[luoma]

I get an annoying rattle when I get the bike revved up beyond half throttle. Once the engine begins to have some vibration, a rattle starts, sounds like it's coming from in front of me, but I can't find anything. I check the bike over, wiggling things to see if everything is tight, but I know I'm missing something. Anyone got any ideas?

[Thumper]

Check to see if either of the brackets at the rear of the gas tank have severed off. The tank will vibrate and rattle just as you have described.

Matt

[luoma]

Thanks, I just checked. Tank is OK. It sounds like something small. Maybe something in the headlight housing reacting to the bike's viration. I'll check it out later. I'm a little tired right now from riding in 90 degree heat.

[mrunderhill1975a]

Check the front center fender-stay.  The OEM stays are prone to crack from vibration.  CMW has a premium replacement that is much more durable.

You may also want to check the muffler rear attachment point  which may vibrate loose (this can cause the exhaust pipe to rattle at the exhaust port on the head)

[Foggy_Auggie]

You may also want to check the muffler rear attachment point  which may vibrate loose (this can cause the exhaust pipe to rattle at the exhaust port on the head)

My rear OEM muffler hanger cracked and split right through the center.  It was from vibration - and it was also under side stress because it was flexed into a bow shape with the factory bolt down.

I had it welded and then remounted it having the proper downward tension on the bracket.  This required shimming the top bolt with washers between the hanger and the frame lug.  So the hanger now hangs straight down with no bow flex imparted on it.

[jest2dogs]

My keys sometimes "ting-ting-ting" on the handlebars.

Another rattle I heard on my bike was when a co-worker rode it and revved her up a bit going across the parking lot. As a matter of fact several of us heard it. I was afraid it was a con-rod or ...  (Later I had a little "talk" with my friend about his "behaviour"...) but it turned out to be the sidestand rattling against the centerstand prop lever.

As I mentioned in another thread about sidestands, this conflict was remedied with a 5# sledge... oh, the centerstand was fixed with the sledge, not the co-worker. :O)

-Jesse, some say I'm a little rattled :O)

[luoma]

Found it. When I went for a ride today, I noticed there was no rattle, just the mellow sound from the gutted shorty. When I inspected the bike to see if I could find what changed, I noticed the non-functional ovum case was gone. Brackets were still there. Looks like it had some shoddy spot welds. It was probably hanging by a thread for ome time, setting up a horrible racket. Looks a bit off with one missing, but sounds better. I may take the other off. I don't know the purpose for the ugly things anyway. Don't need the hard-to-get-to tool storage with a leather pouch mounted up front.

[Leonard]

I noticed the non-functional ovum case was gone. Brackets were still there. Looks like it had some shoddy spot welds.

Glad you found the source of the irratation but what the heck is an ovum case?

[cyrusb]

A cervix ? Must be an Electra..

[luoma]

Leonard, look at a side shot of an Electra. See the wierd things in back of the painted side covers? The ones that look like flat black sausages? That's what fell off. One side is useless, the other is a tool storage bin.

[scoTTy]

I had one of those 2day...  raTTLe   .. say wHuT?.. Ok... er  I think the 96 degree temp and me not downshifting soon enough  created sPark nok... once i started paying attention.. 

[meilaushi]

Leonard, look at a side shot of an Electra. See the wierd things in back of the painted side covers? The ones that look like flat black sausages? That's what fell off. One side is useless, the other is a tool storage bin.

Betcha meant oval instead of ovum.  Your subconscious musta been thinkin' about something else.... Freudian slip???
But then these bikes ARE sexy!

[Thumper]

I noticed the non-functional ovum case was gone. Brackets were still there. Looks like it had some shoddy spot welds.

Glad you found the source of the irratation but what the heck is an ovum case?

Ovum Cases = egg shaped sidecovers on the Electras. One holds a tool case, one is just there.

[LotusSevenMan]

Which came first? Chicken or the ovum case?