Ninja 300 problematic sound | GTAMotorcycle.com

Ninja 300 problematic sound

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CHRIS63

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If I could describe the sound it would be similar to a rubbing sound or computer overheating sound

If I am riding it'll quickly make the sound each time I'm using the clutch and when I am coasting in gear about to come to a stop or rpms are going down. When I am picking up speed and rpms are going up the sound is not present.

Anyone have an idea what could be the problem here?
 
CHRIS63 said:
If I could describe the sound it would be similar to a rubbing sound or computer overheating sound

If I am riding it'll quickly make the sound each time I'm using the clutch and when I am coasting in gear about to come to a stop or rpms are going down. When I am picking up speed and rpms are going up the sound is not present.

Anyone have an idea what could be the problem here?
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based on the first part I would say fan shroud rubbing on the fan blades?
on the rest :/ did you adjust your chain recently?
... 300 Ninja I should think would be too new to be experiencing any clutch issue, does the clutch make any weird sounds?
 
First thought is the chain, possibly normal operation
 
I am going to try and have my phone mounted on my bike recording the sounds the bike makes to figure out what this may be.
 
CHRIS63 said:
I am going to try and have my phone mounted on my bike recording the sounds the bike makes to figure out what this may be.
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;) check your chain first

I should do that with my bike it sounds awesome :)
 
Sounds like something simple, vibrating gas cap or fairing somewhere. Might be a resonance of some sort. Clutch in loosens it up and lets it vibrate/resonate. Wheel bearings, loose brake caliper or pads, worn sprockets, something like that. If it was your chain you would feel surging when giving power, imagine the chain taking up slack then letting it out a few times per second. How old is the bike, and how well has it been maintained?

Those bikes have a slipper clutch IIRC, I've never dealt with those, maybe it's a normal sound?
 
JP0160 said:
Sounds like something simple, vibrating gas cap or fairing somewhere. Might be a resonance of some sort. Clutch in loosens it up and lets it vibrate/resonate. Wheel bearings, loose brake caliper or pads, worn sprockets, something like that. If it was your chain you would feel surging when giving power, imagine the chain taking up slack then letting it out a few times per second. How old is the bike, and how well has it been maintained?

Those bikes have a slipper clutch IIRC, I've never dealt with those, maybe it's a normal sound?
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Its not going to make a clutch noise while coasting.
 
TK4 said:
Its not going to make a clutch noise while coasting.
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Yeah, but he did mention "when I am coasting in gear about to come to a stop or rpms are going down." which would be clutch engaged. Like I said, I don't actually know anything about slipper clutches, but IMO that sound would be something loose and resonating. My CBR300 had a nasty gas cap vibration that sounded like that, only cure was to give her a few love taps to get the cap settled.
 
Thanks for the responses guys, I'll make a video later today and hopefully you could tell me what's wrong by just the sound(it doesnt sound good at all).
 
A slipper clutch has wedge shaped lobes on the pressure plate and backing plate, the wedges make the clutch engage more positively under acceleration and under HARD deceleration the wedges force the clutch plates to separate (it slips the clutch just like when you pull in on the lever, it won't do anything under light or normal engine braking deceleration, unless your clutch springs have crazy light pressure on them)

If a clutch makes noise (from anything other than loose parts flying around in there) it will be when the plates are under load but not completely engaged, the rubberized cork plates can make some really nasty 'binding' sounds if there is any water in the oil the clutch plates are running in. Addressing a clutch "grrrraunch" sound can be as simple as changing the oil the clutch rides in, if the old oil is an opaque milky colour like coffee with cream in it, you have water in there and that water is making your cork plates swell which makes those nasty binding noises.

... do you pressure wash your engine? <- don't do that! high pressure washers can easy force water backwards past an oil seal
... is your bike in cold storage over winter <- water condensation will pollute your oil over the winter months.
Clutch noisy; change the oil and the sound should completely change, otherwise it's probably not a clutch noise.
 
Trials said:
A slipper clutch has wedge shaped lobes on the pressure plate and backing plate, the wedges make the clutch engage more positively under acceleration and under HARD deceleration the wedges force the clutch plates to separate (it slips the clutch just like when you pull in on the lever, it won't do anything under light or normal engine braking deceleration, unless your clutch springs have crazy light pressure on them)

If a clutch makes noise (from anything other than loose parts flying around in there) it will be when the plates are under load but not completely engaged, the rubberized cork plates can make some really nasty 'binding' sounds if there is any water in the oil the clutch plates are running in. Addressing a clutch "grrrraunch" sound can be as simple as changing the oil the clutch rides in, if the old oil is an opaque milky colour like coffee with cream in it, you have water in there and that water is making your cork plates swell which makes those nasty binding noises.

... do you pressure wash your engine? <- don't do that! high pressure washers can easy force water backwards past an oil seal
... is your bike in cold storage over winter <- water condensation will pollute your oil over the winter months.
Clutch noisy; change the oil and the sound should completely change, otherwise it's probably not a clutch noise.
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Thanks for the information

I do pressure wash the bike occasionally, I was riding in the winter and had to remove a lot of the salt on the bottom of the bike. It is very possible that I washed the engine too which I did not know could cause problems. The bike is kept indoors in my garage.


I am currently doing my firearms so when I get home I'll check the colour of the oil. I was going to adjust the chain and check my front wheel fairing but oil colour will be something I'll add to the list. I'll update the thread in the evening if I resolve the problem. Thanks.
 
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CHRIS63 said:
... riding in the winter...
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With repeated cycles of humid Toronto winter hot and cold you almost certainly have water/frost condensation in your engine, fuel tank and front forks.


side note:
... If you are still riding on your original fork oil and your bike is 5 or so years old you are past due for fork service. Always dump your old oil into a clear glass container so you can see what is in there other then oil. Clean inside your forks just like you would clean a gun.

best luck with your trouble-shooting.
 
Trials said:
With repeated cycles of humid Toronto winter hot and cold you almost certainly have water/frost condensation in your engine, fuel tank and front forks.


side note:
... If you are still riding on your original fork oil and your bike is 5 or so years old you are past due for fork service. Always dump your old oil into a clear glass container so you can see what is in there other then oil. Clean inside your forks just like you would clean a gun.

best luck with your trouble-shooting.
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Front fairings, gas cap, are both screwed in nicely. I adjusted the chain and lubricated it. Still the noise.

My bike is a 2014 model with 6300km, I did see the oil want looking too good I will take it in for a oil change. Is a fork oil change easy?
 
Doesn't everyone have a phone capable of video recording these days? Record the noise, upload to youtube and post the link. It's so much easier than trying to describe noises.
 
bump

https://vocaroo.com/i/s0S03ZORiM8O

Sorry for it being long and all the wind noise and me rambling, but at 5:35-5:50 you can clearly hear the sound I am trying to describe. Happens when I am coming to a stop, but accelerating is there too. I have no idea what is causing this! :mad:

Any and all help is much appreciated!
 
CHRIS63 said:
bump

https://vocaroo.com/i/s0S03ZORiM8O

Sorry for it being long and all the wind noise and me rambling, but at 5:35-5:50 you can clearly hear the sound I am trying to describe. Happens when I am coming to a stop, but accelerating is there too. I have no idea what is causing this! :mad:

Any and all help is much appreciated!
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that sounds like something is rubbing when your suspension is compressing. won't be able to see it when you're off the bike but once you sit on it and accel or decel it rubs.
 
JP0160 said:
that sounds like something is rubbing when your suspension is compressing. won't be able to see it when you're off the bike but once you sit on it and accel or decel it rubs.
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If my front brake pads were worn down would it make this sound? Like I can definitely say something is rubbing but how would I pinpoint what is exactly is?
 
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