Started a few weeks ago, first it was more of a strange random ticking, which I thought was the battery, then maybe the toolkit I keep in the side cover. Tamped them both down. It would come and go, starting to get worse. Thought it was maybe the timing chain, or bits of magnet in the rotor but it just didn't sound like it was coming form that area, now it's more clanking than click and it comes and goes but getting worse.

Naturally, I've looked under the bike the muffler, the side and centre stands, the shock because I replaced it, the subframe bolts, because bolts do tend to fall off this bike. Nope everything is rock solid.

Last week I had a truck flashing me, and I couldn't work it out. Today though it's clanking more and a car drove by me and pointed at me and said something that indicated I have a problem. So I pulled over, got down under the bike, went to the back looked at it some more shook everything again. Nada, ducks egg, zero, zilch.

I can feel it through the footrests when it clanks. This has me completely baffled and also a little worried.

Does this sound like anything anyone has heard off. It's mad that it now appears that this is visible from behind, unless the pointing and the truck was a coincidence. I swear I've been over it so many time. This is rilly weird.

Just a thought - I had a similar problem a couple of years ago. I changed a whole slew of stuff to try and find out what was going on. Eventually I put the bike on the centre stand and rotated the rear wheel, and there it was - the chain. Given that other motorists are flagging you for something that they can see while you are moving, check that out.

Barry

+1 to double-checking your chain. After messing with the shock and dogbones and all that over the past idk how long (and also encountering an unknown noise which turned out to be the chain), I realized how much noise it can make... and how it only happens under certain circumstances lol !

It can't hurt to double-check the adjustment / clearance while your weight is on the bike.

If it truly is something that other motorists can see, it can't be small.  Maybe check your lights front and back? Or some loose piece of plastic or fairing flapping in the breeze?

How old, how many miles on your bike?  Otherwise I'm thinking loud but intermittent low-frequency clanking would be something big like your swingarm. 

If a thorough inspection doesn't reveal the issue, maybe you could have someone follow  you?  Mind you, it doesn't sound like it's entirely safe to ride right now.  But if all else fails...

Quote from: user11235813 on September 01, 2018, 07:51:12 PMunless the pointing and the truck was a coincidence

Personally, I find I get flashed randomly when out in the countryside. They could be warning you of something up ahead (a cop, accident, etc) or they could just think you have your brights on. I would be amazed if random motorists - that aren't even other bikers - are demonstrating some sort of motorbike third eye. Then again, maybe they are, and I'd better get to tearing my bike down just in case!

Update:

The chain was a bit loose but not excessively so although it does seem to be nearing the end of life after 50k kms. This did not solve the problem. I've been under the bike a couple more times checking the rear shock linkages. Yesterday I did another close look around with a torch after not finding anything else anywhere and lo and behold it was in fact a loose bolt on the centre stand which I did not notice as it is jammed up against the muffler.

So there you go...

  winning!  Love a 'solved' thread

Quote from: user11235813 on October 08, 2018, 04:55:46 PM
Update:
Yesterday I did another close look around with a torch after not finding anything else anywhere and lo and behold it was in fact a loose bolt on the centre stand which I did not notice as it is jammed up against the muffler.

So it was the center stand that was bouncing up and down?  I figured it had to be something big, for other motorists to take note.

Quote from: Endopotential on October 09, 2018, 11:44:02 AM

Quote from: user11235813 on October 08, 2018, 04:55:46 PM
Update:
Yesterday I did another close look around with a torch after not finding anything else anywhere and lo and behold it was in fact a loose bolt on the centre stand which I did not notice as it is jammed up against the muffler.

So it was the center stand that was bouncing up and down?  I figured it had to be something big, for other motorists to take note.

No it wouldn't have been bouncing up and down the spring was fine and the bolt was in but it did stop a sort of jangling sound. It's been raining for ages here but soon after I was riding it there's still a different noise now. Not as bad as it was but something strange it's sounds as if some huge object keeps shifting around. Can't work it out, been waiting for the rain to stop. So I'll be reporting back once I go over it all again!

There seems to be some backlash in the rear wheel, could there be a problem with the rubber damper inside the rear wheel hub?

Check the chain again - I had a similar problem after replacing the stock shock. The chain was rubbing against the underside of the front sprocket cover around here:



I only found out because the chain had some deep scratches on the links.

OK, it turns out that the clanking sound was most of the problem which is solved and the residual problem was a number of little things shifting around in my rear pannier, when I took that off I found another culprit... in the alcove where the tool box sits at the back there is a bit of metal attached to the plastic which I think is meant to be a hook to stretch a piece of rubber over the toolkit, I can't see what else it's for, but one bolt came off and that also was flapping around.

Then the final bit of shifting around was caused by the chain being loose even though I tightened up just a few weeks ago. The chain went the first 30k kms without ever needed any adjustment, now it needs to be checked regularly. There's 55k kms on the chain now. I used to keep the chain at the loose end of the range at 30mm slack, but now I have adjusted it to the tight end of the range at 20+mm and now everything is fine.

55k km on the chain is a lot. Frequent adjustment required means it's wearing out. Id really think about a new one If I were you. I'm on 3rd chain in 50 k km.

Yeah I'll be doing that next month, I may stick with the BT 45's now seeing as I was pretty happy with them when they were in good condition.

OK the last piece of the puzzle fell into place today.

1. The hidden bolt between the muffler and centre stand fixed the clanging sound.

2. The loose chain seem to help.

3. Finally I now see what the flashing lights was about. There are two bolts holding the plastic mudguard to the subframe that are being the toolbox cavity. They must have been loose and the rear mudguard would have been moving. They completely fell out. And also there are two bolts that disappear into the frame that also hold the mudguard on and have little top hat washers. They also secure the GIVI mounting rack.

Bolts seem to work themselves loose with remarkable ease on the GS.

Everything back to top condition now.