CBR6 lump owners...

[instigator]

Well, I'm under the impression my hornet engine is pretty much the same as the cbr600f's.....

Just drained my cooling system today and unbent and cleaned the cooling fins on the rad. Probably not solved the over heating issues but I'm not too sure yet, I haven't got stuck in any traffic (zooming about, it doesn't go higher than 2 THIN bars)

Anyways.....leaving the bike idling in neutral, theres a slightly horrible sound coming from what I guess as the clutch. When I pull the clutch in, it doesn't sound anymore. I can hear it OVER the hornet's exhaust noise. Am I looking at new clutch plates or would a simple clutch adjustement do the job (I wish).It doesn't REALLY affect the bike's performance at all, just sounds...erm....worrying.

Clutch DOES actually need adjusted at the moment, but I'm presuming no matter how slack the cable, it shouldn't be making this grumbling noise.

Can ride it okay, but feels like position between clutch engaged and disengaged on the lever has DECREASED.

Not getting put anywhere near a garage, so what do you reckon? Is it a common cbr lump problem? Only seems to be doing this today, two days after I bought it, so somethings just gone....

Appreciate any comments whether it be "yes, you can fix it by doing this...." or "you bought a lemon".

It's not the blue wheels doing it, is it??? I know many people think they're a bad thing....

[VFR400UK]

Let me get this right, your clutch is loud and rattles, similar to what a dry clutch does.

...and you bike is running hot?

Might want to put checking your oil lever fairly high on your list of things to check

If i were you, i would change the oil and filter (can't hurt) and have the clutch cover off whilst the engine is dry and check the thickness of the plates.

Adjusting the clutch cable could help, but its alot easier to do if you can get the back wheel off the ground to check for clutch drag.

[BigChris]

Im glad its not just me who's seen this.

For the record, I test rode both the 05 Hornet and 05 CBR600RR. I settled on a 96 CBR600F.

The hornet lasted approximately 30 mins before I had to hand it back to the dealership. The engine temp had redlined and I didnt fancy loosing my £500 deposit. (For the record I hadn't even booted it!).

The RR was a lot better, in that the engine didnt want to self-destruct, though I did notice that it was only happy doing over 40mph. The engines didnt feel similar!

My 600F has the same clutch sound that you describe, and I dont think its a problem. If anything I would suggest its more a honda thing than anything else. It just sounds like its doing its job, and yes it _is_ noisy, but you dont notice it if you're a bystander gasping in awe and wonder.

I get the feeling that if its only just started 2 days after you've bought it, then its just running in and oil/cack is being washed around. I guess though, the main point is that if you are in anyway in doubt as to what you've bought, whether it works or not, you should take it back to the place where you bought it and get them to sort it for you - or at least compare against another hornet and see if it makes the same rattles.

(Incidentally, if you find that your bike is knackered and you get the rattles fixed, let me know!!!)

[swaffs]

Not sure if affects hornet, but on cbr's it's common,
Sounds like the Cam chain Tensioner:
I get occasionaly in the mornings.

I know many people have replaced it with a manual one:

I hear a rattling and grinding sound when I first start my CBR600(F,F2,F3...). Sometimes it goes away right away, sometimes not, sometimes it does it all

the time.… What's the problem?



If your bike sounds like someone tossed a handful of marbles into the internals of your engine every time you start it up and sometimes it goes away right away and sometimes not, most likely you have a bad cam chain tensioner (CCT)—a common problem with CBR600's. Fixing it is easy and will take the average guy a half hour.



The OEM CCT tightens the cam chain hydraulically. A manual CCT is, well, adjusted manually. OEM is approximately $120ish and will probably fail again in the next few years, a manual CCT is $45 and will out last your bike. Not a tough choice.



Manual CCTs can be bought from several sources. Once you have it, remove the right side lower fairing. To the rear and toward the center of the bike from where the clutch cable bracket fastens to the engine, you will see an ovalish looking part about 3 inches across fastened to the engine with 2 bolts. That is your CCT. Remove the clutch cable bracket makes it easier to get to the CCT. Remove the 2 bolts and the CCT comes right out. I was able to reuse the gasket with no problem.



Put the manual CCT in place and tighten the 2 bolts to spec. The manual CCT instructions say that in order to properly adjust it, you have to measure the slack of the cam chain, which would involve major disassembly. The method that I and others have used is to tighten the adjuster until you feel tension. Start the bike and listen for the rattle. The rattle should be gone, if not, tighten the CCT until the noise is gone. Loosen it until you just start to hear the rattle, then slowly tighten until its gone. Shut off the bike and tighten about ¾ to 1 additional turn and tighten down the lock nut. Reassemble. Ride!


Swaffs
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[instigator]

I did think it may have been the cct, since I have heard about said problems.

Oil level is perfectly fine, and oil filter has been in for only 500 miles.

Chris - bike is second hand and cheap so was expecting some niggles, and none of which are going to be sorted by a garage. Has to be done by myself really, so I'll look into it more this week.

The hornets engine stays lvoely and cool when riding about in 30's and 40's but in town, stop and start, it will rise...haven't tried it again to be honest.

Thanks people, keep the info / opinions coming.

[Kickstart]

Hi

Sounds like clutch rattle, and fairly common on bikes. Basically with the bike in neutral the input shaft into the gearbox has a load of cogs rattling round on it under no load. Pull the clutch and it is not being driven by the engine so does not move.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[jay12329]

I think keith hit the nail on the head there, my hornet rattles, as do a lot of bikes.
Now for your over heating issue, is it actually over heating or jsut getting hot? Hornets seam to run quite high up on the scale, mine regually sits in teh top 1/4. and its a little worse now i've fitted a rad guard. =
You only have a problem with overheating if the gage sits in the red zone without the fan cutting in.
THe fan hits in very close to the red mark, and cools it down a hlot, the main problem with this is that the air moving off the radiator head right for you!
If your fan does not cut in check the thermostat and the fan itself.
HTH
J

[instigator]

Right. Okay.

Just, where I live, I have a town 7 miles from me, both north and south. And on the run to those towns, I usually do 60-80mph and the temp. gauge floats just below the 2nd notch usually. Just when I hit town and slow down, less than 20mph, where it's basically a lot of clutch work, the needle just goes up and up. I moved up from an er5, which didn't even have a gauge so perhaps it's jsut me getting used to this?

The one and only time it spat out coolant (just before I stripped and flushed it), the fan WAS on. But cuts out as soon as you turn off the ignition....is it not supposed to stay on? My er5's fan would stay on, even once key was removed and cool it down that way.

I'll deliberately go into town or run it warm this week and see what happens. Thanks peeps, this has cleared my mind a little on the matter.

P.S Think I'll bid on that clutch basket on ebay at the moment, jsut incase, to act as a spare should anything go awfully wrong.

[DynaMight]

Some bikes keep the fan running after the ignition is turned off and some dont.

Every bike I've had has got fairly hot while slowly crawling through town, Hell the NC30 used to burn your ass.

Sounds like you're looking for the problems so any little noise sounds like it's a sign of death, I've done the same before.
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[AcIdBuRnZ]

Put on an Akrapovic and solve all your sound rattles
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Past: Honda NSR125R >> Kawasaki ER-5a2 >> Kawasaki ZZR-600e1 >> Suzuki GSXR-750Y >> Honda VTR 1000 Firestorm
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[BigChris]

Get your arse and bike to Sheffield so we can compare noises.

Mine is noisy, but I dont think its a cam chain problem - for starters the noise comes from the wrong side of the bike!

I do just think its a load of none-load-bearing 'stuff' rattling around, since I get no noise when clutch pulled in, or in gear.

I think that if it was a CCT, i'd get it regardless of gear, clutch, rev etc.?

Bollocks. My bike still runs sweet, and I dont care!

[instigator]