New GS500f... and problems, NEED advice pretty badly

[vanmonkeee]

Ok I bought my bike about a month and a half ago and Ive got 2500km's on it.  I took it in for its first servicing a few weeks ago.  I love the bike, handles great, has enough power that I can learn and not get pulled in to the temptation of too much speed.

Here's the problems...

Get a knocking at an idle, dealership says second gear has a little bit of play to it and that's just how it is for the bike.  Personally, I think it sounds cheap and will effect my resale.  Is this something that would be covered by the warrenty?

Second, bike didn't start this morning.  Charged up the battery this afternoon and she started up.  Should my bike already be having charging problems this early on?  Is it worth doing myself or should I take that in to the dealership and take care of it that way.  

Personally, I hate going to dealerships, but at the same time I have a warrenty and want my bike to just run.  I want to be proud to have this bike and right now I can't trust it.  Anyways, any advice would be great.  Any gearhead out there know anything about the tranny issue?  Are they full of shaZam!?  Im new to this, and want to learn what to do myself, but not if I can get it done free at the dealer.

[ajgs500]

Knock, although somewhat annoying, is normal.  And stearlerships suck.  search on this site for answers to questions

[pantablo]

yours is not the first charging problem on the F I have heard about. take it in for warranty work and dont let them talk you into believeing you did something wrong (like leave the key ON draining the battery).

knock is normal.

pablo-

[vanmonkeee]

Thanks for the info on the knocking.  I just did a google search and ive just realised how common it really is.  As for the charging issue, I'm taking it in Monday and wanted a little bit of a confidence boost since I'm still learning about Bike engines etc.

[Ed89]

Knocking at idle could be cam shaft side-to-side play.  Many of us have it.  I used to have it, but now it's gone.  It comes and goes, and when it happens, it usually is sort of rhythmic--ping ping pingpingping pause ping ping pingpingping.  Sometimes you can change the rhythm if you tilt your bike a bit (don't fall at the intersection--that would be embarassing).  Generally, the cam shaft play is considered harmless.  It might be fixable with a thicker cam shaft shim.

If the sound is more like a constant tap-tap-tap-tap-tap, then it is probably one or more valve shims are a little loose.  The dealer should reshim them.

For the dead battery, check the fluid level to make sure that they are OK.  Loosen and re-tighten the battery terminals.  Since your GS is pretty new, those two shouldn't be a problem.  However, what happens to many people is that the parking light gets accidentally turned on.  It can happen easily if you just over turn the key pass the handle bar LOCK position.  The parking light will drain the battery in a few of hours sufficiently that you won't have enough juice to start, possibly as little as two hours.

Cheers,
e.

[TheGoodGuy]

if you dont ride enough the battery will lose charge. I remember my 2 mile each way trips to school didnt really hold charge too well. I had to charge it periodically or do a weekend 200 mile jaunt to keep it going, if i didnt do the canyon run on teh weekends i would have a dead battery on monday morning.