e9999 Posted June 28, 2006 Report Share Posted June 28, 2006 (edited) Hi all, new to the site. Seems like some good knowledgeable folks here. Am in California, not the hub of Trials, but we may change that yet... Rode Trials a long time ago, and thinking about getting a newish used bike to get started again. I don't have much $$ so need to be careful about not getting a dubious one. Did some reading here, but I have a more specific question: This is a 290 Sherco '02 I'm looking at. Sold by a very nice fellow, but seems like it's been used pretty hard, looking at the outside. In particular I am a bit concerned at the engine noise, and I live far away, so only had one look at it. When idling in neutral, the bike engine makes quite a racket -not the exhaust- rather a mechanical noise. Kind of loud mechanical noises from inside the crankcase / clutch area. Hard to describe of course, but it's definitely not "purring" smoothly or silently. Not due to uneven idle I thinking, more mechanical noises within. Kind of muffled clanking sounds, one or two a second or so, on top of a loud vibrating unevern noise. Sounds like something loose, banging inside. When I pull the clutch the noises decrease noticeably but do not disappear, some 'clanking" still there.. Not that you have to strain to hear. Can easily tell from a foot or 2. When I took it for a drive, it rode OK, but was pretty buzzy. OK, so that was all very vague, sorry. And it's a 2 stroke. But it's much more "unevenly clanky noisy" than my old OSSA 250 MAR IIRC, for what that's worth. I'm thinking maybe crankshaft / bearings / rod something like that, maybe clutch or gear box? Bear in mind, I don't know anything about this particular engine, so I'm going by instinct and general mechanical experience. So, how noisy should a good engine sound like? Is this likely normal, unacceptable, or impossible to tell from where you're sitting? Any advice / feedback / suggestions welcome. I'm in a different city and there are very few trials bike around here, so no mechanic familar with these readily available and very few bikes around to compare with... So any info / guesses / subjective opinions would be much appreciated. thanks very much Eric. Edited June 28, 2006 by E9999 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toofasttim Posted June 28, 2006 Report Share Posted June 28, 2006 Might be an idea getting one of the California guys to go and look at it with you. Maybe Ringo..hmmm maybe not. Nah seriously, I'm sure someone will help you out. TFT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feetupfun Posted June 28, 2006 Report Share Posted June 28, 2006 Best option is to get someone who owns a similar bike to listen and ride it. Next best is to make a video (with sound) and post it somewhere we can down load it from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan bechard Posted June 28, 2006 Report Share Posted June 28, 2006 Wholeheartedly agree with getting someone familiar with those bikes to give it a look over and a test ride. Almost impossible here to diagnose things like engine noise etc. Hard enough when you are standing over the bike with it running. I would look at Mains certainly, it is fairly quick and easy to pull the flywheel cover (3ea 5mm hex bolts) shift down and hold the shifter down all the way as it drops into a lower gear and you can pull the flywheel cover off. Grab the flywheel and wiggle. Not the scientific set up the dial indicator etc test, but for buying a used bike, should let you know, and if you suspect the noise is there can confirm they are loose. Not that big a deal to change if needed. Lots of Sherco support from RYP, and here as well. www.rypusa.com has links to the manuals etc so it is easy to look at pictures, also easy to reach Ryan and get answers from the man that has probably seen everything that comes up on the Sherco's. Good luck and hope it works out well for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bagger Posted June 28, 2006 Report Share Posted June 28, 2006 main bearings suck on the shercos. save yourself a lot of money and time.i would look at another bike or another brand if i were you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
e9999 Posted June 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2006 (edited) thanks. Well, yes, it would be good to have somebody familiar with Shercos or even another brand listen to it. Problem is that there aren't too many trials riders in these parts. I realize it's hard to diagnose by Web. Let's go at it another way, perhaps: what does a good engine sound like? perfectly quiet and purring? no clanking? some clanking? should all noises disappear when the clutch is set? What would be a worst case scenario, expenses-wise, if there is something seriously wrong? thanks Eric Edited June 28, 2006 by E9999 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan bechard Posted June 28, 2006 Report Share Posted June 28, 2006 Worst case scenario is that the bottom end of the bike is trashed, bearings are trashed, and there are metal chunks from the clutch / gears / etc floating around in the bottom end. Worst case is that you are not very mechanicly adept, or choose not to work on your own shop, and you take it too a high dollar bike shop and start paying $120 an hour for a mechanic not familiar with it to work on it. You end up paying more then the bike is worth. Most likely scenario, A. It has some worn parts, that require some attention. B. You are reasonably mechanicly adept, or have a freind that is and will work with you. You spend some time pulling it apart, sorting out what you need and putting it back together. Some parts are certainly expensive in there, but the odds are it would be a reasonable cost part to change. As to what they normally sound like, there is always some mechanical noise there, just as with the OSSA you mentioned earlier. The 125's and 200's tended to produce a bit more clutch noise then the full size bikes. But there should be no banging, clunking, grinding sounds coming out. Depending on the seller, and what he is willing to let you do, I would suggest doing a full service on the bike before making your decision, you can tell a lot about the bike by changing the oil, cleaning the air filter, pulling the wheels, looking at the wheel bearings, get underneath and get up close and personal with the suspension linkage. Where exactly are "these Parts", maybe we know someone close that can lend you a hand. I will probably speak to half a dozen California based trials riders in the morning. (Youth Nationals are on) and they cover a pretty wide range of area over there. Hope that helps, but it really boils down to your eyes on it, and your estimation of it's condition and your ability to repair it or have it done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bagger Posted June 28, 2006 Report Share Posted June 28, 2006 alan you must be having waay too much fun at the youth nationals,your starting to repeat yourself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
e9999 Posted June 28, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 28, 2006 thanks Alan: Yes, I would be doing all the work myself and I'm pretty competent with a wrench. Let's say that the bike needs some work on the mains, rod, something like that and I do the work. Are we talking many hundreds of $ in parts or machine shop time? The bike is in the No. L.A. / Ventura area. I have only met a couple of riders in my area so far, though. Hope to change that soon! The trials community is one of the best out there... thanks Eric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan bechard Posted June 28, 2006 Report Share Posted June 28, 2006 Yep, my computer jacked up. I will ask who is around LA. Yes, couple hundred in parts if it is all bad, probably less, bearings and gaskets are not that much, and that is what I would expect. Big end on the rod and pressing it on and off if you cannot do it yourself will add up. Not really much way to say from here until you are looking at the parts though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
austini Posted June 29, 2006 Report Share Posted June 29, 2006 Another source for a rattle could be the gear at the rear of the clutch basket, some home machanics when removing the clutchbasket nut, place a screwdriver inbetween the gears to stop the clutch turning with obvious results (bent gears) Shercos I find are the least expensive for parts and following the online Ryan Young maintainance book maintaining you own machine is a painless exercise!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just a thourght Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter_gasgas Posted June 29, 2006 Report Share Posted June 29, 2006 I think all shercos are pretty noisy in the engine department. My new 06 290 isn't very quiet and had me worried untill I was told its normal for Shercos to do this. Maybe its ok? My advice is to keep looking, something else always pops up, and most of the time makes you fell glad you didnt rush and go for the first bike you saw. If you go for the Sherco, change the baerings, and piston and you'll have a new bike. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
e9999 Posted June 29, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2006 thanks all I'm getting the feeling that it may be needed / advisable to get in there... any other thoughts on how noisy these things could be while still OK? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
e9999 Posted July 2, 2006 Author Report Share Posted July 2, 2006 well, went to have another look at it. I think I didn't describe the noise very well. It's not so much that it's clanking every so often, it's more a dry metallic sound that seems pegged to the reciprocating motion of the piston. A harsh vibration sound of sorts. Oh well... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan bechard Posted July 5, 2006 Report Share Posted July 5, 2006 E-mail me and I will link you up with some folks to give you a hand looking at bikes etc if you would like, there are several in your area. trialsalan at bellsouth.net Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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