Diagnosing some vibrations / clacking

[Justinitforthesnacks]

Recently I’ve been able to get in some longer rides in between a surprisingly busy spring work season (I’m a freelance writer). I rode from NYC to Thompson, CT for a non-sport bike track day at Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park. It was fantastic! I learned so much and saw a lot of improvement over the day. They even put me in the yellow group and despite being far-and-away the slowest bike in my group I was able to make the occasional pass.

Including a link to a picture from the official photographer since it wouldn’t be cool just to rip it off his site. Himalayan on the track

I took a few days in Providence Rhode Island since I had never been and then came back via the ferry to Long Island.

This is where my issues started. I was on the highway for two and a half hours, varying revs and feeling fine. The highways in Long Island are 55mph with an actual speed of around 65-70 which is not unreasonable for the Himalayan, but after an hour and a half I hit some pretty gnarly traffic. The last twenty miles I really started to feel a clacking through my boots and the pegs when in traffic.

It’s a shuddering type “clack clack” vibration that feels acute through my boots. I‘ve tried to drill down a bit further through some subsequent rides / tinkering and this is what I’ve come up with:

It doesn’t happen until the bike is warmed up AND it’s in traffic AND is almost always below 3,000 rpms.

So far I have adjusted my chain and clutch tensions and plan on changing the oil tomorrow.

I’m supposed to be leaving for a trip down south via the Blue Ridge to see family in Tennessee on Friday, so I have a few days to attempt to figure it out before I just go regardless.

Any thoughts or anyone experience something like this? I’m new to motorcycling, but want to learn how to work on this stuff.

 

[60sRetro]

This is a stretch and probably not related given that you adjusted the chain and probably lubed it but, a chain going dry creates subtle vibrations and sounds.

 

[pineygroveshop]

Sounds like an old chain. How many miles on the chain and sprockets?

 

[caferider48]

This is from Scottoiler website, but it might make sense since you raced the bike and then went for an extended ride. You can end up with just a single link that is worn too much and it ends up bearing the entire load on the chain, resulting in the clacking sound. The chain can be adjusted correctly in tension, but the wear that causes the problem is internal. Quoting Scottoiler:
Chains wear at the point where inner and outer side plates are connected by the pin. While the pin is connected to the outer plate, the bush is connected to the inner plate. Through the rolling action of the chain pin and bush constantly rub against each other. If this contact point is not sufficiently lubricated the pin will wear into the bush, thus allowing it to sit deeper in the bush. As this usually happens over many links of a chain the chain physically becomes longer, up to the point where adjustment is no longer possible

 

[caferider48]

Forgot to attach this pdf. Good info on chain wear and maintenance.

 

[thresher]

It happened to me too. It was a dry chain... I've owned two himalayans. The 2020 had a funky chain and it always wanted adjusted and it always clicked. 2021 with 4,000 miles I've had to adjust once... Not all chains are created equal...

 

[Justinitforthesnacks]

Thanks for all this! I went ahead and readjusted as well as re-cleaned and lubed and it’s much better. Glad I focused on the chain issue!

 

[oldphart]

The stock chains have been known to wear out quickly too.
Personally, I've just adjusted my chain for the first time - she's done 11,000 km. It's all hit and miss with OEM bits sometimes.