Hi folks,
Apologies for being a rare poster, but I have lurked and learned a lot from you experts.
I recently bought a 2001 FX 650 with 27k on the clock, which has been badly maintained but seems more-or-less OK, and has a pair of new Distanzias which are worth a few bob. It was £800 on ebay - Oops, sorry dear, I just bought another bike.
Anyway, having given the FX a good check-over and service, it seems basically OK. However, when I'm riding it there is a hell of a lot of engine noise - rattly engine noise. I have checked and re-set the tappets, and the cam chain sounds fairly quiet. The RFVC engines are quite noisy, but I used to have an XBR, and I'm sure it wasn't as rattly as this FX.
The odd thing is that the engine sounds pretty good when I'm sitting down beside it. It's when I'm riding that it gets deafening (and has just been made worse by fitting a small screen). I can't hear any piston slap or bearing rumble, and the bike isn't using oil, as far as I can see.
I'm wondering if the noise is somehow magnified by the fuel tank, so it seems much worse than it actually is. I have checked the tank mounting rubbers, which are OK.
I wonder if a tank bag would take some of the noise away... Or a camel blanket from the local bazaar. Any thoughts would be much appreciated.
Regards,
Martin Corrick
