Hi gang,

Newbie to this forum, did a bit in the old forum around the time the frame recall came about... Thanks for keeping this up, it's an awesome resource!

I was wondering if any of you have experienced this with your bike... I have about 5000 miles on my 06, the bike is stock, standard oil changed performed at break in intervals and each season. When I first got the bike I loved the engine sounds... when describing it to friends I would call say it sounds like a 'jet turbine'... (hopefully you all agree :) ). Generally a solid, smooth, deep sounding engine.

During break in I stayed within the recommended rpms etc and all was well. After about 1500-2000 miles I started to notice a 'rattle' sound at certain rpm's. At or around 3500 or so. I can only describe the sound as something like a bracket that was a bit loose and with certain harmonics it would rattle. I brought it to the dealer, they listened to it, confirmed they heard it, but weren't concerned with the sound... in fact one other tech there said his brother's bike made the same sound, he pulled it all apart and couldn't find anything wrong.

Now, with a couple thousand more miles on it, the sound is still there, I can hear it between approx 3300-4300 rpms. Seems to be more out of the left side (sitting on the bike) than the right...

This is my third Kawasaki and I know they have their quirks but I also want to make sure there is nothing bad going on too. (like valve damage etc) I intend on going back to the dealer for them to have a listen again, maybe a different tech will have a different opinion, but I figured I would check here too.

Hoping someone can confirm I'm not nuts

Thanks!

* Last updated by: Black06 on 5/21/2009 @ 8:12 AM *

It is surprising how something very small can make for a big noise when you get harmonic vibrations happening. On the ZRX the headlight adjuster screw is famous for making the whole bike rattle at certain rpm's.

Find someone who knows how to track it down. Make the vibration happen, and then discern whether or not it is coming from the MOTOR, or the whole frame/fairing/bike. If you don't have a proper stethoscope a perfect ghetto setup is to wear hard muffs on your ears and then hold a rod (metal, wood, whatever) to the muff and touch it to various parts on the bike. A person who knows what they are doing will be able to tell you EXACTLY where the rattle is coming from.

Since it is very likely that is it not coming from an internal part, try pushing on various parts and pieces of the fairing and windshield to see if that changes the sound.

You have enough km on the thing that it may be worth trying to determine whether it is a top end buzz or something in the starter/clutch area. There are a lot of little parts in there and it doesn't take much to make a big buzz. Not a big deal to pull a cover and have a look, provided you have the gaskets on hand already.

Let us know what you find!

tip over sensor is vibration under the wind screen

^^^If you remove your windscreen there is that small gray box on a bracket wich is bolted to the transverse running beam. That is the tip over sensor. The reason it rattles is because the two (painted) bolts that hold it into the bracket run through spacers that do not allow the bolts to tighten up against the nuts. I put a plastic washer in there. This made the rubber dampers that the spacers run through fit more snugly. It still seems to tick when it gets good and warmed up. Don't sweat it. The two Kawi cruisers I've ridden do the same thing.

If it really bothers you, I've heard of people wrapping the TOS in foam rubber and binding it with zip ties. I would think this would have to touch the underside of the windscreen and cause the black decal to ware off from vibes though.

Rook