Is This Normal?

[Harvey]

Hello all,

I bought a 2005 FJR with 64,000 miles on it. I was not overly concerned about the mileage because of the FJR's reputation and I'm not a long distance rider. A mechanic I spoke to knew the previous owner and told me that he was very good at maintaining this bike and used only Amsoil synthetic oil.

With all the talk about "ticking" I have become sensitive to the sounds that the engine makes.

Mine has a very slight ticking sound that's not very obvious but is there nonetheless.

I hear it when I'm listening for it but only when I try to hear it.

It is there all the time throughout the RPM range.

It is not as loud as the ticking that has been recorded by others that I've heard on the web.

When I was at a motorcycle dealer, every bike that slowly went by me ticked so I thought nothing of it.

I need to know if this is anything to be concerned about.

Also, it seems that the throttle is very touchy in first gear, more so than other bikes I have owned, but then the biggest engine I have owned was a Honda 800 v-twin in a PC800. The FJR in first gear will take lots of practice for me to manage this.

Thanks to all for your great contributions to this wonderful website. It's the best one I've found for the FJR.

~Harvey

 

[Leskid]

I need to know if this is anything to be concerned about.
Also, it seems that the throttle is very touchy in first gear, more so than other bikes I have owned, but then the biggest engine I have owned was a Honda 800 v-twin in a PC800. The FJR in first gear will take lots of practice for me to manage this.

~Harvey

wow

I'm starting to see why the forum old-timers are getting pissed. Harvey - this has been discussed over and over again, even in the past couple of days.

it's better and faster for you to simply search to forum and read the piles and piles of data on such subjects.

Much faster, since you don't have to wait for respsonses.

Much better because you're not asking questions for which there already ARE answers, if you take the time to look.

on google, enter what you're wondering about, followed by site:www.fjrforum.com

eg: engine ticking site:www.fjrforum.com

and voila: answers. Try it. It works.

 

[Bungie]

I hope non of these guys A: Never have an actual ticker (believe me, theirs no mistaking it), and B: Never ride a 1600 Kawasaki VTwin, which, are mass of unusual clicks, clacks and squeaks - You'll be unable to deal with the stress of knowing if 'that' noise is something going or not.

 

[Leskid]

BTW Harvey

re-reading my response, I think I sounded like one of the old-timers.

Just so you know, the reason I'm trying help you find answers yourself is because lately, there has been a rash of forum new-comers who have asked a flurry of such old questions (myself included) so I was shown how to search the forum from google and wow, talk about better.

meh.... I suppose it's less 'fun' than posting something and seeing what comes-up but I do have to agree that your first stop should be google. If you can't find (after trying) what you're looking for, then we WANT to hear about it. But engine ticking and first gear lurchiness are not new items.

Enjoy your ride!

 

[Geezer]

It's definitely the Amsoil causing the problem. Put some real oil in there and it will quiet right down.

 

[johnny80s]

Well said Le Skid.

They grow up so fast.

 

[SkooterG]

FJRs are noisy. Period. So just because you hear noises - clicks, whatever, doesn't necessarily mean you a 'ticker', or engine pre-mature valve guide wear. If you have a 'ticker', you won't have to 'try and hear it'. It will eventually become OBVIOUS. And relax, because even if you do have a 'ticker', it is a slow progression that won't leave you stranded.

Ride MORE. Stress LESS.

 

[user 6393]

Ride MORE. Stress LESS.

then when you crash, pick it up, put it back together, and ride some more...Right Skooter? :kiss2:

 

[Fred W]

I wear 33dB ear plugs. What ticking?

 

[SkooterG]

Ride MORE. Stress LESS.

then when you crash, pick it up, put it back together, and ride some more...Right Skooter? :kiss2:

Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!

Give that girl a Bozo Button!

[SIZE=14pt]Ride-Crash-Repair-Repeat![/SIZE]

 

[SkooterG]

BTW, thanks to a certain, uhhh.....*member* of this forum who is knowledgeable on the 'tick' and on several occasions after hearing my FJR proclaimed it a 'ticker' (@ 17k and 75k) - I too used to worry about it a bit and every 10,000 miles or so would 'listen intently' for the tell-tale sounds of 'THE TICK'. I mean, my FJR is NOISY. But was it getting worse, and was it 'THE TICK'? At around 100k I took it to a Yamaha dealer several states away that has done 20+ 'ticker' repairs so they could have a listen and provide a diagnosis. Well, they proclaimed, 'while noisy, NOT a ticker'. I still wasn't convinced! :glare:

At around 125k, I finally stopped worrying about it altogether.

There are lots of legitimate things in life that can/will cause you stress, anxiety, angst, and just plain ol plenty of cold pricklies.

'The Tick' is not one of them.

 

[juniorfjr]

fjr1300.info has a couple of audio files of tickers. Always a good listen.

 

[Lowcountry Joe]

It's definitely the Amsoil causing the problem. Put some real oil in there and it will quiet right down.

Some do say, including one respected dealer in Alabama that we all know, that FJRs using dino oil are less likely to "tick". Not saying that all dino-oiled FJRs never tick...just passing along an opinion that may or may not have some merit.

I am in total agreement that you should forget all the little quirky noises coming from the engine. Keep it serviced and ride it. It's gonna make some ticks, pinks, pops, and clacks. So what? Keep focused on your safety during the ride and you will have lots of years of enjoyment from that machine.

 

[Harvey]

BTW, thanks to a certain, uhhh.....*member* of this forum who is knowledgeable on the 'tick' and on several occasions after hearing my FJR proclaimed it a 'ticker' (@ 17k and 75k) - I too used to worry about it a bit and every 10,000 miles or so would 'listen intently' for the tell-tale sounds of 'THE TICK'. I mean, my FJR is NOISY. But was it getting worse, and was it 'THE TICK'? At around 100k I took it to a Yamaha dealer several states away that has done 20+ 'ticker' repairs so they could have a listen and provide a diagnosis. Well, they proclaimed, 'while noisy, NOT a ticker'. I still wasn't convinced! :glare:
At around 125k, I finally stopped worrying about it altogether.

There are lots of legitimate things in life that can/will cause you stress, anxiety, angst, and just plain ol plenty of cold pricklies.

'The Tick' is not one of them.

Being a newbie here, and to the FJR, I apologize to all for my forum ignorance. All I have read about the "tick" had been that it happens much earlier on in the life of the FJR and just wanted to know if what I am hearing could just be normal sounds for this bike especially with so many miles on it.

My throttle issue is not the "lurch" that has been discussed, but the sensitivity while riding in first gear. A touch to the throttle is just so sensitive that the bike jerks forward so easily that it's uncomfortable, more so than other bikes I had ridden.

Thanks for your reply and your patience SkooterG. It is greatly appreciated.

~Harvey

 

[Fred W]

My throttle issue is not the "lurch" that has been discussed, but the sensitivity while riding in first gear. A touch to the throttle is just so sensitive that the bike jerks forward so easily that it's uncomfortable, more so than other bikes I had ridden.

I think the "lurch-i-ness" is just what you get when you have a 140HP engine on a 600 lb bike in first gear. You just have to learn to smooth out that right hand...

And don't worry about all the curmudgeons telling you to search first. We all ask questions that have asked before. You'll get the hang of this forum soon enuff.

[edit] Sheesh, I'm a friggen cream puff after a week straight of solid twisty riding!

Maybe that's what's wrong with the world these days? Not enough riding!

 

[Old Michael]

...And don't worry about all the curmudgeons telling you to search first....

Hahahaha! I guess Fred told YOU guys!

Buncha old...........curmudgeons!!

(So Fred, where'd you go ridin'?)

 

[Fred W]

...And don't worry about all the curmudgeons telling you to search first....

Hahahaha! I guess Fred told YOU guys!

Buncha old...........curmudgeons!!

(So Fred, where'd you go ridin'?)

heh heh...

Getting my pitchers together for a ride report right now, Mikey. Geeze it takes a long time to upload to Webshots...

 

[Steve G.]

I need to know if this is anything to be concerned about.
Also, it seems that the throttle is very touchy in first gear, more so than other bikes I have owned, but then the biggest engine I have owned was a Honda 800 v-twin in a PC800. The FJR in first gear will take lots of practice for me to manage this.

~Harvey

wow

I'm starting to see why the forum old-timers are getting pissed. Harvey - this has been discussed over and over again, even in the past couple of days.

it's better and faster for you to simply search to forum and read the piles and piles of data on such subjects.

Much faster, since you don't have to wait for respsonses.

Much better because you're not asking questions for which there already ARE answers, if you take the time to look.

on google, enter what you're wondering about, followed by site:www.fjrforum.com

eg: engine ticking site:www.fjrforum.com

and voila: answers. Try it. It works.

Don't worry about this terse response Harvey. He's probably just been handed his weekend 'honey-do-list'.

Steve