Rattle and I'm pooping my frilly panties.

[stoney]

I've been hearing a rattle which sounds like it's from the front end at high revs and am so far undecided as to whether it's mechanical or something loose (hoping for the latter!)

This morning when parking up at work I noticed that the bike was leaning over slightly further and caught some odd movement from the sidestand when I put it down. The connecting bolt on the sidestand to loose! :o

About to go to lunch and am fearing that I'll find the bike having a lay down when I go out! Anyone had this happen to them?

Also, if anyone has any ideas about the rattle, I'd love to know - only happens in higher revs and doesn't seem to change pitch. Bike's done 17k and I just gave it an oil change. It keeps missing gears every now and then - think it could be related?

[randomsquid]

About to go to lunch and am fearing that I'll find the bike having a lay down when I go out! Anyone had this happen to them?

On occasion, but not with anything as breaky looking as a Falco.
My kwak is currently standless, it's leaning up the shed.
Tomorrow at work it will be leaning up the side of the unit.

[fatboy]

I've had a few sidestand bolts work loose,so hopefully that is your rattle.
You say it does not change in pitch, so , if it was mechanical surely the pitch would alter with rpm ?

[blinkey501]

Rotax engines do rattle. And if you have the standard made of cheese sidestand there is a good chance your bike may fall over.
https://www.ridersite.com/viewtopic.ph ... =fireblade
Obviously you are quite new to the forum and I welcome you if I have not said hello before
There is loads of information about the sidestand etc.
Have you or do you have proof of the valve clearances being checked?
Whats the mileage on your pride and joy?

[Falcopops]

If the sidestand is loose, I'd be putting my money on that as the source of the rattle, have a look and see if it's been hitting the exhaust.

I've had the mounting plate bolts and the stand bolt work loose in the past.

Worth checking to see if prongs? that the stand fits between have spread allowing some lateral movement of the stand leg.

My ultimate oops moment with a stand issue was on my old Suzuki on the way to Donnington. Stopped for a bite and coffee at little thief or similar. My mate Chris (GS1150) pulled up in a space and I slid in next to him. Gloves and helmet off and flicked my sidestand down but I had to keep my foot on it to stop it flicking back up on the spring.

The stand bolt had fallen out somewhere along the route, so as the bike flopped onto the stand it folded forward and the bike rolled onto its side trapping my leg under it.

Fortunately for Chris the BMW was just far enough away to avoid getting damaged, unfortunately for me the BMW was just far enough away for me to imprint grill marks on my cheek. Oh how I laughed.

[stoney]

Thanks for the replies.

Yes, I was aware of the side stand issue and was told by the previous owner that it had been fitted with a GSXR stand. Until this point i had had no stand issues.

I'm new and thanks for the welcome - have been lurking for a little while on here and posted a few times on apriliaforum.com under the name dvonballbag.

I've since tightened the bolt and no longer hear the rattle, although I also removed my stubby exhaust baffles at the same time, so can't hear much anyway!

[stoney]

Have you or do you have proof of the valve clearances being checked?
Whats the mileage on your pride and joy?

Current mileage is 18.5k, was 14k when I bought it earlier this year. I have no proof that the valve clearances have been checked, nor have I done so - I've got little knowledge, but a Haynes manual and an eagerness to start doing my own stuff, but it seems a bit beyond me I think!

Could that be a suspect if the rattling persists? (Valve clearances, not my dodgy spannering.)