I'm the new owner of an ex demo Bmw R1300 GSA TE in Racing Red, I absolutely love it.
It has the large Electric screen and the active ride height.
I rode it without earplugs yesterday, the screen is so smooth and quiet.
I was getting a harsh rattling vibration coming from the front somewhere, sounds like its coming from the front of the bike somewhere, lower than the screen.
I don't get it when I rev at a stand still, only when Im in gear, and I notice it much more when Im doing low speeds without ear plugs in.
Anyone else had this on theirs?

Go and ride the dealer demo. If it rattles,' they all do it, Sir. ' If the tyres on your bike are different, and it doesn't rattle, then that's a potential clue!

 

[stick]

When riding with a fellow on a 1300 , with comms on , all I can hear is rattles , its a noisy beast , but runs well and it is what it is.
Now my V4s is a sewing machine in sound compared ....All he hears is induction noise ... just saying
The rider hates it , but loves the bike , like many have said , ear plugs and just ride it.

Just hope it does not have the death rattle as my CBX 1000 had .....

 

[fizzer]

All the test reports say the 1300 engine is noisier than the outgoing 1250.

It's is
I Have had both.without question the 1300 sounds like a bag of nails .

 

[Engineer]

It's is
I Have had both.without question the 1300 sounds like a bag of nails .

Hmmmmmm my 1250 isn't exactly quiet - I think I'll hang until the next upgrade before I change or maybe leave the GS and go for something else.

 

[TaskMule]

everyone's idea of "rattling" is subjective. I regularly start the bike before getting earplugs in and I fine it quieter than my past Multistrada 1260. wearing helmet without ear plugs amplifies engine sounds (and road noise) to maximum.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

It's is
I Have had both.without question the 1300 sounds like a bag of nails .

I was sat in a ferry queue last week, in the car and my window was ajar (engine off)
A stream of bikes filtered down the ferry lanes, trundling to a stop
I paid little attention to them, until I heard a really rattling engined one, it was a 1300 GS and the engine noise and rattling was pronounced over the other brands and a couple of 1200/1250’s

 

[Oustalado]

So its related to engine revs and load.
If i rev the engine when the bike is stationary it doesn’t rattle.
If i ride in any gear at any speed, just coasting , it doesn’t rattle.
If i pull the clutch in at any speed and just freewheel, rev the engine up and down, it doesn’t rattle.
As soon as i accelerate, it rattles, it more noticeabe at lower speeds, probably because there is no wind noise.
The best thing i can say is at least the earplugs filter the noise out.
Its a big shame though. It would be nice to be able to ride the bike on short lower speeds rides without earplugs.

Mine does pretty much exactly the same as this, I have read that it is down to the timing chain but doesn't really sound like a timing chain noise, mine sounds like a very out of adjustment valve but have just done these and although a couple of exhaust valves were a bit out, but still just in tolerance, after adjusting to a smaller gap there was no difference at all to the noise.
Am going to test drive the automatic so will see if they can have a listen but guessing that I will get the usual "they all sound like that )" At higher revs with ear plugs hardly notice it but chugging round town it is quite noticeable!