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Suzuki Gsx s 1000gt engine noise

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114K views 495 replies 70 participants last post by  Horgh  
#1 ·
Hi all I have a gsx s 1000 gt just done 1 300 miles I had run the bike in according to the manual but when I start it up I'm getting a tapping sound from the engine has any one else had this as it happens when its hot or cold .
 
#4 ·
Several here are doing it. I don’t think it’s anything a dealer can resolve. Suzuki may be of no help either they seem to be asleep at the wheel here of late on many things. Until a few let go which I really do not think that’s the case I don’t expect anything to come of taking it to a dealer. It’s the design change to the cam chain tensioner is my personal opinion and I’ve had a lot of Suzukis in the past 40 years. Even a few with cam chain tensioner issues and one with total engine failure with incorrect main bearings installed on two journals of the crankshaft. All covered under warranty,
 
#11 ·
truth be told, ive never considered suzuki to be the best in any aspect, I just like the way they look and the performance and reliability has been fine for me. thats why I stick with them, if I wanted better, I do think the competitors may have the upper edge. as far as im aware, suzuki is the smallest of all the companies, so they have the smallest bank for R/D compared to other companies.
 
#15 ·
Well I know who we can all thank for the current economic disaster stateside. He’s been in Washington 40+ years same old bullshit spewed out of his mouth daily. From the little sad ass state of Delaware lol. Grab your pants it’s about to get worse here. You won’t be able to afford rent, light bill, gas or food just around the corner. They’ll send you a stimulus check for all that…just keep voting for them.
 
#19 ·
Well that's interesting... Did the noise fit the description in this thread exactly? Our accounts all seem to be very consistent.
When you say it got really bad, it sounds like maybe it wasn't the same thing we're describing, and maybe it will be remedied by a new bike. If it was the same thing we're describing, then I fear he'll be terribly disappointed when the new bike starts making the same noise, because at this point it seems likely that it will.
 
#20 ·
I rode 432 miles yesterday and it did the thing a few times on hot startup when I, again, wasn't thinking about it... but it also didn't do it a few times as well. When I arrived home I did think about it so pulled out the phone to take video but it didn't do it upon restart that time (so I deleted the video), dang it.

Now... important:
The main purpose of the ride was to get my panniers (finally!) and heated grips installed at the dealer I bought it from, so during that I spoke with the service department about it (it didn't reproduce while there) and he said to call Suzuki customer support and complain (even though they'll tell me to take it to a dealer) because customers usually have a lot more pull with Suzuki than dealers do. In my limited experience thus far, that's been true. He said they'll start taking notice if a lot of people call in and tell them the same thing is happening.
So... everyone who is having this issue should do so. I haven't yet, but I plan to shortly. I'll have to get the number to call because I haven't looked it up yet.
 
#29 ·
Back in post #20 I discussed my dealer's viewpoint. His explanation boiled down to "having me call them would do no good... you calling them might get results because you're the customer, not me. They don't care about me".
He might have a point, because that's exactly what happened with my panniers, and indeed other's as well. Dealers got no results by bugging Suzuki, we did.
It's pretty messed up if you ask me, but it does mean we should all call Suzuki.
My head still isn't on straight from my trip... I need better sleep for a few days because I can't speak properly in real time so I don't want to speak to them yet. (This was about the 8th edit to this post... edit, about 9th)
 
#35 ·
I hope it's not a case of Suzuki inadequately engineering the lubrication mechanism for the valve train. That would result in a recall, but since the naked bike does it, then maybe it's just a "thing". Does the naked model have the same cam chain design, or is the GT design exclusive to it? I seem to recall the GT's description speaks about the "new" cam chain system design, but not sure if it's applicable only to the GT or applies to its siblings as well...
 
#37 ·
Do not see how they could screw this up, the engine has been around since 2005-2008 then revived in 2016 with the new GSX naked and F. They revised a few things in it since 2005-2008 motors which were GSXR engines. I am starting to think it is the nature of the beast since not one has failed to date. Think rattly BMW engines when they all start up and the noise goes away in a few seconds to a minute. I have a friend who has every BMW engine since the air heads and they all do this. I am not talking about the RR inline four engines and we know where that design was copied from, the K5 GSXR engine way back when. Back then Suzuki dominated World Superbike series with Corona bikes and Troy Corser on the then new K5 GSXR 1000. You want to beat the best you go copy them. BMW bought a K5 and completely took it apart and in no time the S1000RR came to life. Todays history lesson, I'll go do some real work now....
 
#39 ·
Well, shoot...I probably thought my BMW RR didn't rattle, but maybe it's because I'm wearing earplugs when I start it up. Are you guys that are hearing this noise wearing earplugs?

Really? The RR engine was copied from Suzuki? Seems like an infringement issue...did Suzuki ever challenge BMW on this? Very interesting!
 
#40 ·
Well, shoot...I probably thought my BMW RR didn't rattle, but maybe it's because I'm wearing earplugs when I start it up. Are you guys that are hearing this noise wearing earplugs?

Really? The RR engine was copied from Suzuki? Seems like an infringement issue...did Suzuki ever challenge BMW on this? Very interesting!
No they did not because BMW made enough changes on their own to not infringe on Suzuki's design. BMW needed to know why the K5 was so good so they took it completely apart and studied it and went from there. Apparently Suzuki never was bothered by it. They went into slow motion globally right after 2005 anyway.

I cannot hear it with earplugs but do not wear them all the time locally but will wear them 100% out on a long trip to reduce noise fatigue I will get if I do not wear them. The noise is real on hot starts I brought it to friends attention and they hear it as well. Most just tell me they would not worry wot much about it and for the most part I have not I just keep riding it.
 
#42 · (Edited)
Don't confuse "noisy" with "a distinct tapping on hot startup that goes away after a short time". Those are two different things. Pretty much all motorcycle engines are noisy, some more than others. Those noises are normal... anything that taps then stops tapping is not normal. Best case, nothing further comes of it. Worst case, it gets worse and causes a major failure. Either way, an intermittent tapping like that is not operating as designed.

I wear ear plugs full time. I can hear it with them in, but I may miss it at times because of them.
The first two times that I heard it (right before first service and right after), it was a lot louder... Very clear through the ear plugs and very concerning. I think it was the same noise because it sounded the same, tapped at the same frequency, and was during the same conditions, but it got quieter from then on and has stayed at that volume level since (when it does it).
 
#43 ·
Suzuki has put incorrect shim sizes in a Hayabusa the latest one and the engine let go. It was posted on ADVrider and I clicked on it and watched the guys tear down and he proved it had incorrect shims under the buckets on the cylinder that let go. He could not warranty claim it because he had been racing it and bought it for that. He has had many Busas and never a problem like this. So things are possible all it takes is a mistake on assembly and in this case must have been the same guy building the engines. Just grasping at straws here I have no proof that this is what the Busa suffered from in the end. The tapping is concerning on the hot start I will agree with @Symmetry on that. The way it goes away in a few seconds is not normal and mine doesn't do it right at start up it is usually a second or two then the tapping starts. And it had not made this tapping on any cold start. It did rattle once on a cold start but that was not the tapping sound we all hear.