Rattles on engine breaking/bumps

[Huw]

As a non-technical person (I admit to being only a rider ) who relies on BMW expertise, may I ask whether anyone else has experienced a "rattle", with no obvious reason/loose bits, on an R11S? It sounds like more than the BMW mechanic's explanation this afternoon of the W. hugger hitting the VDL pipes (both non-standard bits!) and sounds, when on the bike, to be directly under my chest i.e engine area.
Hugger against pipe would be a knocking noise, this is more like a teatray full of washers rattling about in a biscuit box!!

Bike is an '02 with only 10K on the clock and I ride like- I was going to say an old woman but that might offend the experienced females amongst us

Huw

I'm not paranoid - they are out to get me

[Jason M]

evening

Rattles eh, immediate thoughts would be the discs but at 10k that seems unlikely - worth giving them a shake up and down though with your fingers.

Another rattle it took ages to find was bits from a blown/busted bulb rattling round in the headlight assembly. The screen can also rattle and creak if the bolts are loose

good luck anyway - can you get someone to trot along side when you ride slowly over some bumps to try and track it down?

jason

[ivorbaines]

As a non-technical person (I admit to being only a rider ) who relies on BMW expertise, may I ask whether anyone else has experienced a "rattle", with no obvious reason/loose bits, on an R11S? It sounds like more than the BMW mechanic's explanation this afternoon of the W. hugger hitting the VDL pipes (both non-standard bits!) and sounds, when on the bike, to be directly under my chest i.e engine area.
Hugger against pipe would be a knocking noise, this is more like a teatray full of washers rattling about in a biscuit box!!

Bike is an '02 with only 10K on the clock and I ride like- I was going to say an old woman but that might offend the experienced females amongst us

Huw

I'm not paranoid - they are out to get me

Huw,
I've 11k mls on mine and have just removed the cat to put in a Y piece, I had similar noise when going over bumps, the cat would seem to be the culprit. I believe the core of the cat is ceramic and can break up for various reasons(termal shock, vibration, being hit by the centre stand when flipped up.) Haven't completed the fit yet but I'm expecting the bike to be sharper as the junk in the cat must have restricted gas flow.
Hope this of help, good luck.

[Huw]

The spanner monkey hit everything that he could think of with a rubber hammer - no joy, nothing obviously loose.
I hear the noise at speed, particularly when engine breaking in third/fourth or when going over a series of bumps. It is hard to describe, perhaps not a rattle more the sound of "something" moving from where it should be to somewhere it shouldn't!! My first thought was the sidestand but it seems secure.

Ah well, I'll stop worrying and ride!

Huw

[mdouglas]

Sure it's not just the timing chain rattle that every boxer twin I've ever owned makes. Usually does it at a particular revs when no load on the engine.

I assume you have no cat if you have VDL pipes - my cat used to rattle like a steel pail full of nails until I popped a VDL on.

And the Ilmberger hugger usually does vibrate against the pipes but it is a distinct vibration and not a rattle. (usually when you're pulling away from stationary)

[Paul]

Get yourself an Autocom and an mp3 player an the problem will mysteriously resolve itself

If my S stopped rattling, then I'd worry about the new abnormal behavior.

Cheers,

Paul

[stempy]

Could be a loose baffle in the VDL.

[Darth_1100S]

Huw, I'd opt for the cat. They're rattly buggers on the S and are a weak point. Take it off and bin it, and pop in a Y piece - even if it's not that (which it will be) you'll still have a nicer sounding bike and a few extra Bee Aitch Pees in the mid range. Your bike is a bit young to have rattly discs - yet! But the mileage is just about right for the cat to start getting vocal

Dave

[boxerpan]

Vanderlinde does away with the cat.
The vanderlinde/Ilmberger combination on mine don't touch but mine has a longer Ohlins rear shock.
Disc rattles only seem to affect pre 2001 models b4 they put the spacers in.
I'd ride it a bit more and see what transpires.

Lloyd