Help! Once my bike is good and warm I can feel a heavy clunk when the engine is under load and also when I'm coasting with the clutch pulled in. It's happening in all gears. I thought maybe the chain may have had a stuck link, but for the most part it's in good shape (no rust), and when I quickly look the chain over, I can't find any obvious signs of the chain being damaged. The part that gets me, is the bike doesn't develop the clunk until I have been riding for 10 minutes or so (and yes I warm up my bike before I ride). The chain has about 22,000 miles on it.
Hi Dan, you said you checked the chain and it didn't look bad . Did you check for ware on the sprockets and how much slack did your chain have?
What are your chain lubrication habits??? More history would help too, how many miles on the bike?? Your riding style? Oil used and how often changed? Etc.
Would really need more information.
The chain is original, I think. I'm the second owner. The first used the bike for commuting. I use it for mostly short rides. I am a casual rider and don't ride like a mad man. I use bosch oil filters and mobil motorcycle synthetic oil. I change the oil regularly (every 3,000 miles). I try and lube the chain and adjust it every 500 to 1000 miles. It could use more lube than it gets, but it's not in bad shape. I think the lube I use is the RJ or something like that. It comes in an aresol can.
The sprocket looks okay (I don't see any damage) and the chain has about an inch of slack.
Dan sounds like you are taking care of you bike!!! One thing I would suggest is if your using the Moble 1 MX4T Motorcycle specific synthetic, save some time and money and change it at around 6000-7500 miles.. Especially if your just casually riding, no need to change it at 3000 just costing you more money.
Hmm back to the noise, is your chain still with in adjustment range?? Do the sprocket teeth show any signs of the tips sloping??
I am curious to the cause...
FYI
Mobile MX4T name changed!
For oil change last weekend I couldnt find the Mobile MX4T at autoparts store but found something similar....Mobil 1 Racing 4T
So I checked Mobile website http://www.mobiloil.com/USA-English/MotorOil/Oils/Motorcycle_Oil_FAQs.aspx and found this FAQ.
" Why did you change the name of Mobil 1 MX4T 10W-4 to Mobil 1 Racing 4T 10W-40? Is the product formulation different?
Mobil 1 MX4T 10W-40 was renamed because the product is known as Mobil 1 Racing 4T 10W-40 outside the US. Mobil 1 Racing 4T 10W-40 joins Mobil 1 Racing 2T, for two-cycle engines, and Mobil 1 V-Twin 20W-50. Be assured that no changes to the Mobil 1 MX4T 10W-40 formulation occurred during this name change. Same great product, new name. "
It sure sounds like the chain what is happening I bet is your chain tension is out of whack. I would try checking your tension just before you ride and then when you get where you are going check the chain again. The chain is metal and will shrink with cold and stretch when heated up when riding and 10mins would be about enough time for it to warm up and start the symptoms....
This is why they tell us to check our tension and lube the chain when it is warm.
Sprocket misalignment can also cause this problem. check both sides of the rear sprocket to make sure the chain is not rubbing the sides of the teeth. then check the wheel alignment to make sure something hasn't moved since your last adj.
Dan, this may seem like a silly question but have you lifted the rear wheel and turned it to watch the chain go around the sprockets?
You might want to remove the fron cover so you can see the sprocket because it's smaller and if you have a sticky chain link it will be more obvious as it tries to wrap around the smaller sprocket.
I would also look into what Charles mentioned. Check the alignment of the wheel. You can measure from the back end of the swing arm just in front of the rear tire to the edge of the tire. Check that on each side and see if your numbers match.
Oh and be sure your chain has the one inch of slack while the bike is resting on the ground on the side stand. If you check the tension with the rear wheel lifted (like you're lubing the chain) then it will be different.
If I remember correctly the Honda manual calls for 13/16" to 1 13/16" slack. I've had good luck running mine at the 1 13/16" loose end.
I'm no chain expert but at 22k miles I would go ahead and replace the chain and sprockets (at least the front). It's not like you're going to save a lot of money waiting another few thousand miles to do it anyway.
Curtis
P.S. Bear in mind that I'm spoiled with shaft drive so take chain advice from me with a bit of caution.
Yeah I agree 22K is good mileage on a chain for a Magna..
Well I only got 17 on my first chain and I was going to suggest that but I've heard of other getting a lot better so I didn't want to point that out. :)
However I think most of the guys that got better mileage were using chain oilers or oiled quite frequently.
I just recently did my chain and sprockets. By far the best price I got on the chain was from ebay. I went with the RK 530 XSO 120 (X-ring chain). I think it was about $86 shipped. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130053588810
I also got JT steel sprockets. I bought them from http://www.hondaparts-direct.com. You can look them up here:
http://www.jtsprockets.com/52.0.html?&L=0&sel_uid=485&p=
If you call Honda Parts Direct be sure to tell them that you heard about them from MOOT. I'm about to hit them up for sponsoring MootMag 5.
With 65k miles on my bike I have replaced the chain several times and they never got to the 22k mile range. I'm a conservative rider with a touch of :twisted: in me. I try to lube the chain about every 6-7 hundred miles and keep the chain between 20 and 30 mm. of slack. Usually don't have to adjust it much until it starts getting old.
I took a trip out to Big Bend last spring and the chain didn't get much lube the whole trip and was really making all kind of racket by the time I got back.
My recommendation would be a new chain and sprockets, if they aren't the problem, you were going to need them real soon anyway, and that takes them off the suspect list.
What are the rpm's when you shift into gear?