New FZ6 owner

[Daniel_Aus]

Hi all,

I live in Sydney. I just bought a used 2009 FZ6N with 20,000 kms and so far LOVE IT! It's a massive upgrade from my 2002 SV650 in terms of technology and ride comfort. Main reason for the upgrade is that more and more I use my bike for commuting rather than joy riding. The FZ6 does it much more comfortably.

Anyway I just wanted to ask a question. I have noticed a rhythmic "tapping" or "knocking" feeling coming through the left footpeg when the bike is idling. You can just feel it coming through the other footpeg and other parts of the bike if you pay close attention. It does it most at about 1000 revs and diminishes as you go above 1500. It seems to be in time with the engine "tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick". There is no real sound with the knock. It's a feeling.

Is this normal? Should I get it looked at?

Thanks.

Daniel

 

[mave2911]

Welcome to the forums, Daniel!

The first thing I'd recommend is raising the idle to the Yamaha specified 1250 -1350. (I have mine at 1350, as it gives easier take-off etc.)

Try that and see if the noise disappears.

Cheers,
Rick

P.S. We MUST see pics of your bike, so please include them in your return posts!:BLAA:

 

[Kazza]

:welcome::welcome::welcome: to yet another Aussie member :aus:

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

:welcome: Welcome to the forum!!

+1 on raising the idle as well.

You may want to check the engine mounts, that their torqued to spec as well as the foot peg holders (their rubber mounted). I have mine slightly loosen over time and started to get a vibraion it didn't have before...

PS, you also have a PM..

 

[Sith Lord]

Welcome. Interesting.... I was contemplating between the SV650 and the FZ6. Obviously I chose the FZ and am glad I did. You will be too as time goes on.

 

[Daniel_Aus]

Thanks for the welcomes. I have adjusted the idle up a bit but will go a little further. It has helped with the knocking feeling but it is still there. I can feel it through the handle bars as well. I've owned a few bikes and it just doesn't feel quite right... but the engine is silky smooth and when it's riding I don't get the feeling as if anything is wrong at all.

I'll check the mounts and so on.

Here's couple of pics that I took while it was in the car park at the dealer.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

It definitly shouldn't have any KNOCKING felt thru the pegs or bars... The engines are known for tapping noises, some vibrations but not knocking...

IMHO, it almost sounds like a connecting rod is knocking which is NOT good..

Can you upload an audio/video from each side of the engine, fairly close, it should be audible...

I gather you bought it from a dealer, does it have a warranty?

I'd be bringing it to either that shop, or better yet, another TRUSTED shop and have it checked... Should it be a rod, IMHO, I'd be picking another bike as its not cheap to fix, (extremly involved, that's also if the mechanic is worth a crap) or a new (used motor). You don't want that rod letting loose under way as it will likly LOCK UP YOUR MOTOR and thus your rear wheel (again, extremly dangerous).. I'd get it looked at ASAP....

 

[Daniel_Aus]

Hmmm... yeah it's got 3 months 3000km warranty. I'll take it back to the dealer ASAP.

 

[Daniel_Aus]

OK here's a video of the engine idling. It's up to temperature after just taking it for a quick spin.

As you listen to the engine there is a constant noise that kind of sounds like a train. You hear it especially from 33:00 seconds and 1:00. This is the sound that accompanies the "pulsing" feeling that comes through especially the left peg. Can also be felt slightly in the bars and in the swing arm/rear hugger.

To me the sound seems like a normal engine sound and if I couldn't feel it through the chassis I wouldn't be concerned.

As I said earlier, the pulsing feeling disappears as the revs go above 1500 rpm and there's absolutely no sign of it anywhere in the rev range while riding.

Maybe I'm being a little paranoid - but you know what it's like with a new bike.

Click here for video

Really appreciate any replies.

 

[Humperdinkel]

G'day & :welcome: mate , great name you have there Ride lots & post often :thumbup:

 

[mave2911]

I know it's on the wrong side, but that sounds like your clutch basket.

Does the noise diminish if you pull the clutch?

Maybe my laptop speakers aren't giving full fidelity, but that's all I can hear.

Cheers,
Rick

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Its not super loud, I don't have it on my 07... (13,500 miles).

If you have a stethescope or even a long screwdriver, you can put the handle to your ear and the other end to various parts of the engine to try and isolate the area. Lowering the idle some may help in diagnosing where its coming from as well...

If it was JUST THE NOISE, I wouldn't probably worry about it, knocking felt thru the rubber mounted pegs and bars is NOT normal for that engine...

Let me PM Randy, Cliff and get their inputs..

 

[ChevyFazer]

I 1st thought when I saw you post was the chain, right before I replaced my chain I stared to get a "rhythmic" pulsing that I could feel through the pegs, as the speed increased its frequency increased. But after watching your video while sitting in the garage that rules out the chain real fast, or does it? I'm personally not hearing anything too out of the ordinary, I can the noise your referring to as "train" like but it doesn't sound to crazy to me.

When your riding, does the frequency increase as speed increases? Or does it increase as the rpms increase? The stethoscope idea is great and I got me thinking, could the same be done with a camera? I wonder if you could place the camera on different parts of the bike and see if I will amplify the sound?

 

[Daniel_Aus]

Thanks everyone for your interest.

The noise does not diminish when I pull in the clutch and doesn't really seem to be coming from the clutch case. It's definitely stronger on the left side and toward the back of the motor - though this may just be where the frame, swing arm and rear hugger amplify the sound.

ChevyFazer - As soon as I start riding the pulsing feeling disappears completely. Even revving it at a stand still over approx 1500 rpm the feeling disappears.

I'm wondering.. I've read a few things about these engines making ticky tacky noises and being normal. Maybe it's just that there's something on my bike like a loose mount or missing rubber grommet that is causing that particular feature of the engine to translate through the chassis.

I did rest the camera on the foot peg (around 33 to 40 seconds).

 

[wrlomas]

Hello and welcome to the forum. Try using a length of pipe to listen to the motor. place the end on the bottom end of the crankcase and listen. By moving around you should be able to isolate where the sound is coming from. Beware of moving parts and hot engine but it works great to hear whats going on. Rod knock is fatal for the engine sooner than later.

 

[FinalImpact]

Hi and Welcome to the 4-uhm!

I would less concerned about noises and "feelings" if you will from the gear box area as these are straight cut gears which without a load generate a good deal of noise and to some extent vibes when not loaded which may be why it clears up as the Revs increase.

For sanity, I'd remove the oil filter and cut it open. Pull out the pleated filter slice it so it can be laid out flat. Examine the materials. Should you find nothing - ride it. Should it be loaded with particulate, then we go a different path.

Mine is equivalent to piece of farm equipment used to chop brush. Its disturbing and captured the oil from the last OCI and will likely send it in after I open the filter this weekend. In short, you are not alone but for different reasons!

 

[Daniel_Aus]

OK,

So I used the wooden handle of a hammer to listen to different parts of the engine. I should state for the record that I don't know much about engines.

The tapping sound is heard most prominent in the area I have circled in below photo. This is on the right hand side, even though the tapping feeling is srtonger in the left foot peg. It's almost certainly not coming from the clutch basket.

I also kept listening as I revved the bike. The noise does continue and increases in speed (not intensity) and is in perfect rhythm with the engine. As in, it's not an intermittent knocking or tapping - it's constant with the speed of the engine.

I took it to a friend's place and he could feel the "tapping" through the foot peg straight away.

Anymore ideas?

The dealer also has a 2008 S model with 22000kms for sale for a $1000 more. I'm thinking if they try to say there's nothing wrong with this bike, I'll ask them if they'll swap it over for the 2008 model. Anyone reckon a dealer would do that? I haven't transferred to registration of this bike to my name yet and only had it for 5 days (100kms).

 

[rickfella]

Hi Daniel,

I, too, am a recent owner and was initially concerned at all the ruckus these 'little' 600's make. I'd think that if it was a con-rod, as suggested, then disaster and increasingly nasty noise would've shown its hand by now.

From the video, it sounds pretty normal. They're noisy but it's a mechanical cacophony that works!

Safe riding, mate. In Sydney, that ain't always the case

Cheers,

Rick

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

OK,

So I used the wooden handle of a hammer to listen to different parts of the engine. I should state for the record that I don't know much about engines.

The tapping sound is heard most prominent in the area I have circled in below photo. This is on the right hand side, even though the tapping feeling is srtonger in the left foot peg. It's almost certainly not coming from the clutch basket.

I also kept listening as I revved the bike. The noise does continue and increases in speed (not intensity) and is in perfect rhythm with the engine. As in, it's not an intermittent knocking or tapping - it's constant with the speed of the engine.

I took it to a friend's place and he could feel the "tapping" through the foot peg straight away.

Anymore ideas?

The dealer also has a 2008 S model with 22000kms for sale for a $1000 more. I'm thinking if they try to say there's nothing wrong with this bike, I'll ask them if they'll swap it over for the 2008 model. Anyone reckon a dealer would do that? I haven't transferred to registration of this bike to my name yet and only had it for 5 days (100kms).

About the only thing in that immediate area is the oil pump itself. Its chain driven. I suppose if the internal rotor(s) had some wear it could be the culprit. I've read one or two on the forum replacing the oil pump chain, many more on the R6's..(higher RPM's...) I kinda doubt its the pump, a connecting rod usually makes a double knock (as the up and down directions change) so I'm really not leaning towards that..

IMHO, I would go back to the dealer, don't say anything intially and crank up the 2008 bike. Listen/feel and sit on it too and see if it acts the same as yours. I suspect it doesn't.

If it doesn't, again IMHO, I'd be looking at that other bike, have the dealer knock some off.. Should your 09 motor have a problem(a bearing, something internally failing), putting in a new to you engine, will be considerably more than $1,000.

Something too, Why is the 2008 cheaper than your 2009??? Better shape, less miles?

As noted earlier, the engines can be somewhat noisy, especially with the super quiet exhaust but you shouldn't feel any knocking thru the rubber mounted pegs.

 

[Daniel_Aus]

Scott, I suspect you meant why was my 2009 cheaper than the 2008? My feeling is that they've had the 2009 sitting there for a while longer and may have had trouble selling it due to the colour (charcoal grey). The 2008 is dark blue, has the front fairing and a top box and looks extremely clean.

After listening to this video: [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9dQ03e94ig]1998 ZX-6R rod knock - YouTube[/ame] of someone else's bike which DOES have rod knock, I can say my bike definitely isn't making a sound like that. With the videos I've heard of a knocking connecting rod / spun bearing, the knock is clearly audible through the rev range. The subtle sound that my bike makes tends to disappear beneath the normal buzzy sound of the engine as it revs up.

I'm leaning more towards there being nothing wrong with the engine and it being something to do with the chassis - like something not screwed on right - causing the feeling through the pegs / bars. Like I've said, if it were just the sound I wouldn't be worried.