Clicking Noise in the Rear Wheel

Alright all you experts and others that have f#cked up a bunch of parts...I have a problem on one of the bikes I service and need your opinion. I did a search and found a couple of threads discussing similar problems but they all seemed to have different cures so before I do something extreme like bust open the engine to replace bearings I want to get a few opinions. I know what I hope it is, but I also know what I'm afraid you are going to tell me. First a little background. This bike is a 2012 Roadster purchased a year or so ago used with 450 miles on it. It now has ~ 15,000 on the clock. No wheelies, track days or other harsh riding in it's brief history. No mods other than TORS which the original owner must have had installed upon purchase. Other than the initial service nobody but me has touched the bike and all that I've done is service it at regular intervals. The bike is now making a clicking noise in the rear tire assembly. It's loud enough that you it gets your attention even if you aren't listening for it. Happens forward and backward, with the engine running or not, in gear or not. It clicks every few degrees that the wheel turns. The noise sounds kinda like the playing card that got put in the spokes of your bicycle when you were a kid but not quite that loud. The bike just came back from a couple thousand mile trip to Arkansas and Colorado and it wasn't making that noise when it left so this is a relatively new development. I am hoping that the culprit is a rear wheel bearing that is in the process of eating itself. Your thoughts?

Are you one card short of a deck?

idk said:

Are you one card short of a deck?

Click to expand...

LOL...you already know the answer to that question. My deck has always been a little short

Since it does it when your just rolling it without thr engine running have you tried slipping the brake pads out so nothing is touvhing the rotor and roll it back and fourth to see it the noise is still there. Of course I do not know if this can be done with a ABS sytem but if so you might be able to narrow it down.

I haven't really done anything yet but hear the noise as the bike just arrived in the shop last night, but it sounds...I don't know how to describe it...regularly spaced. Most brake / rotor Issues I've ever seen, like a warped rotor, didn't make a noise at multiple points in one wheel spin...usually just one or two. This noise happens 6 - 8 times in one wheel spin. I will check the pads though just to make sure before removing the wheel.

Morris run a dial indictor on the face of the rotor and the inside diameter of the rim both sides while you have it up in air before you remove anything.

Sound advice. Will try to have my videographer on hand as well. I know this has happened to other bikes but the threads I could find the problem was handled by dealers so ambiguous or at least suspect repair information. I just hope its in the bearings and not the final drive

If your wooried about the bevel box drian it a put a magnet in the drained oil. Of course if it is major you should see bits coming out or plugging the drain hole plus there is a magnet on the drain plug. It could be as simple as one of the pistons sticking in the in the caliper and a pad chattering where collapsing them in and pumping them out frees things up. Just bouncing ideas out there for simple checks like makin the rotor is free floating.

Scot pretty well covered everything I was going to suggest except try and see if there is any side play in the wheel itself while off the ground

Greasing the drive shaft splines would possibly be a good idea too.