Strange noise when accelerating

[Zamolxis]

Hello everybody,
First off, I'm not yet an ST owner, but I'm currently shopping for one .

So, last Saturday I went up to a dealer that had a beautiful red 2010 ST1300 clocking only 8000km (~5000 miles). I talked a bit with the guy, he told me that the bike was never dropped nor involved in an accident and before I knew it he offered me the bike for a test ride. Of course I didn't say no.

Long story short, the bike is fantastic, I was very impressed by it. However there is one thing that got me thinking (and stopped me from purchasing it). I'll try to explain as accurate as I can. I went up to the 4th gear and in each gear, after pulling the clutch, shifting up, releasing the clutch and when I began to accelerate I heard a "clunk". It was coming from the middle section of the bike... Not only I could hear the "clunk" but also I could feel it very lightly in the footpegs. To be noted that I didn't feel anything wrong with the traction when the clunk happened (like stalling the bike for a second or anything else), but the noise was there. And it happened every time after shifting gear and the minute I started to accelerate.

I asked the dealer about it, but I think the guy was just the salesman, because he didn't know what to tell me... he briefly said that it's kind of normal being a shaft drive and not a chain transmission, and he also told me that since the mechanics didn't say anything, then the noise is normal.

Now, normal or not, I'm still worried. I want to buy an ST to keep it, not to try to sell it after a few rides.

If you had the same issue or heard about anybody else that had the same issue, please tell me.

Thanks in advance
:capwin:

 

[T_C]

I asked the dealer about it, but I think the guy was just the salesman, because he didn't know what to tell me... he briefly said that it's kind of normal being a shaft drive and not a chain transmission

So typical... when you don't know.. BS the customer.

Probably you were lugging the engine too much. Have to be very light on acceleration if you are below 2,000 rpms. These are V-4's that liek the higher revs. Normal shifting is at 3k on the low and 5-6k on the high.

You can cruise along at 2k, but if you need to accelerate you need to drop it a few gears first. I have dropped to 3rd when on the highway to punch up the speed. The bikes have a rev-limiter, not that I recommend you regularly test it's functionality.

Most folks coming from V-twins don't rev as high. The 1300 Engine will do a bark and thump if you start giving it too much work at too low an RPM.

Ohh.. yes.. there is a thunk between 1st and 2nd gear. Very common and many mechanics/riders will think there is an issue. Just nature of the beast. You can eliminate this by very careful control of throttle and shift, or easier, pre-load the shifter before shifting. Start lifting the gear change peg, it'll stop when it's ready, before pulling in the clutch.

Wonderful bikes, on my 2nd one, if it gets killed, I'll get a third.

 

[SinNH]

There are cush rubbers between the final drive and rear wheel, could be beat up, but with 5k miles, I wouldn't think so.
No help, but maybe help, my ST is my seventh shaftie, and the smoothest shifting, almost like a chain drive.
Even that big V4 I never let it go below 3500 after second gear, maybe you are short shifting.

 

[dduelin]

At low miles like it has I'd not worry about transmission or shaft problems. The shaft drive does have some play in it and it does require some acclimation to shift smoothly and prevent any soft klunks from the drive train.

 

[Tom Mac 04a]

IMO from your far away description...I'd say maybe not normal.

Shifting may be the bike or being not use to it, mostly shifting should be fairly smooth ( except 1-2 with neutral in middle as mentioned ). Other than running the engine to low in rpms, it usu isn't a problem shifting esp with 5k miles.

Best advice is to find another and test it to compare... it will eliminate the bike or you as the cause for the clunk

 

[Zamolxis]

Thanks a lot for your thoughts and advices. Tomorrow, I'm going to see another ST 1300 with less miles on it (~2800) so... as Tom said, this will eliminate me or the bike :-D
I'll keep you posted.

 

[Avtrician]

To me , it sounds like the clutch engaging. It takes a little time to get the feel for the changes, as the clutch lever has a long travel.

 

[MorrisGray]

I just bought my bike with 2300 miles on it. Coming from my Harley which shifts good but has a definite clunk, I only notice any noise as stated above when I am shifting at lower rpm's. I do like the bike though!

 

[Grabcon]

I had this same thing happen on an 2006 ST1300 that I was looking to buy. 18k miles. I went through the gears and the bike didn't feel or sound right. Similar clunk to what you said. On and off the gas got the same type of thing. The guy had just completed the 16k maintenance too.

Although the bike had a great price with many extras, I decided to walk. I knew I would not be happy with this bike.

 

[Zamolxis]

Hey guys,
As I promised, here's the update.

Today I went 300km (~180miles) just to test another ST which is for sale and yes, I eliminated one item from the equation: the bike. I mean... holy smokes sweet baby jesus mother of V fours!! The bike I tried today was so sweet!! The engine was silky smooth, needless to say there was no clunk. I tried to shift on high revs, on low revs, test a bit hard acceleration on high revs as well as low revs. My god... the engine never complained one bit. Its sole purpose was to serve me! WOW! Love at first sight!

So... I'm glad I tried another one. Still have to put some things in order with the dealer, but I'm very happy with the bike and (if nobody else buys it in the next few business days) I think I'm going to purchase it.

Thanks again for your involvement and your advices :capwin:

 

[Critters]

Hey guys,
As I promised, here's the update.

Today I went 300km (~180miles) just to test another ST which is for sale and yes, I eliminated one item from the equation: the bike. I mean... holy smokes sweet baby jesus mother of V fours!! The bike I tried today was so sweet!! The engine was silky smooth, needless to say there was no clunk. I tried to shift on high revs, on low revs, test a bit hard acceleration on high revs as well as low revs. My god... the engine never complained one bit. Its sole purpose was to serve me! WOW! Love at first sight!

So... I'm glad I tried another one. Still have to put some things in order with the dealer, but I'm very happy with the bike and (if nobody else buys it in the next few business days) I think I'm going to purchase it.

Thanks again for your involvement and your advices :capwin:

Fantastic it sounds great, I have a quick question, is the bike restricted to 100hp?

 

[Zamolxis]

Fantastic it sounds great, I have a quick question, is the bike restricted to 100hp?

Well, to be honest I didn't ask... but I would expect to be the case due to the stupid law... which by the way I heard they are going to lift it starting from 2016. But yes, I'm going to ask the guy if the bike is limited to 100hp and if it's possible to lift this restriction (next year)

 

[Blrfl]

But yes, I'm going to ask the guy if the bike is limited to 100hp and if it's possible to lift this restriction (next year)

The 100 HP restriction is programmed into the ECM, which on French bikes has a different part number than the one used in the rest of Europe.

You could, in theory, scrape up and install a European ECM, but you'd need to have it reprogrammed so the immobilizer recognizes your keys. There are outfits that do that (you send them the ECM and your keys), but I don't know much of anything about them.

--Mark

 

[Critters]

but I would expect to be the case due to the stupid law...

Are the other stupid laws still there and being enforced in France? (breathalysers, hi viz waistcoats, helmet reflective markings amongst others?)

 

[Zamolxis]

Hehe, you're right.
Well, the hi viz waistcoats are not enforced, the breathalysers were but only for when driving a car (and I don't think they are anymore...) but the helmet reflective markings are definitely there. You need one reflective marking on your "forehead" or "chin", one on each "cheek" and one on your back of the helmet, so that you're visible from any angle )

 

[Critters]

Hehe, you're right.
Well, the hi viz waistcoats are not enforced, the breathalysers were but only for when driving a car (and I don't think they are anymore...) but the helmet reflective markings are definitely there. You need one reflective marking on your "forehead" or "chin", one on each "cheek" and one on your back of the helmet, so that you're visible from any angle )

Thanks for the info, I was in France in June 2014 and last month and I must confess to not having any of the above and seem to have escaped the Gendarmerie's attention, maybe I was just lucky but the police do like to do a lot of speed checks in villages so I always behaved!!

 

[Zamolxis]

Yeah, no problem. I agree, it's better to behave... there's no point in meeting the cops... and moreover they really don't stop you for no reason. Once, I was coming back from a ski weekend, I was with my car and on the way back at one point I was a bit tired and just wanted to get home, so I was speeding a little. Like 15-20 km above the limit. At one point I saw some police officers on the side of the road quite hidden, with the radar gun pointed at me )). I said to myself sh**t, ok that's it, they're going to stop me so I started to brake but to my surprise, one officer just made a sign to me to slow down (not the pull over sign). I was lucky because also the fine for speeding is quite high.

Next time when you visit France, the south of France to be precise, give me a shout and we'll grab some beers

 

[Critters]

Yeah, no problem. I agree, it's better to behave... there's no point in meeting the cops... and moreover they really don't stop you for no reason. Once, I was coming back from a ski weekend, I was with my car and on the way back at one point I was a bit tired and just wanted to get home, so I was speeding a little. Like 15-20 km above the limit. At one point I saw some police officers on the side of the road quite hidden, with the radar gun pointed at me )). I said to myself sh**t, ok that's it, they're going to stop me so I started to brake but to my surprise, one officer just made a sign to me to slow down (not the pull over sign). I was lucky because also the fine for speeding is quite high.

Next time when you visit France, the south of France to be precise, give me a shout and we'll grab some beers

Thanks for the kind offer, the furthest south I have been was Grenoble, Valence and Saint Etienne where we headed northwards to Macon and onwards to Beaune. Where in France do you stay?

 

[ST Gui]

If you hear a loud whoop-whoop-yelping-wailing-hi-lo sound while accelerating it's a good new-bad news thing. Good news it's most likely not the bike. Bad news is it's bad news for you.

Just so you know.

 

[Zamolxis]

Where in France do you stay?

French riviera , Antibes.