Big bike makes clattery noise...

[aww999]

Hi all, totally pointless question but I thought I'd ask it anyway...

I was on my way to the cashpoint last night doing 30 through a fairly empty town centre, when a bike came past me, full throttle in a low gear, at about 45mph, and then lifted right off.

It made this weird, really loud mechanical clattery noise as it lost speed, and I have no idea what was causing it. Sounded kinda cool though - like when you used to put a clicker thingy on your Raleigh Grifter

What was it - the chain or something? Never heard it before and I was intrigued.

[Mon Ami Mate]

Are you sure he hadn't fallen off?!!!

Probably locking up the rear. If it was a mechanical noise, whatever it was will have been serious!

[podie]

quote:
What was it

Expensive!

[bikerkeith]

Sounds like what happened to me a couple of years ago. I was blatting down a twisty A road overtaking a couple of cars when the engine started making the most horrendous noise. Mnaged to slow down and pull into the side of the road, (cutting long story short..) it was just a spark plug that hadn't been torqued down properly at the last servise had unscrewed and got blown out by the compression. Fortunately the threads weren't too badly chewed and I screwed the plug back in.
On the other hand you could have heard something completely different.

[aww999]

No, the bike was running fine - he tried to get me to race him at the traffic lights at the end of the road, then howled off like only a sports bike can

[Niggle]

If it was a honda, then it was probably the cam-chain tensioner

[Whoozit]

Dry clutch?

[hertsbiker]

yeah, a Ducati?

[dennisthemenace]

I would go with a duke a mate of mines got a 996 and that rattles like a goodun and my kwaks quicker than it too on the strights which is nice .... untill you get to the twisties

[cazzo]

Sounds like a Ducati,
My 916 has an open carbon clutch cover which helps keep the dry clutch cool (and deposits lots of blackstuff on me boot!) but since there is no sound insulation it is very loud/rattly (with a loud high-pitched hiss when the clutch is in) I also have the Sintered/Race clutch plate set which is supposed to last longer/bite better and doesn't squeal so much when abused like the standard - but it has more plates and so rattles/Hisses even more.
They all rattle but if the clutch basket is worn they sound like a bag of nails! In fact the whole thing sounds like a Tractor at idle but at 10,000 Rpm...... all adds to the charm IMO

Edited to add

"Full throttle at 45mph" ???? no "dry-clutch" Duke would be at full throttle @ 45 more like 65 - 70 (in 1st!) well not unless it's got some silly sprocket kit on!

>> Edited by cazzo on Friday 13th September 22:58