New owner nervous about engine noise.

[Angor]

Hey all,

I just picked up an 06 XB12Ss a few weeks ago, and I'm loving it. However, I have no idea what normal valve train chatter is and what isn't, and there's this knocking that sounds like it's coming from the bottom end that makes me nervous. I just want to know if this recording of my engine sounds normal to you experienced owners or not, it's really gotten into my head. It's generally in time with the exhaust, I think. Any opinions would be welcome, as it is, I'm afraid to take her out at all.
My engine sound:

Big thanks in advance. I really hope it's nothing, but it sounds kinda loud. Putting another link here because it looks like I messed up the youtube embed.
Link to youtube video of engine

 

[08herobolt]

Great to hear you bought a Buell and welcome to the forum.

Few quick questions:
Is the engined warmed up in the video?
Does the noise get worse or better as you ride it?
Any change at high rpms?

If you don't know, make sure it's warmed up before you ride it.

JP

 

[Angor]

The engine is warmed in this video, i give it at least three minutes before riding and in this I've been out for about twenty minutes. I think it gets worse the hotter the engine gets, but I've only just noticed it this last ride. It's hard to say about high rpms, i can't really hear it well over 2k.

Thanks for the reply and welcome.

 

[wolfo68]

Does it get faster when you rev it?

 

[P3_techman]

That does seem like it's getting into the range of a bass, while these things are more of a solid tenor. I'd start with an oil change and retest. Check out that old oil, it will tell your bike's story. Replace with a high quality synthetic 20w50 designed for motorcycle engines. I use Amsoil.

Everything sounds in time, just a little out of tune.

 

[Angor]

It does get faster when I rev it, yeah. It's impossible to hear over 2k rpm, though, with stock exhaust. I think it might actually be coming from the rocker box, and possibly both, is it at all possible that this is just the oil? I know the dealer replaced the oil before I came home with it, but I have no idea with what, and I've heard these guys make a racket without the right oil.

 

[wolfo68]

Very true. Do an oil change, check the magnets and dump out the filter to check for metal bits.

 

[Angor]

Great, thanks very much to everyone. I'll update as soon as I get a chance to do an oil change and magnet/filter check, fingers crossed for the best.

 

[08herobolt]

Run a magnet through the oil also. It may only pick up very, very small particles but it may also help diagnosing the problem. Also get a look inside the filter. It may have some clues in there.

 

[user_deleted]

angor: what's the average air temp right now where you are? reason i ask is if it's 60 fahrenheit or lower and you want to save some $ and do quick diagnosis, i would drain the oil....pull the filter...closely examine drain plug magnet as well as visually inspecting oil as you flip filter upside down and let it drain. then go to shit-mart and get yourself 3 quarts of super-tech house brand 15-40 oil (it's Shell Rotella T bottled as house brand) and an oil filter for a 2007 toyota yaris. same filter as all XB's use. install filter and 2.5 quarts of Rotella and see what you have. sure sounds like low oil pressure to me in the video.

 

[sewerman]

Lunatic,
My 09 uses 20W-50. Does Super Tech make a 20W-50?

 

[user_deleted]

hi sewerman: not that i'm aware of. in all honesty the best 20-50wt. lube for the money IMO is still plain old castrol gtx....just for the engine...not for the primary/trans. reason i mentioned shit-mart supertech house brand oil to angor regarding his problem is that it's the most cost effective...read cheapest....way to refill and refilter his XB to try and diagnose a possible oiling problem.

 

[Angor]

Hey lunatic,

In PA, been riding in temps between 35-55. Was riding the other day and had some starting and idling issues, so I took it to a shop that knows Buells, I figure I'm not going to be comfortable until someone who knows more than me tells me everything is good to go anyway. They're checking it out now, there were definitely some minor issues but they say the engine is fine, so I'm pretty happy. Looking forward to getting it back this weekend, love this damned bike.

Thanks to all for the replies, much appreciated.

 

[user_deleted]

my pleasure angor. where in PA? i'm in southern PA....amish country. quite a few buell jockeys here in my area. i think you did right by going to the pros for diagnosis and a thorough going-over of the bike. if you're close by and back on the road you can always swing by for a free diagnostics plug-in if your shop isn't capable of it. i use ecmspy on the pre-2008 models such as yours and gives capability of diagnostics, trouble code clearing, and tps reset. just something to keep in mind.

 

[TooFst]

Bought my bike brand new off the showroom floor in 04...(xb12s). Still haven't quite gotten used to the sewing machine sound these bikes make. I still catch myself listening for something that isn't there.... It is what it is.

On a side note I don't think engine oil make "that much" difference but I still go high end/ expensive. Cheap insurance IMO but recently switched to Royal Purple in the primary and wow. I would have never guessed in a million yrs. my bike could shift this smoothly. Highly recommended.

Ps. 20/50 in both holes.

 

[Angor]

Thanks Lunatic, that would be great. I live in Philadelphia, so pretty close to Amish country.

Got the bike back Saturday, and after a TPS reset, clutch adjustment, new plugs and cutting the zipties the previous owner put on the exhaust actuator cable, it starts great, idles much smoother, clutch effort is much reduced and I no longer have a weird torque flatspot around 3.5-4k rpm. Also, the guy who worked on my bike owns a Buell and two other mechanics at the shop own one, and they all said the engine sounds perfectly normal, so I'm good to go. Again, lots of thanks to the community here, much appreciated.

Just in time for the snow, hah.

 

[Tbone]

I noticed on my 09 Uly that when the clutch needs adjustment it gets a littly chatty when idling, not just a cable adjustment, that tensioner nut under the cover adjustment. It is real easy to adjust, even I could do it.