Chain rattle noise

[Narwhal]

I can hear a little chain rattle noise on the bike. I first noticed it when someone else was riding it and drive by and it sounded like someone had clipped a baseball car to my spoke like a BMX bike. Now I feel like I can hear it while riding. I put the bike up in the center stand and put it in first and twisted the throttle and noticed a bit of jumping and play in the chain on both the top and bottom. I’ve measured ther play in the chain when resting on the center stand and it appears to be 1.25” which is spec. I’m wondering if this is normal or if I need to adjust or if I’m doing something wrong. Also, you can assume i know nothing about anything.

 

[Lostagain]

Yes, 1.25" is OK. Make sure you are pulling the chain down and then pushing it up when you are taking those measurements. The book says between 1" and 1.4". Check to see if something else is rubbing....tire on fender, chain guard on sprocket/chain, etc.

 

[Narwhal]

The noise is definitely coming from where the chain meets both sprockets. Put it up on center stand again today and listened. Maybe it’s just the normal noise and I’m only hearing it because I’ve never had a bike this quiet before. lol.

 

[r80rt]

Perhaps a bit of chain lube would help?

 

[m in sc]

pretty normal on a super quiet bike.

 

[Narwhal]

pretty normal on a super quiet bike.

That’s what I am thinking. i recently cleaned and lubed the chain. I have to listen closely to hear it and then got on the ground and identified it at the sprokets. I think it’s just something I have never heard before because of bigger bikes. Plus I recently painted the exhaust guard a flat black, so that makes the exhaust quieter too.

 

[Migolito]

Start with the basics. Check both sprockets by pulling sideways on them while the bike is on the center stand. Then, slowy rotate the chain inspecting very closely each link. Lube the chain. Recheck the chain tension. Then double check clearance all aound the travel of the chin. Then check the guards, etc...tap of them and listen how much they vibrate. IF all that passes muster, as stated above thank god its a quiet bike.

I also hear all kind of linkage movement (clanking)on the bike...My KTM sounds like its falling apart as I ride it!

 

[r80rt]

Some hear mechanical noise, I hear music.

 

[Kcboom10]

Two weeks ago returning home with 40 lbs of dog food on the rack. My bike started making a terrible noise which sounded like to me was the transmission. Took it to the dealership for service. I was nearly home after a 150 mile round trip when my phone rang. The lady at the service department said “bike done come get it”. I asked what was wrong with it and she asked if I had tighten the chain. I had. She said it was too tight and didn’t have the required slack. I didn’t believe her. But after driving back to the dealer and going on a long test drive. It was true. 300 hundred miles and $84 dollar lesson. She said if I had brought it in at the 600 mile service it wouldn’t have happened. I had 1000 miles on it at the time. Oh well.

 

[dkounelas]

i know this is an older post but i have a 2023 trail 125 and started to hear the grinding noise. after having Honda tech look at it and not finding anything. i went over the entire bike and found that the kickstarter had some wear markings. checking my seating position, i found that my heel was resting on the kickstarter and any pressure would engage the ratcheting on the kickstarter causing the noise. i rotated the kickstarter a few notches backwards and it is now positioned below the peg.