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Knocking Noise from R1150RT Flywheel/Clutch

Darkstar

New member
Back in February I got an '02 R1150RT-P ex-CHP bike from a guy in San Francisco for a paltry $2000. He mentioned to us that the dealer it was serviced at said the clutch was "soft." Riding it around, it feels great, but the one thing I noticed is that it makes a very prominent, deep knocking noise during deceleration. I have a feeling it's not in the engine, since changing the oil for heavy-duty Delo 400LE didn't make a difference. It also sounds like it's coming from much further back than the engine; listening today it sounds like it's coming from below the rear edge of the fuel filler cap. It also occurs during acceleration, but it's much more quieter and it almost unnoticeable. It's also worth mentioning the noise is RPM dependent, the faster the engine goes, the faster (and louder) the knock is.
 
without hearing the noise difficult to diagnose

You can remove the starter and look in the clutch housing and see if thingz are seriously amiss

you can also take off the valve covers and check for broken cam guides.

that is all I can come up with you can see without major disassembly

Rod
 
If it's true that a dealer said the clutch has issues, especially on a CHP bike, that's probably why it was so cheap. "Soft" doesn't really tell you anything...
Take off whatever bodywork you can and listen again; it can be worthwhile to have a second person standing there as you ride by, to perhaps localize the noise.
Under acceleration, everything is loaded to take up the spaces between, so some noises will decrease.
Change out the transmission and rear oils too (and inspect closely for particles); maybe a U-joint or a rear bearing is on its way out. While the trans isn't too picky about what you put in there, the rear really should have a quality 80W90, GL-5 rated dino or equivalent, not a 75-140 synthetic.
 
I don't know what heavy-duty Delo 400LE is but if it is not 20-50 weight SG rated motorcycle oil it does not belong in that engine.
 
Motorcycle oils and dry clutches, a waste of money.

Most quality motorcycle oils are blended for a wet clutch or integral clutch/transmission. Those oils have friction modifiers and such specifically for the wet clutch. Think of them as a combination of automatic transmission oil and engine oil.

I would caution against DELO as the acronym is Diesel Engine Lubricating Oil. There are tons of smart fellers on these forums and I don`t want to be a smart ass, but there is a significant difference between `S`oils and `C`oils.

Regardless, in my experience, oil viscosity has little to no impact on mechanical problems. Banana peels...............they do quiet gear systems enough to get them down the auction line-up.

And, I don`t want to post my comments and see responses about the best oils or a spreadsheet about how oil affects fuel economy.
 
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