Found a small rock in the rear drive belt sprocket

[replay13]

I started hearing a belt noise once in a while. I pulled in the clutch and coasted a ways and could feel something not quite right a couple times, slight vibration once in a while. Anyways I put the bike on blocks and spun the tire by hand but it would try to hang up a little bit in one spot. The pea size rock was stuck on one side of the rear sprocket and I think it was pushing the belt over to one side sometimes, and I think that was when it was making the noise. All is good now smooth as silk and the belt looked good.
I guess I'll be checking it now after driving through any gravel road construction!
James

[AlabamaNomadRider]

Glad you noticed something wrong and found it before it possibly broke the belt. One reason I prefer the shaft like I have.

[ringadingh]

Thats happened a couple times now from what Ive seen. The stone must get kicked up by the tire at just the right angle.

[Top Cat]

I'm with Gene on the shaft drive.

[blowndodge]

Both of yous guys look like you've been shafted!!

[Top Cat]

Originally Posted by Blowndodge "Darksider"

Both of yous guys look like you've been shafted!!

More than once Brad. I'm a little more careful who I deal with now.

[Jared]

I had that happen to my vn900. You're lucky it didn't damamge the belt.

[gv550]

I had a stone punch an 18 mm hole through the belt (28 mm wide) while on a trip through Montana last summer. I phoned ahead to my dealer in Ontario to order a new belt but it took 3 weeks to arrive and I had logged over 10,000 kms before replacing it. That carbon fiber is tough stuff.
I have since added an extension to the front of my belt guard and so far no more stone holes.
Garry

[replay13]

Another rock in belt.

Went through some sticky asphalt patch work today and I could hear the little pebbles sticking to the tires and clinking off the fenders, and later I was feeling some vibrations at certain speeds when slowing down. I pulled in the clutch and coasted from 70 to about 20 and could hear the belt sometimes and feel vibrations at a few different speeds. So back home and put the bike on blocks and pull off the saddle bag and drop the muffler and take off the belt guard and this is what I found. Actually I found more like this in a couple other places too.

The belt guard seems to cover good on the bottom so they must be sticking to the tire and dropping down on the belt from the top. The front sprocket looked clean and the belt didn't have much on it, mostly packed in the back sprocket. The belt looked ok so cleaned the sprocket out with a small screwdriver and was good to go again. This is the second time, but I have 10,000 miles on the bike now so not too bad.

I wish I could get rid of the irregular sounding knock on idle this easy! It never knocks when its cold, but always knocks some when its warmed up, the hotter the bike is the louder it knocks. 2010 Nomad 1700. I've heard the knock for the last 6,000 miles now and its still running but I wish I knew what it was! I'm still under warranty so I'll keep riding it.

James

[AlabamaNomadRider]

I wouldn't wait too long before taking the bike in and having it checked.

I'm still glad I have the shaft as I don't have to worry about the small rock problem.

[ringadingh]

Perhaps you could add a piece on the belt gaurd to help protect the belt.

[replay13]

Originally Posted by AlabamaNomadRider

I wouldn't wait too long before taking the bike in and having it checked.

I bought the bike in a town about 100 miles from here, also I have a local Kawi dealer. I've had the bike to the local dealer twice to listen to the knock and to the dealer where I bought the bike once. They both say ride it.

The local dealer said they are a noisy motor and its not a bearing or you would hear it all the time, not just when it it warmed up, and he said you have documented it. The dealer where I bought the bike said it might be the balancer chain and he said it might even quit when the adjuster takes up another notch.

I have a ongoing post on another forum "noise on idle" and I have 4 or 5 others there with the same noise and they are telling them the same thing, ride it. Also on yet another forum another guy started a thread with the same noise. All 1700 motor. I have no idea how many people with 1700's that don't have the knocking noise at a idle when it gets hot, none responded that their 1700 didn't make that noise. So for now I'll ride it till they have something to fix, and I'm tring to learn all I can about what the noise is. I have another dealer about 170 miles from me, and I stopped in there on the way back from a recent trip but their mechanic wasn't in at the time.

Yep, I'll prolly get the 4 yr extended warranty... I still have a year left on the original warranty. I havn't heard of any of the other bikes falling apart yet, I guess time will tell whats going on.

James

[captj3]

I have 2011 nomad and mine doesn't make any noise when hot and idling. I find the motor runs quiet all the time compared to my old 900. Now that was a noisy engine, but a good one. It has been a scorcher down here lately.

[replay13]

captj3, thanks for the input and hope you get more friendly riding weather soon. How many miles do you have on the 2011 nomad? I'm not sure what all motor and trans changes they made to the '11 but I'm glad it runs good for you.
James

[replay13]

Originally Posted by gv550

I had a stone punch an 18 mm hole through the belt (28 mm wide) while on a trip through Montana last summer. I phoned ahead to my dealer in Ontario to order a new belt but it took 3 weeks to arrive and I had logged over 10,000 kms before replacing it. That carbon fiber is tough stuff.
I have since added an extension to the front of my belt guard and so far no more stone holes.
Garry

Garry, thanks for the info and sometime when you have the saddlebag off could you post a picture of your extension? I'm going to take a good look at mine and see what I can do, maybe the after market will come up with one that works good somewhere down the road.
Btw: how did that belt with the hole in it sound, did it make more noise?
Thanks,
James