Quieter Mufflers?

[Solonys]

You may be hearing a little valve noise as well. That is a GOOD thing! No valve noise, no clearance, burned valves. Valve lash will get smaller as you drive, not bigger like a lot of engines. I always set mine at the top end of clearance, and they usually go for about 12-15K miles before needing adjustment again.

The valves are on my list for the off-season for sure since I don't know the history of them. The noise doesn't really appear at idle (I have to put my ear next to the bike to hear it). In neutral I have to rev the motor to 4k+ to hear it, but don't really have to go that high when in gear/motion.

It's probably not as loud as I think, because I have a big fairing on the front that likes to amplify noises from the engine area lol

[Solonys]

I still am unsure if the ringing noise I'm hearing in the fairing is normal or not, so I took a short clip; it's most apparent when I get to around 4k RPM in second gear (and the tach was bouncing exceptionally bad today of course). Clip can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyoHSGq1c1w

Hopefully I'm being paranoid and it's just the straight-cut gears, but if anyone knows for sure it would be helpful

[bikerphil]

That is pretty loud, middle drive unit maybe?

[DiverRay]

It seems to be with engine speed, not ground speed, so probably not the middle drive. Maybe a clutch related, or possibly the cam chain tension. Just my guess.

[Solonys]

I'll change the middle drive oil again and see if anything comes out (just did it 4 months ago, but gear oil isn't expensive); the clutch doesn't slip and is nice and firm in the lever so I doubt it's the springs, but I can check them for spec as well. Since I have an ACCT, cam chain would indicate the chain has stretched out of tolerance which would not make me happy.

The only other thing I have come up with so far is that it is the transmission end bolt has backed out per 3phase's response in this thread https://xs11.club/forum/idle-talk-fo...this-needy-but. I can't see the bolt via the oil fill hole as he suggests, so I would need to remove the entire clutch to check it (please god no lol).

[DiverRay]

To remove the clutch side cover, put the bike on the side stand and go for it. You don't need to drain oil even! The hard part is loosening the one engine mount bolt so the foot peg will rotate out of the way. And yeah, I've done this once or twice.

[bikerphil]

When/if you remove the clutch basket, also double check the orientation of the 2 large washers, the smaller of the two goes next to the main shaft bearing. If someone mixed the 2 up and put the larger one there, it will leave little or no space for oil to lubricate that bearing.

Inboard smaller washer: 44MM OD 3MM thick
Outboard larger washer: 50MM OD 2MM thick

[Solonys]

So I yanked the clutch basket; the washers were in the right order, the hat bolt was nice and tight, and the springs and plates were at the high end of spec (so new).

The sound I am concerned with is actually coming from the Tach. I noticed that it only gets loud after the tach starts bouncing, just like a failing speedometer, so I get to tear it apart to lube it up.

Thanks for the help, everyone!

[oldyam80sg]

Maybe 2 years ago, someone saw my XS11000 SG and wanted to buy my Kerker 4 into 1 exhaust for $400.00-I told him no back then. I probably paid $200.00 for it back in 1986 from Starcycle in California, I didn't think these were too hard to find but back in the 80's Kerker, Supertrapp, and Vance and Hines were the main people to go to for aftermarket. Good luck in your search but don't expect to get it cheap.

[bikerphil]

The sound I am concerned with is actually coming from the Tach.

There really isn't much inside our tachs to make noise, they are driven by a signal from the alternator. It is like an analog voltage meter. Now taking it all the way apart, now that's gonna be fun.

http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread.php?t=39755

[Solonys]

The tach still has a small bearing per this tip, and I was intending on testing the various components and reflowing the solder on the board. Either way, the thing screams, and if I can't fix it, I'll just disable the stupid thing completely until I can get a replacement.

[bikerphil]

Sounds like a good plan.