Wow, the before and after shots of the noise was amazing.. I’m glad you figured it out, if mine ever makes a noise like that, I’ll know exactly what to do. Cool video, thanks for making it.
I'm still surprised that the chain stretch caused that much noise. It did get much louder after putting a new tensioner on the old chain. Someone must have really over tightened it in the past because my XB12 Buell had twice the mileage of the XR and was still nice and quiet. I guess I shouldn't be surprised because someone did put $30 Ebay shocks on the back of it at one point. When my friend bought it I noticed it had aftermarket reservoir shocks on it but didn't give it much thought. He mentioned after riding it home that the back end felt really stiff and was super rough on bumps. I started researching the shocks and found them new on Ebay for $30 a pair shipped to the door. SMH
thanks man, amazing video i really think the xr is the best bike i've ever ridden , but what annoys me is that once the bike is hot it sounds like a sewing machine
Some ham-fisted kook went crazy tightening the primary adjustment shoe before you bought this XR, I suspect. Adjust it at room temp and approx 1/2" slack at several checked points is fine. Don't do it by ear and be sure to hold the threaded adjuster shaft with your Allen key when tightening the 5/8" nut and you'll be fine. I'm from southern PA and own four XR's. They are wonderful bikes with quiet primary drives. Run the correct 1 quart of primary fluid and you'll be fine.
That's what I figured. Someone thought tighter was better. I didn't like trying to set it by ear and just measure like I did with the Buells. It's all good now.
@@xpsgarage Glad you figured it out and got it resolved. Figured from your accent you're either strong midwest or southern. Haven't figured it out. LOL
Did the primary still rattle like that when you pulled the clutch in while in neutral? Currently I’m facing the same problem after installing a new compensator, clutch, and tensioner. The rattle has been driving me crazy. I’m gonna try putting a new chain on like you did and hope it solves my problem.
Yes it would make the noise with the clutch pulled. I could make the noise go away by putting it in gear and start letting out the clutch lever while holding the brake. That would load the top of the chain and take pressure off the lower part of the chain where it goes over the tensioner.
30K miles when I changed it. The bike had 24k on it when I bought it and the primary was noisy then, it just got a lot worse when I put the new tensioner on the old chain. As bad as the tensioner was chewed up I think someone must have had it over tightened. I've put more miles on the Buells with no primary issues at all. I generally use HD Formula+.
Did it do it after a high rev..my 06 88b did this after a high as hell rev with the clutch in ..after it cooled down it stopped but i need to check it hot .
It had always been noisy since I bought it so I don't know. Someone definitely could have over revved it in the past. It just got really bad after I put the new tensioner on the old chain.
Wtf is wrong with my 2003 1200 sportster? Horrible sound coming from primary side, suddenly seized and stripped off half the teeth on the belt drive ( final)
You may not respond to this before I take it apart but I have about the same noise but it's a tick on a 2021 sportster 1200 and a buddy of mine said it was that chain put side by side they sound different but could be a warn out tensioner bike only has maybe 2400 miles on it I'm actually kind of disappointed in it so far I have had the rear shock fail on me the first time because of a pot hole and now the tick kind of worries me on the bike probably going to have more problems because of a rough start and idles rough but could all be because of the same thing
Let us know. Mine has 2700 miles and chain sounds like crap 2. It's adjusted but I ride it hard. Looking like it's going to be a chain replacement for me
