The Yamaha Road Star Warrior Forum

I've been searching the posts for an hour now, but didn't find what some guys found out about the knocking they were hearing in their engine.

I get a knocking sound while accelerating especially around the 2300-2700 rpm band.  Bike runs fine just wondering is this knocking sound is just the noisy engine or a problem.  The bike is 100% stock with 250 miles on it.

Make sure your belt isn't too tight.

i went through the same thing new bike low milage right around 2500 nad a little higher would hear noise like  that under tank ,  its normal

The belt is fine.  I can put about 10lbs of pressure and move it up and down about 1/2 inch.  The sound is coming from the engine, doesn't sound like it's under the tank.  At idel the bike sounds smooth.

run:

i went through the same thing new bike low milage right around 2500 nad a little higher would hear noise like  that under tank ,  its normal

Ya, I believe I read one of your post from a few years back stating the same thing.  Did the knock go away or did you just learn to live with it?

Put some hard miles on it.  Break it in bro!

BTW the drive belt adjustment sequence is in your OWNERS manual and involves having some weight on the seat, not just empty measurements.

I don't know about yours, but mine is pinging. I have to add octane boost to supreme gas before I can use full-throttle, but then, I have the big bore high compression pistons. If you have stock pistons, you shouldn't be anywhere near the pinging problem I'm seeing in mine.

You say you hear it during accelerating.  One persons "knocking" is another persons "pinging".  Why not try to eliminate what you can first?   Fill up with highest octane first and see if it eliminates this knocking.  If it does then your hearing detonation and your fuel mixture is off.

megawatt:

You say you hear it during accelerating.  One persons "knocking" is another persons "pinging".  Why not try to eliminate what you can first?   Fill up with highest octane first and see if it eliminates this knocking.  If it does then your hearing detonation and your fuel mixture is off.

 Doesn't pinging/detonation sound like a can of marbles?  This is a solid knocking in mine.  I will try higher octane in the bike.  I am already running 88 octane.

Its a push-rod motor.  Very noisy.  I took mine back to the stealer several times , about the knocking/pinging,   they said, "dont worry about it, its a very noisy motor".  Not I'm saving for louder pipes.  It pings more when the motor is warm.( oil is thinner)

BTW although this probably isn't your problem, also keep the rpm's up because its a big motor.  Otherwise it'll make the usual noises in the lower rpm's like you are seeing.

Thanks guys.  I know I keep asking paranoid questions about this bike.  I have wanted a Warrior since 2002 and I now have one.  I have always had 650-1200cc engine bikes; but nothing this big, or a push rod engine for that matter. 

I know I am not the only one paranoid about engine noise when I did a search last night.

Hit it hard.  If she is going to blow, make sure it is why the warranty is still good.  Seriously though, I wouldn't worry too much.  When I first got mine every little noise bothered me.  Now I just ride it and hope it continues to be reliable.  8k and no probs yet.

These bikes are quite noisy but I wouldn't live with 'knocking'. If there's a Warrior at the Dealer, ask to hear it run. Or perhaps a 4M member lives fairly close by so you can hear theirs. My bike does not knock at all but it does ping:}

My pings too but much less on Shell gasoline. Citgo is worst....in my bike at least:}  Have you tried running some carbon cleaner in the fuel? (can't remember the name of mine).  I think carbon builds up somewhere in the combustion chamber and detonates the mixture too early since it's a hotspot. The pinging has left the engine even with Citgo so I shall add a cc whenever I can as prevention.

ridingrules:

I don't know about yours, but mine is pinging. I have to add octane boost to supreme gas before I can use full-throttle, but then, I have the big bore high compression pistons. If you have stock pistons, you shouldn't be anywhere near the pinging problem I'm seeing in mine.