This is one of those sounds that makes you wonder if your bike is going to be sitting in the shop torn down all summer.

It popped up a couple rides ago and when I was on the bike at low speeds or just at idle it was sounding more like a tiny little muffled backfire, cough, sputter, and I never thought much of it. Kinda like a small engine that doesn't idle quite right and has a little sputter every now and then.

However, after a little ride last night and a secondary fuel issue, we were down low beside the bike, right side, at idle, and I could here a totally random sound that that was definitely metallic and sounded like a screw being tossed around and scrubbing or binding every now and then. Definitely coming from the bottom end.

My chain is properly tensioned and I have to say that this bike was definitely loved and babied, it's gorgeous.

The bike has 28,000 kms.

 

I'd say it's time to pull the cam cover off and have a look!!!!!!!!!!!

 

It sounds a bit like this:

 

Sound not working on my computer.
Sorry.

 

It's gonna be a bad cam bearing or a bad cam follower.

That's what I'm going with .

Either of those can be quite destructive , have it checked out .

Let us know what it winds up being

 

Yep. 95 had the INA cam bearing & the "A" style small axle lifters & both are prone to fail.

 

I find it a little ironic that after doing a lot of research and soul searching about about whether to buy an EVO or 2000+ bike, I'm getting saddled with the 'known' EVO issue (potentially) almost immediately. Lol.

Anyhow, I am grateful to have enough sense to hear something that isn't right before it does a lot more damage. Hopefully by the end of the weekend I'll have a little more inspection completed and will post an update.

In the meantime I will have a look online and in my manual to best understand the right plan of attack for diagnosing potential cam bearing or follower issue, and maybe failed lifters too.

If there are some threads that you can point me too that would be helpful.

Thanks again guys.

 

To me the sound is more prevalent in the rocker box. Get some wrenches and a manual and have a go...The sound could be traveling up the pushrod tube from a bad lifter or cam.. But I would say definitely in the valve train.

 

Agreed. I do have the manual and a fairly open evening, so will be doing some research tonight and hopefully someone will post a link or two that might also aid in a game plan. Thanks!

 

Your bike doesn't have followers.