[singhg5]

Upon leaving a fast food joint 2 weeks ago I kicked the bike and it made a terrible "clackity clackity clack!" while idling. I was in a hurry and needed to get to work so I thundered off into the road and upon stopping at a red light less than 2 miles later the noise was gone.

Fastforward to a day ago.

I do my oil change a little past a thousand miles since initial break-in and there are metal chunks in the screen filter. And I mean small pieces you can pick up and feel
I have ridden over 500miles since the "clackity clack!" experience 100 being on this oil change with no visible issues.
-Metal tid-bits in oil screen filter during change.
-Nothing else unusual since and running better than ever.
Should I be worried?

Jake: 

Was the noise coming from the rocker cover like Wills's bike or down below and which side of engine ?  When you kicked the bike, did the kick lever slip one or two notches - click, click - before fully engaging ?

[2bikebill]

That click/clack may be the auto de-compressor sticking briefly. It sometimes manifests as a loud clack when the the bike wont fire up immediately.

Are you sure the stuff on the screen was metal? The magnets usually catch the metal. The screen tends to get covered in bits of grey gasket sealant at the first oil change - it's a bit startling because it looks like shards of metal!

The idle does speed up after you've put some miles on the bike. There is a large flat horizontal brass screw above the throttle assembly to adjust it - a bit tricky to get to without a bent screwdriver. DON'T touch anything else down there!

You'll notice a very satisfying increase in smoothness and performance over the first 1000 miles, particularly at around 500.

My bike too has always had quite a bit of mechanical engine noise. I assumed it was normal - old style single and all that. But I have heard a couple of other UCE bikes running, and they were virtually silent by comparison.  I am a big fan of these bikes, but I do suspect there is a good deal of variation in assembly skills / standards of workmanship at the RE factory, and an unacceptably "relaxed" approach to quality control.

I don't think having a noisy engine is necessarily cause for concern - just the luck of the Chennai draw. Things will improve I daresay as more and more of these bikes are bought where Japaneses standards of build & finish have become the norm. Complacency is what did for the British bike industry after all - of which Chennai is the last outpost  -  but hopefully not the last gasp.......

I hope all is well with your bike Jake, it probably is. Enjoy the good bits. That 2 year warranty does remove a lot of the anxiety.....

[YJake]

To be honest I can't tell which side it was coming from at all, it was just making a racket. I do however think I am missing the top tooth to my kickstart gear. (If there is such a thing, feels like this one ratchets or something?) Every now and then when I kick I can feel it slightly grab when it's at the top of it's rotation and slip down a tooth to where it normally catches.

I again, thought this normal after awhile and shrugged it off.

WillW, My couple of smaller shards (than yours anyway) where caught in the screen filter with my magnet full of dust like your picture shows. I too am grateful for the warranty especially only a few months in, I have about half your total mileage in this time as well.

-Jake

[2bikebill]

The sprag clutch has failed on some of these bikes. They now fit a more robust one. If you're having problems at all, get it back to the dealer.  Hopefully not too far away....?

[ScooterBob]

YJake - The early bikes were notorious for little lifter problems due to the low pressure chambers being to tightly fitted i the lifter bodies. They'd pump up and keep the valves open - or they'd not pump up at all and allow the valve-train to clatter like a neglected Iron Barrel until they warmed  up enough to move again. I suspect this is what happened in your engine. As for the "raw bits" in the bottom - I have seen some of the early bikes with what looked to be metallic undercoating in the engines - just dust tho - no parts big enough to have part numbers stamped on them like Will's bike. If yours runs good now and sounds good now - it probably IS good for all intents and purposes .... I'd keep and eye on the trash screen come oil change time. THAT will be the teller of the tale ....

[Sub]

This is exactly what I have.. Did you see my video posted above? Tell me if yours sounds the same.

This seems to run parallel to an experience I recently had...

Upon leaving a fast food joint 2 weeks ago I kicked the bike and it made a terrible "clackity clackity clack!" while idling. I was in a hurry and needed to get to work so I thundered off into the road and upon stopping at a red light less than 2 miles later the noise was gone.

Fastforward to a day ago.

I do my oil change a little past a thousand miles since initial break-in and there are metal chunks in the screen filter. And I mean small pieces you can pick up and feel not flakes. Nothing compared to your bike of course, but larger than what I had seen during initial break-in changes.

I have ridden over 500miles since the "clackity clack!" experience 100 being on this oil change with no visible issues. My bike always has had somewhat of a "clack" to the engine (Which I assumed to be normal) but it seems to be running better and quieter now than ever before. The idle seems faster than upon purchase but nothing else...(I took the exhaust off and may have a leak from reassembly)

In summary.
-"CLACKITY CLACK" noise there then gone 1-2 miles down road.
-Metal tid-bits in oil screen filter during change.
-Nothing else unusual since and running better than ever.

Should I be worried?

Sorry to steal the thread but this has got me thinking., I may just be over-thinking things, but his bike is my daily commuter and main mode of transportation.

-Jake

[YJake]

Video? 

-Jake

[Andy]

-"CLACKITY CLACK"

Mine has done that once, literally on its last start-up before the sad ride to the shed last winter. 

It hasn't reappeared since the snows have gone, so I'm not too worried about it.  If it becomes a regular, or even semi-regular, thing, I expect I'll go digging.

[billy2sheds]

First off bad luck with your bike Will, I've been looking at the w800 as well very tempting. My kickstart feels like it slips a tooth as well, all so now and again she sounds a bit clattery on start up.
I only have 1300 miles on the clock and I'm doing a longer run in,counting the gearbox recall she has had four oil changes,i did one today and there was just a very light dusting of fillings on the drain plug,thankfully no heavy metal as i am out of warranty mine is a 2009 g5.

[2bikebill]

Ah yes, that W800 is a gorgeous looking machine isn't it. Seriously tempting, but the 650 (676 I believe) is about ideal for me in weight and power I reckon. And more Bonnie than a Bonnie.... 
Trying to banish the idea from my mind, but it persists as plans for much longer rides are forming. Wouldn't part with my Enfield though for jaunts round the west country - I doubt there's another ride quite like it.......

[Ducati Scotty]

We only got the W650 on this side of the pond for two years and never even saw the 800.  Shame, nice bikes.

Scott

[2bikebill]

I read somewhere that only 250 of the W800 are being imported to UK. Don't know whether it's true.
I saw a very beat-up 2000 reg. W650 with 105,000 miles on the clock go for £1440 on Ebay this afternoon! Very low mileage ones are still fetching around £4000.

[singhg5]

To be honest I can't tell which side it was coming from at all, it was just making a racket. I do however think I am missing the top tooth to my kickstart gear. (If there is such a thing, feels like this one ratchets or something?) Every now and then when I kick I can feel it slightly grab when it's at the top of it's rotation and slip down a tooth to where it normally catches.

My kickstart feels like it slips a tooth as well, all so now and again she sounds a bit clattery on start up.

@Jake & @Billy

My 2009 G5 kick start also slips a tooth fairly regularly.  So I do not give full strength kick right away. I put some pressure on the kick lever to check if the teeth are fully engaged. If it slips a tooth, I let go off the pressure and let the kick lever come up again and then give a full strength kick all the way down.

Bullet always keeps the rider on the toes  .  

@Jake - It seems that your bike is running fine now, just give the gas tank a SeaFoam treatment.  It is very helpful to get rid of moisture in gas, it also cleans fuel injector and lubes the valves and upper cylinder.

[ChristopherRyan]

My bike does the same thing when it is really cold. I am not worried about it.

[barenekd]

It looks like a valve keeper to me. You must have a sticking valve or you over reved the engine. You may have a broken valve spring.
Bare