Clanking/clunking noise after downshift/deceleration (PROBLEM SOLVED!)

[scootermaven]

Hello fellow Venox fans!  I've got an '06 Venox w/13k miles that has started making clunking/clanking/banging noises during deceleration after downshifting to third and second gears .  Once the clunking/clanking/banging noises begin, if the clutch is engaged or you give it just a touch of throttle the problem goes away.  It sounds pretty scary when it happens...metal-like banging noises.  Since the problem started, I've been carefully riding the bike trying to pinpoint the general location of the noise, but all I can really tell is that it seems to be coming from the lower engine area and maybe more noticeable on the clutch side.  Due to the problem, I have not been downshifting as usual to help decelerate, especially in the middle-lower gears, rather just pulling in the clutch lever, using the brakes and trying to find the best gear for the speed so as to limit deceleration.  If I ride the bike carefully that way, the problem doesn't happen.  Whatever the problem is, it seems to only happen while decelerating using the gears.  So far, this is the best explanation I can provide.

Anybody got any info on what could be causing this situation? Thanks in advance for any help determining the problem, which I hope is simple to repair.

[zombie]

You are going to have to do some detecting... Get your hand in the crank shaft, and turn it both ways to feel if there is any play or a mild tap when changing direction. There are too many maybes on the post. It could be a worn timing chain/bad tensioner/worn bearings/broken spring on the shift drum/loose clutch, ect.

[Vivo]

If you can place it on center stand, shift to one gear (engine off), then move the rear tire back and forth while listening to the said sound.

[scootermaven]

You are going to have to do some detecting... Get your hand in the crank shaft, and turn it both ways to feel if there is any play or a mild tap when changing direction. There are too many maybes on the post. It could be a worn timing chain/bad tensioner/worn bearings/broken spring on the shift drum/loose clutch, ect.

Zombie,

I'll see what I can find out by getting a handle on the crankshaft like you suggested,  But, in the meantime, read my original post again, as I have reworded it a bit to try to give a better explanation of what's going on.  Thanks!

[scootermaven]

If you can place it on center stand, shift to one gear (engine off), then move the rear tire back and forth while listening to the said sound.

I'll try that once I get it up on the motorcycle jack.  Thanks!

[zombie]

Well like Vivo said you can also put the bike in 4th gear and push/pull it to see if it is the trany or the crankcase. The high gear will give less resistance thru the gears, and you may here a noise. Same at the crank. There is a shift drum in the trans that has half a kagillion moving parts, and it is the weakest link in there. You really have to get creative and locate it. Metal noises are never good, and usually short term at best.

[Vivo]

clank, clunk, bang, noise.


Like Zombie said, it could be anything inside....  You would be the best person to evaluate...

[zombie]

Like Vivo said...

[scootermaven]

A couple of months back, I had a new rear tire installed.  Perhaps the installer didn't get the chain tight enough or maybe the axle bolt wasn't torqued quite tight enough during installation and over time the rear wheel moved forward enough to make the chain loose.  Or, maybe the chain stretched.  In any event, the chain was loose enough to bang up against the front sprocket cover, so that seems to be what the horrible noise was.  Upon removal of said cover, you could see where the chain was hitting it during downshifting/deceleration.  Took it out do a nice test-ride and it seems just fine now...PROBLEM SOLVED!!!

Thanks for your responses nonetheless.

[Vivo]

Good!

[zombie]