Advice needed please: purchase used 2011 Touring

Hi again guys, I am about to buy an used R3 touring from 2011 and 65k kilometers, as I mentioned in my introduce post. I just came back from the owner, so I saw the bike for first time (we live 400km from each other). This would be my first Triumph, however I am quite used to mechanics and wrenching as I service my own cars and bikes since ever. Now the point - the bike is the very most beautiful bike I have seen in my life. I just fall in love with it at first site. However, when I started the engine (cold) she ran smooth in first time, then I engaged 1st gear in place, put back in N and left it idle. Then I sudenly started feeling some strange rattle-like sound from the left hand side of the engine, about behind the oil reservoir. And if I put my palm on the oil tank I can feel it vibrating in the rythm of that sound. On right hand sound there is no such noise. It is not extremly loud, I have read here about "paint can rattle" and saw the video with it, I don't think it is that. And it is there only at curb idle, I think I cant't hear it when rev it up. The sound still reminds me to a chain sound but I can not say for sure. Now as I would give my very last penny for this bike, I would hate to be stuck with some serious problem as with bad chain/sprockets or similar. Otherwise the bike is from CH, it has all the service receipts and had its last service 5k kms ago. I tried to record the sound but I'm not sure if crappy phone camera could get it good enough. Any advice would be appreciated!

What does the owner say about it? What you describe makes me think of bearings in that area located between the transmission gears and the drive shaft. Hopefully others here with far more experience with Rocket sounds and noises can offer up their suspicions, if any.

Could be a number of things. Does it have the stock airbox and plumbing? If the stock stuff was jettisoned for pods you may be hearing valve clatter (sounds like angry crickets when you accelerate). If that's not it then it might be the detent spring on the clutch worm. Does it have an aftermarket cam chain tensioner (that do-dad on the front right side of the motor)? You can also see if your local Triumph dealer can diagnose it.

I would pass on this machine.

Thanks for replies. The owner is a bike dealer who imports used bikes from Switzerland and sells them here in Serbia. As for him, nothing is wrong with the bike. Maybe it really isn't, I am not sure if that is maybe normal sound for these engine, just it appears a little strange to me.. Of course, if there is any doubt I will not take a risk. Everything is original on the bike, it was used by only one owner sunce new and apoarently very well took care of, so if this is some trouble I guess it is factory fault. Chain/sprockets never changed, however I saw in service reveipts that clutch spring was changed few years ago. Video is too large to upload here, will post on YouTube and put a link here if that helps any. Thanks again!

Alexgoldwing said:

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Sounds normal to me, but as you say, it's a bit hard to capture on an iPhone.

Could be the ole chain/sprocket goin south, but probably just trans making a little noise, ride it like you stole it on test ride and youll know