Question about gearbox rumble /rattle

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huw s

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Hi, my gen1 has a nasty sounding rumble/rattle which you can feel and hear on idle. You pull the clutch and it goes away, so not crankshaft. I will eventually pull this engine when I get around to building the one that it came with, but I'de be interested to hear from experienced owners. I'm guessing I feel it worse because of the solid engine mounts, but you can still hear it clearly.
I'm guessing it's one of the gearbox shafts? Is this a "strip it now" deal?
Thanks,
Huw
 
From what you describe it sounds like a bearing on the transmission side of the clutch and the noise is the bikes way of telling you that it needs some attention.

Leave if you feel lucky but if it were mine I would take it off the road and get it sorted.
A bit of a b*****r but a failed bearing would be an even bigger one!
 
Well, its the Clutch indeed.
and, most important, completely NORMAL.
 
Well, its the Clutch indeed.
and, most important, completely NORMAL.

Without hearing the noise then it is somewhat difficult to provide a definitive answer but I can't say I have ever heard an OE clutch rattle. If you replace the half plate with a full then yes, they do.
If it also has a rumble then I would be more concerned.
 
I’d also try syncing the carbs,that might help if they haven’t been done in a while.
 
Carb sycn will help and pressure plate bearings aren't that expensive.
 
Could that not be the tensioner of distribution chain ? I have Honda CBR were that is a problem sometimes when it goes bad, I experienced a rattling sound and changed the tensioner and problem solved .
 
Thanks all - this is no chain rattle - definitely a shaft or something heavy, maybe the clutch answer is correct. Now we're opening up a bit perhaps I'll bump into our local experts to have their opinion. I don't want to strip it yet, the original engine needs to go back in, then I'll strip this one.
 
My 86 vmax that I had developed a noise sounded like a knock in the motor. Pull clutch go away. I replaced the clutch basket went away
 
My 86 vmax that I had developed a noise sounded like a knock in the motor. Pull clutch go away. I replaced the clutch basket went away
So what was worn in the clutch? The springs, fingers or something else? It could be the springs loose I guess.
 
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