New guy

Oldbluesguy

Oldbluesguy

Joined
Mar 20, 2021
Messages
25
Location
DeLeon Springs, Florida
Greetings to all a new guy here and my first post.

Just bought my first NT which is a 2010 with 2500 miles on it. The story goes that it was in storage for a quite a few years and obviously it wasn't ridden much.

My question is one of pronounced engine metallic clicking when I get on the throttle. I'm sure it never had the 600 mile valve check so I'm thinking that it needs it. However my old vstrom sounded like a sewing machine all the time so I dunno for sure.
Thoughts and ideas on the issue greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
 
Are you wearing ear plugs? I remember thinking that something was wrong -- the NT sounded like a bucket of rocks compared to my previous Kawasaki C10 Connie. Try ear plugs.

It's probably worth doing a valve check, but I'm willing to bet they're OK. I think that a lot of sound reflects up inside the fairing.

Welcome to the forum! It's a good one with lots of friendly and knowledgeable people. And with some, like me, who aren't so knowledgeable.

What have you ridden before buying the NT?
 
Phil Tarman said:
Are you wearing ear plugs? I remember thinking that something was wrong -- the NT sounded like a bucket of rocks compared to my previous Kawasaki C10 Connie. Try ear plugs.

It's probably worth doing a valve check, but I'm willing to bet they're OK. I think that a lot of sound reflects up inside the fairing.

Welcome to the forum! It's a good one with lots of friendly and knowledgeable people. And with some, like me, who aren't so knowledgeable.

What have you ridden before buying the NT?
Click to expand...

Hi thanks for the welcome Phil.

Not wearing ear plugs yet but I can see them in my future.

I rode the bike before I bought it but don't remember it being so loud. Might a been my hearing was better yesterday than it is today hahaha. Life is an adventure

Thanks again it was a pleasure to meet you
Dave
 
MY engine is more ticky than usual after ii have ridden it a few hundred miles in one day. Most other times not...But overall it is not a quiet machine
 
First, welcome to the forum!

Did you check the oil? With only 2500 miles, it may have the original oil that came from the factory 12 years later. I'd do a fresh oil and filter change and see if it persists. That engine is noisier than the parallel twin on my other Honda, but is bulletproof reliable, so I doubt if at 2500 miles it is a valve problem.
 
JustPassinThru said:
There is a lot of mechanical noises on the machine - as on most bikes, most machines of all sorts. Much of it is just getting to know the equipment.

There's a line I remember, from Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: "This old machine, it has a lot of nickle-and-dime noise...like someone took a handful of loose change and threw it into the crankcase. Sounds terrible, but it's just normal mechanical noise. Years ago, I met someone with an identical machine, same year...the noise, the feel, were completely different. It was hard to believe they came off the same assembly line..."

It's about how the machine wears in, as well as the basic design. Part of learning the machine, and making friends with it, is learning its vitals. If you read Pirsig's book, he goes on about a latent problem that led to three high-speed seizures...don't know if it was totally true or not, of course; but even after them, after all the wear, later proper maintenance kept it running.

The water-cooled, fuel-injected machine that is the NT, is far removed from Pirsig's Super Hawk, but the basic rule remains. Maintain it; stay on top of issues, but don't borrow trouble. Real problems will announce, soon enough.
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I had forgotten all about Zen and the Art it has been awhile. What a great book and thanks for the much appreciated advice. Think I'll go back and read it again.
 
harryhendo said:
First, welcome to the forum!

Did you check the oil? With only 2500 miles, it may have the original oil that came from the factory 12 years later. I'd do a fresh oil and filter change and see if it persists. That engine is noisier than the parallel twin on my other Honda, but is bulletproof reliable, so I doubt if at 2500 miles it is a valve problem.
Click to expand...

Wow as many bikes that I've had I forgot to check the oil on this bike. Oil was barely readable on dipstick and took a quart.
Senior moment I guess. Thanks for the wake up call and I am changing the oil tomorrow.
 
Oldbluesguy said:
Wow as many bikes that I've had I forgot to check the oil on this bike. Oil was barely readable on dipstick and took a quart.
Senior moment I guess. Thanks for the wake up call and I am changing the oil tomorrow.
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It is unusual for an NT to use a quart of oil in 2500 miles. I'm not questioning your intelligence, but make sure that you are checking the oil with the bike on the center stand, not on the side stand. This applies to the other fluids as well. Enjoy your NT.

Mike
 
Of course, for some people (me, for instance) getting their bike onto its center stand is impossible. The bike has been lowered, the center stand hasn't been shortened, and after six knee replacements, I don't have the strength to do it.

"It's a good thing NT's don't use oil," he said to himself with his fingers crossed. 🤞
 
Phil Tarman said:
Of course, for some people (me, for instance) getting their bike onto its center stand is impossible. The bike has been lowered, the center stand hasn't been shortened, and after six knee replacements, I don't have the strength to do it.

"It's a good thing NT's don't use oil," he said to himself with his fingers crossed. 🤞
Click to expand...
hI P Phil,

How about getting one of these heavy duty robots to plow the snow, it is 6wd and can do double duty pulling the bike to get it on the center stand :rofl1:


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Sunny, that's an idea if it can lift the bike at the same time....

I guess if I have it custom built, that can just be one of the requirements. :cool:
 
Tosh, this was part of a discussion about how to check the oil level. People said the bike needed to be on the center stand to use the dipstick accurately. I can't get the bike on the center stand without help. I don't need to get the bike off the ground. I am definitely not planning to do my own tire changes!
 
Welcome to the world of the NT and the forums Oldbluesguy. I would definitely change oil just to make sure it's good and it couldn't hurt to have the valves checked. The only time I noticed a (obviously) loud metallic ticking was the one time a valve got a bit loose and it was only just off idle. However, I noticed you said when you get on the throttle. Wen you do that, make sure your RPM's are up no less than 3500 to 4000 while rolling, otherwise you will get spark knock with some fuels.

Hope you enjoy your NT as much as I have mine. I also have a 2010 although I'm about to roll over 76K on it and still going strong.
 
WVRider said:
Welcome to the world of the NT and the forums Oldbluesguy. I would definitely change oil just to make sure it's good and it couldn't hurt to have the valves checked. The only time I noticed a (obviously) loud metallic ticking was the one time a valve got a bit loose and it was only just off idle. However, I noticed you said when you get on the throttle. Wen you do that, make sure your RPM's are up no less than 3500 to 4000 while rolling, otherwise you will get spark knock with some fuels.

Hope you enjoy your NT as much as I have mine. I also have a 2010 although I'm about to roll over 76K on it and still going strong.
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Thanks for the tips and the welcome.
 
Welcome to the NT world. Hope you bond with your new ride soon. The final drive is a tad vocal on overrun. It ticks a bit and the fairing seems to send it up to you as you ride. The oil aging makes a noticeable change in the gearchange. I change the fluid in the diff each time I change the oil. Still noisy. Normal too. Fresh oil and earplugs and the bike feels much better.

Enjoy your new ride. and welcome.
 
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