Advice needed on idling sound

[pvonkaenel]

Hi all, I am new to the forum after finally buying the Valkyrie I have been wanting for a long time.  It is a 2003 Standard.

My real question has to do with the sound the bike makes while idling. I have attached an unlisted YouTube video I took a short bit ago.

To me it sounds like there is a ticking that I am unsure is normal or not. The bike has 40k miles on it and runs great. this video was taken before the bike really warmed up. it had been idling with the choke on for about a minute before I took off the choke and recorded the video.  Since I do not know the service that has been done, I am planning on oil change, plugs, timing belts and gear oil change this weekend.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

https://youtu.be/RvWd7SLRmYM

[98valk]

two types of ticking, PAIR Valves and Camshaft Valves.

Camshaft valve adjustment should be checked at 12k miles. slight noise is good. no noise from valves is bad, meaning they are too tight.

[Willow]

Timing belts at 40,000?  Not recommended.  Honda suggests checking them at 100,000.

[pvonkaenel]

Timing belts at 40,000?  Not recommended.  Honda suggests checking them at 100,000.

I was thinking that due to the age of the bike it would not hurt to go ahead and change the belts even though I know I am quite a ways from the 100k check.  Sounds like you are saying that it is premature to change them now even considering the age.

[pvonkaenel]

two types of ticking, PAIR Valves and Camshaft Valves.

Camshaft valve adjustment should be checked at 12k miles. slight noise is good. no noise from valves is bad, meaning they are too tight.

Sounds like I need to make checking the camshaft valves a priority.

Thank you

[Joe333x]

Timing belts at 40,000?  Not recommended.  Honda suggests checking them at 100,000.

I was thinking that due to the age of the bike it would not hurt to go ahead and change the belts even though I know I am quite a ways from the 100k check.  Sounds like you are saying that it is premature to change them now even considering the age.

You are absolutely correct in that thinking. 100,000 would be if you were driving it like a car and actually got 100,000 on it in 10 years but 20+ years on those rubber belts can cause it to dry and crack. I replaced mine last year and they were definitely loose, replacing them and setting them to the proper tension using a fishing scale really improved starting the engine.

[Chrisj CMA]

I did not hear anything in that YouTube that I would consider abnormal

[pvonkaenel]

two types of ticking, PAIR Valves and Camshaft Valves.

Camshaft valve adjustment should be checked at 12k miles. slight noise is good. no noise from valves is bad, meaning they are too tight.

I was looking at the pair valve and if I am understanding correctly that is on California compliant ones. Aside from taking the airbox off to look underneath is there a way to know if a bike has the smog stuff on it or no?

[pvonkaenel]

I did not hear anything in that YouTube that I would consider abnormal

Thank you. I appreciate it.

[98valk]

two types of ticking, PAIR Valves and Camshaft Valves.

Camshaft valve adjustment should be checked at 12k miles. slight noise is good. no noise from valves is bad, meaning they are too tight.

I was looking at the pair valve and if I am understanding correctly that is on California compliant ones. Aside from taking the airbox off to look underneath is there a way to know if a bike has the smog stuff on it or no?

all models have the PAIR valves, california models have the additional charcoal canister setup.

the materials the belts are made of do not age easily unless sitting in the desert sun for yrs.   They are actually industrial drive belts designed to run 24/7 at much higher loads than a camshaft with 90lb valve springs, which Honda uses as timing belts and calls them as such. Also Fed and State EPA laws since '97 require anything that effects emissions on a vehicle is required to last a minimum of 100k miles.   Here are the belts if u want read about them more.  

PowerGrip® GT®3 Belts   https://www.gates.com/us/en/search.p.9356-000000-000000.html

[Pluggy]

Sounds like mine.  It is a 2003 with 43K miles and runs perfectly.  And, it runs with the original camshaft belts.

[pvonkaenel]

two types of ticking, PAIR Valves and Camshaft Valves.

Camshaft valve adjustment should be checked at 12k miles. slight noise is good. no noise from valves is bad, meaning they are too tight.

I was looking at the pair valve and if I am understanding correctly that is on California compliant ones. Aside from taking the airbox off to look underneath is there a way to know if a bike has the smog stuff on it or no?

all models have the PAIR valves, california models have the additional charcoal canister setup.

the materials the belts are made of do not age easily unless sitting in the desert sun for yrs.   They are actually industrial drive belts designed to run 24/7 at much higher loads than a camshaft with 90lb valve springs, which Honda uses as timing belts and calls them as such. Also Fed and State EPA laws since '97 require anything that effects emissions on a vehicle is required to last a minimum of 100k miles.   Here are the belts if u want read about them more.  

PowerGrip® GT®3 Belts   https://www.gates.com/us/en/search.p.9356-000000-000000.html

Thanks, I will definitely check out those belts and learn a bit more about them.

[WintrSol]

I did not hear anything in that YouTube that I would consider abnormal

Nor did I, but it does sound like a proper sync is in order.

[Willow]

Timing belts at 40,000?  Not recommended.  Honda suggests checking them at 100,000.

I was thinking that due to the age of the bike it would not hurt to go ahead and change the belts even though I know I am quite a ways from the 100k check.  Sounds like you are saying that it is premature to change them now even considering the age.

Yes.  Ride.

[MarkT]

Late to the party.

Another source of ticking which sounds like tappets, is a small leak at the headers. With the bike cold & on a lift if you have one, start the bike up, put your ears next to the headers  and your fingers around each header connection. If you hear the ticking or feel puffs on your fingers you've found the problem.  Replace the crush gasket.

[LadyDraco]

I did not hear anything in that YouTube that I would consider abnormal

I agree  with Chris ...

[WintrSol]

I put my headphones on, and I do hear a faint clicking/tapping noise, which seemed louder when he moved to the front. I don't have PAIR valves, so don't hear that; perhaps that's what they sound like?
Nothing else I can think of would make that kind of sound, coming from the front. You could remove the front cover and listen again; it could be a roller bearing on the belt at the early stages of failure.