chain snapped, mechanic tells me my engine is gonna pop!!

[pooley_99]

I definitely had bad karma for thinking about changing my bike.... chain snapped on me today!!! Luckily was about half a mile from a honda garage! New chain and fitting £90
Then to top it off, the guy who put the chain on for me, drove the bike out the garage, went down the road and back, got off and went ahhh yea that engine's days are numbered! I said you what?? And he said that he could hear the bearings on the bottom end.. I cant hear anything like it, I asked him to point out exactly what he meant and he said 'hear that lo end grumble' I said no and he said ah well it could go for ever or it could pop... and walked off!!!
This is my first CBR 600 so I dont know what they are 'supposed' to sound like! However..
I consider myself a pretty handy DIY car mechanic, I've changed head gaskets, rebuilt a clio engine (top end) and done loads of other servicing stuff on cars, admittedly I am new to bikes but the point is I know what a clunking bottom end/knackered crank sounds like when it's gone and, and my little CBR just doesnt - to me sound like that!
Do you think he was trying to pull my pants down? He did seem like a decent enough chap to be honest!
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CBR 900RR Fireblade

[stinkwheel]

Given my previous experience of most "professional" motorcycle mechanics, he was probably blowing hot-air out of his arse.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Nope.]

Most of them seem decent but are just trying to sound clever and see the look of worry on your face. Maybe hes even trying to get you to trade it in. Who knows.

Ignore him and keep riding. If the engine does go pop then a new one from a breakers shouldn't be too expensive.
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Former: Derbi GP1 50, Sachs XTC 125, Suzuki GSXR 400 GK73A, Kawasaki ZX7R, Suzuki DR250, Yamaha RD350
Current: 2011 Yamaha XT660Z Ténéré, 2003 Yamaha YZR-R1 5PW (In Build), 2009 Kawasaki ZZR1400

[MickC]

As Stinkwheel and Computid says, ignore him. If you are reasonably confident mechanic, and if it starts sounding like ts going, then start thinking of a rebuild (easier than car engines) or one from a breakers (only make sure it has a warranty - you don't want to be owning two duff lumps!)
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XX XXXx
Previous: CG125,XS250 (converted to 400),Z250A, GPZ550, Norton Commando, XS500, 78 Laverda Jota, GPZ1100,Harris bonneville, XV750 (mono shock),TR1

[Pete.]

Sounds like a saddo who gets enjoyment from seeing people's faces drop when he dishes out 'bad news'.

Ignore him. Believe me, you would know it if your big-ends were knocking, you'd hear it and feel it through the pegs and bars.
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[pepperami]

[acid drop]

that mechanic was talking bollocks, everyone knows honda engines are bulletproof

[P.addy]

[pooley_99]

[supZ]

the only grumble you'd hear i bet is when pulling the clutch in. the clutches on honda's always grumble. its a honda trait.

sounds like he was just trying to scare you. name and shame bud.

on a sidenote.. make sure the bikes looked after! clean and lube your chain regularly and make sure you set the tension right. chains shouldnt snap just for the hell of it!
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CBR954RR - Daily toy
CBR600RR - Trackbike

[stinkwheel]

[N cee thirty]

thought you lived near me (crewe)

i could probs tell you its fine though
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'00 Aprilia RS50 > '92 Honda CG > '99 Yamaha Fazer > '91 Yamaha RXS > '79 Suzuki X5 > 01' Honda Cg > 07' Honda Cg > 82' Kawasaki Z200 > suzuki gsxr 400 gk73a > honda vfr 400 NC30 Mod 2 Passed 09/06/2011

Jewlio Iglesias wrote: I actually did vote BNP once

[Vincent]

Some garages have employees that aren't trusted with any technical jobs they're usualy the ham-fisted type, are full of BS and the first to bully the new apprentice. They end up changing bulbs, speedo cables, tyres, replacing the chain and sprockets, fetching the sarnies, etc etc. Sounds like you just met one
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Space Is Deep

[Ariel Badger]

Bollox, he talked them.
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Bikers make great organ donors, get 115 on your licence today.

[pooley_99]

[MaybeGuy]

Why can't you adjust a chain properly?
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Blue_SV650S wrote: it was a sh1te wheelie, but it proves that he can get it up in 3rd and can do angles. In summery, mattsprattuk is a gobby little sh1tebag, dopehead tw4t, but sadly for all of us, he probably isn't THAT full of sh1te!!
Kickstart wrote: Hi I tend to agree with Matt. All the best Keith

[pooley_99]

[growler]

many years ago I dropped my ER5 and the mechanic who recovered it told me the engine was dead as there was no oil getting to the top of the engine

strangely it managed to do 9000 miles and earn me £1000 part exchange with no oil in the top of the engine funny that
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DILLIGAF

[tahrey]

+1 here for "if the big end was on the way out, you WOULD hear and probably FEEL it".

A worn one would make a hell of a clunky clattery racket at idle, for a start. It's part of the classic "yer big end's gone, mate" musichall type joke - it starts with a engine that's obviously running in quite lumpy fashion.

Heck, freshly fitted ones that haven't been lubed quite enough and are still bedding in make their presence felt in a more scuffy, screechy manner. They're under a lot of pressure. A small "grumble" may be a sign of some other kind of engine wear you need to look at, but not that.

They're also pretty hard to destroy these days, unless you spank the shit out of your engine. I only know about the bedding in thing because of overhauling an engine I'd knackered in other ways and putting new bearings in for completeness' sake. It wasn't entirely necessary.

[maserlin]

I used to test for big end knock by applying full braking (at a standstill this is) and in 1st gear, easing the clutch out with moderate revs applied. (Don't drop the clutch lol) If you hear a clunking noise which appears to be somewhat out of time with everything else you can hear, that's it. Done this way it's pretty obvious.
Don't know if this would work for a watercooled 4 but was a sure-fire test on a twin or single. Come to think of it, it was a good test on a (car) V6 too.
HTH ps from the rest of this thread, I'd say don't worry, anyway!
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Honda XR125L