Does this sound like starter clutch rattle?

[MikeT-UK]

Does this sound like starter clutch rattle?

https://youtu.be/PHVCY40ieJc

Hi all, first post after browsing this forum for years.
I was about to try and sell my badly running GS, as I don't have a garage or driveway to get into more heavy engine stripping, and thought my symptoms seemed beyond what I can tackle on the street.
But, having uploaded this video to youtube getting ready to try and sell on this forum, someone has spotted it and commented "I am 100% positive that's starter clutch."
Does this sound right to you?

I had got as far as deciding it needed a proper engine strip, but if it is loose starter clutch bolts I could deal with that. (I've read up here on rotor removal etc, and my experience goes as far as changing smaller bike cylinder heads and more on the street, but I obviously don't want to take this too far without a garage).

Questions:
If I just open up the left cover, would I be able to check if the starter clutch is loose without getting the rotor off? (In which case I may as well check it anyway). Or do I definitely need to get it out to tell.
Anyone agree with the "100%" certainty, or want to give a different estimate? I'd already decided I couldn't take this further, but if there's a strong feeling it's just the starter clutch, I should probably get on with it (remembering I have to do my repairs on the street).

Some extra details if you read this far: useless Suzuki garage had a poke, and were convinced it was cam chain, changed the tensioner (that I'd already changed) and then got bored and gave it back to me after a month having not found time to look further. A better backstreet garage had a quick look for me and found that twisting a spanner on the balance shaft could produce the same kind of clunk sound at the end of its rotational play, and guessed at knackered balance shaft springs not worth repairing and not worth me paying them to spend more time investigating. But should the balance shaft have play, and be able to cause the starter clutch to clunk? Sounds possible?
Also got poor idling after revs (stalling at lights) until very very warmed up that I can't get rid of with tweaking carb pilots, which may be a separate problem or not. I also think I've got excessive vibration at normal revs – which is why I thought this is more major. But the bike actually runs OK at revs, has power, but still a bit noisy.

Thanks for any opinions.
Or if anyone is near Edinburgh, UK, and fancies taking this on (New MOT, all good except the engine! 2002, only 13K miles) I expect it's a decent project if you have the space.

[Joolstacho]

Hmm, When my starter clutch went, it was more of an 'on-off' clunking, the noise changed noticeably from engine loaded to the over-run.
Mine also clunked on startup. Hopefully someone might add something more specific.

[The Buddha]

Starter clutch makes clunk at startup ocassionally, do not let it get worse, it will start breaking more and more cos its like someone's hitting the crank with a sledge hammer.
Rattle type noises can be exhaust leak, intake leak or the biggest culprit IMHO - cam chain tensioner giving up.
Take off the valve cover and turn the motor over looking at the section of chain on top between the sprockets. If it ever sags instead of being taut - you got a bad CCT.
Replace, rewind or something. Fix it. In mine the anchor point was bad. I rewound it and anchored it better. That was @ 35K, sold it at 50K with it still working fine.

Cool.
Buddha.

[MikeT-UK]

Thanks for the feedback, I appreciate the thoughts.

In terms of cam chain tensioner, it has been replaced by me as a starting point on tackling this rattle, and then replaced again by the suzuki garage, with no improvement, so I'm doubtful the sutomatic tensioner is at fault (meanwhile I can't easily get at the chain guides to check them). Cam chain was taught when I had the valve cover off, but it's true I didn't turn the engine over to observe if it sagged at other positions.
When Buddha referes to the anchor point, do you mean the auto tensioner fixing to the engine, or the the guide pivots, or something else I'm not understanding?

Meanwhile, what I judge as a better mechanic in a back street garage immediately dismissed the noise as not the cam chain and had the engine covers off and observed a clunk coming from twisting the balance shaft. He didn't spot anything else obvious, so maybe not much point looking again myself.

Perhaps I am back to thinking this needs investigation from someone with time and space to strip it further (rather than the simple statement of "definitely" the starter clutch) and I'll have to pass it on, which would be a great shame but I guess I need to be realistic about what I can do.

[Joolstacho]

Mike, I've heard quite a few people on this forum 'point' to balance shaft problems causing these noises,
but I've NEVER heard anyone actually say that the balance shaft turned out to be THE problem.
Anyone... Please let us know if you've fixed a noise like this by by finding issues with, and sorting the balance shaft out.
In my PERSONAL experience it's always something else.

[cbrfxr67]

I think I have the same noise in 04 rat gs.  Starter clutch looks ok and no pieces of anything around the magnets.  I recently did valves but didn't check the chain like buddha mentioned.  I'll do that next.
If you come up with something mike, please post!