F800gs Engine

[bithedust]

Hi ive just brought an f800gs i love the bike but was a bit concerned about the noise of the engine , now ive had bikes for years but this engine seems to make a lot of noise internally when you rev it , might sound a bit duhh as engines do make noises but seems a bit iffy these noises , is it normal for these engines to be like this , thanks , nathan

 

[mechcanico lee]

It should sound sweet, get a second opinion from someone who is in the know before something lets go , a have heard reports of cranks failing on the 800s .

 

[GunZenBomZ]

They clank & bang quite a bit. Get it red hot & it purr's.

 

[F650Dakar_Norway]

I rode an '08 30 000km and it always sounded quite clanky until warm.
The same goes for my new '10 - it rattles a bit until warmed up, then smooths out and purrs.
The latter has now done 12 500km since october '09.

This roughness actually sounds good in my ears.

__________________
Norway :adv:
________________________________
Current stable:
2010 BMW F800GS
'04 BMW F650GS Dakar
'94 Honda ST1100
'09 Garmin Zumo 550

 

[bithedust]

ok thanks , im gonna go out on it now and i will see if it sounds the same after warming it up ,i will let you know ...

 

[bithedust]

ok well i went out on it and no change in the sound of it from cold to hot , ive started to think its just tappet noise and is probably normal (i hope) but ill pop into the bmw garage round the corner n see what they say ..no noise when its ticking over , but a sort of metallicy rattle when its reved , its done 24000 n its an 09 so well used , im sure these engines will do 100,000 plus well maintained so im hoping its normal ,we will see

 

[Greggers]

Hiya - best for your peace of mind to get it listened to by a dealer - Lee mentioned crank failure just now, there was a motor with a failed countershaft bearing a while ago which caused a bit of hoohah, and of course the early 800 series motors had too much piston clearance which made them rattle and chug like diesels, but an '09 bike shouldn't really have this particular problem.

The Rotax unit is on the whole very well put together, but like most things is subject to the odd unexpected failure - after all, nothing's perfect is it? (just don't ask a 1200 owner cos despite everything he'll claim it actually is!)

You could try to identify the root of the noise by having a poke around with a long screwdriver. Put the handle into your ear and touch the pointy end on various parts of the engine while it's running - it acts like a doctor's stethoscope like this - you'll hear all sorts of things going on, it's quite interesting actually!

Best of luck

Greg

 

[bithedust]

Cheers all , i did the screwdriver test already , and to be honest i couldnt hear the rattle , but could still hear it without , strange ,deffo engine tho not bodywork .. anyway ive still got an aprilia rsvr 1000 (rotax)that had a new engine after 2000 miles (slowly run in ),big ends went which gave me the jitters about rotax a bit ,as it wud , although i know how well they are made , i just hope someone isnt jabbing a rotax vudu pin into my engines great bike this 800 tho i love it, i just ope its not poorly..

 

[bithedust]

ok phew , went out today on it and as it happenes a pair of coppers on a training day pulled up in a lay by and one of em was on an f800gs , listened to his and souded just the same as mine , strange noise he said !! must be just the way they are unless his was fk too doubt it , panic over

 

[GS Ted]

Hi, i've just bought an F800 GS too, although new to biking. Mine was registered july 08 and has only 1900mls on the the clock. I must admit i thought the engine doesn't really sound smooth, but it doesn't sound wrong or as if something is just about to let go. I guess it sounds gruff. I trained on a 10 plate 650 GS and the engine on that did seem smoother. I'm guessing its just how the 800's are though?? Someone metioned the early 800 engines had too much piston clearance?? I guess mine would come into this catagory and was wondering if this would have a long term detremental effect?? would i expect the engine to burn oil?? Thanks for any thoughts.

 

[bithedust]

Well im not sure about the piston or oil thing , someone here will know i guess , i just know rotax know the game better than i do and my worries about my engine were unfounded even if i had the ends go on my then new(rotax) aprilia ,they test these engines to the max ,im not going to worry about mine anymore anyway , just enjoy ridin it

 

[bithedust]

oh and hello to sunny bromsgrove , im rednal if you wanted to meet up and compare engine noises im just up the road matey ..

 

[GS Ted]

Hi there in Rednal, like you say not to worry too much, but meeting up sounds like a good idea, would put my mind at rest....cheers

 

[GeckoRider]

Borrow a Ducati for a few days and you will think the F800 is smooth as silk.

 

[dogman]

Mines a 2010 with 1000 miles on the clock. Out of the showroom it was quiet and silky smooth. After it's 1st service and a few miles on it is not as smooth and seems to have more engine noise, particularly on tickover with the clutch out in neutral. Could it be the mind hearing more once accustomed to it? It does not sound wrong, just not as quiet as it was. Still a set of good earplugs it's like a Rolls again!

 

[bithedust]

Yer well mines ok now i recon and yr right, earplugs is the way forward , if i can remember em ,,, i thought i could hear the ends agen on my mille but the loud cans put paid to that , ill meet up with ya bromsgrove whenever ya like ,thurs evenins a good en fr me ... you doin anythin ??

 

[RadoR6]

Bikedust ,forget the engine noises.That is the only thing you can do.Have got my GS since end of march from new and must say that at the beginning I was really horrified of what was comig out from the engine(compare to my R6 which I've got for for four years and engine sounds the same as when new).That's the way how GS800 engines are,just dont listen to it.

 

[RadoR6]

Bikedust ,forget the engine noises.That is the only thing you can do.Have got my GS since end of march from new and must say that at the beginning I was really horrified of what was comig out from the engine(compare to my R6 which I've got for for four years and engine sounds the same as when new).That's the way how GS800 engines are,just dont listen to it.

Sorry, I ment bithedust.

 

[bithedust]

yer i recon so , i just sold a transalp to get the gs , that sounded sweet n quiet even with 42,000 miles on the clock , thts why i posed the question really in the first place , but that was a real soft low compression engine ,im guessin its the compromise for more power and economy some valve train noise , thats what i think it is , just the tappets hitting the 100 valve cam lobes at a zillion times a second , fair play mr brainy austrian

 

[GS Ted]

Hi Bithedust, busy as at the moment but could meet up sat afternoon or mon/tues eve next week would be good? Cheers mate.