R1150GS 2001 noise help

[Neil350]

My 1150GS is now at 72000 miles, and the last few days I have noticed a new noise. Its like a rattle type of noise and can be heard if you blip the throttle from idle, i have done some reasearch and initailly thought it might be chain tensioners, but today I found that if I pull the clutch lever in the noise goes, and when I let it out there is a small clunk.
I replaced the clutch last year, and since then I have done about 5000 miles with no issues.
Above idle you dont notice it, but when riding it there seems to be more vibration than normal.

Any ideas amongst you GS experts? I'm going on the Stella Alpina again in just over 2 weeks so dont want to take any chances with it.

 

[(RIP) Bin Ridin]

Sounds like gearbox rattle, which can be harmless or can be a portender of big things to come. Have you changed the oil and used the correct GL5 oil? if there are no particles or filings in the oil when you drain it, I would not worry. Also can be caused by uneven sync of idling bypasses. Thicker oil no harm to quieten it but gotta be GL5.

 

[Flipfly]

My 24k miles bike does it. Not something I'm worried about as the oil came out clean

 

[Neil350]

I will drain & check the gearbox oil for particles. I will also re-check the throttle body sync.
Are there any other checks I can do? does anyone think I could still be chain tensioners even though it goes with the clutch lever pulled??

Any other checks I should/could do?

Dont really want it letting me down whilst in Italy or 1/2 way up the Stella Alpina!

Cheers Guys

 

[Neil350]

Rode it home tonight and the vibration is definitely there, after 30 mins ride you can feel a slight tingling in your fingers.

I've now dropped the gearbox oil, seemed very thin and dirty brown to me, there was a small amount of metal fuzz on the plug, I filtered the old oil out and there was no metal particles in it.

I've also done the same with the final drive, again there was some metal fuzz on the plug but no particles in the oil.

Going to check the throttle sync now.

Any advice welcome

 

[monkeyboy]

Sounds like gearbox rattle, which can be harmless or can be a portender of big things to come. Have you changed the oil and used the correct GL5 oil? if there are no particles or filings in the oil when you drain it, I would not worry. Also can be caused by uneven sync of idling bypasses. Thicker oil no harm to quieten it but gotta be GL5.

That would be my guess too. Worn bearings.

 

[(RIP) Bin Ridin]

Fuzz is normal. I would put GL5 80W/90 in both gearbox and FD and ride on. Check again in 10K miles, to see if any crap coming apart. Modern oils are piss-thin. That is why the gearbox rattles. If the oil drains fairly clean, I would not worry.

BTW, I had to change the gearbox on my '02 1150GS at 45000kms due to bearing howl and pieces in oil. I remember using Castrol GL 4/5 oil and put the problem down to that. Decided to change the gearbox before it got to a stage beyond repair. I will eventually either sell it as is or get it repaired as spare.

 

[jimbo]

Fuzz is normal. I would put GL5 80W/90 in both gearbox and FD and ride on. Check again in 10K miles, to see if any crap coming apart. Modern oils are piss-thin.

I would have thought that a modern 80w/90 was a similar thickness to a old one

 

[Flipfly]

80/90 GL5 I put in mine is as thick as fook, dirty green colour too (the oil was new before any of you smart arses comment ).

 

[(RIP) Bin Ridin]

I would have thought that a modern 80w/90 was a similar thickness to a old one

Fair cop, guv. However, I think that fuel consumption reduction madness has lead to lower viscosity oils being spec'd to reduce drag and this also increases rattles.

 

[Welshman]

If you are mechanically capable changing the bearings is not that difficult, they are sealed so they can "die" around that mileage (mine did) it was a 50 pound job when I did it myself

 

[monkeyboy]

If you are mechanically capable changing the bearings is not that difficult, they are sealed so they can "die" around that mileage (mine did) it was a 50 pound job when I did it myself

I had mine done and it cost me about £300 I think. I'll do most stuff, but not gearboxes. Are they really that straight forward. They need shimming properly don't they too? Be interested to know.