[Audio]

My new 2014 N1K has 2500 Km's. When I am sitting in neutral with the clutch engaged (lever pulled in) it is normal engine sound. When the clutch lever is disengaged (lever let out) it makes a rattle type sound. Is this rattle something I should be concerned about? I'm wondering if any other 2014 N1k riders have experienced this same type of noise? Is it normal, or could it be a problem with my clutch basket?

Your comments are appreciated! Thanks!

 

[Easy Rider]

First let me say that I don't have a bike like yours.
But I have owned a LOT of metric bikes over the years.

Your description of the clutch action is backwards.
The clutch is ENgaged when the lever is not operated; it is DISengaged when the lever is pulled in.

So.....when the clutch is engaged but the bike is not in gear, the gears in the transmission are still turning. That is called a constant mesh transmission.
It is not unusual to hear faint rattling noises when the bike is running, the transmission is in neutral and the clutch is engaged.
It might be a sign that your idle speed is too low........or it might be something else rattling.

If it concerns you, have the dealer check it out.
I think it probably is perfectly normal.......but with not being there that is just a guess.

 

[the0nlytruth]

I have the same noise, don't worry about it! get a louder exhaust.

 

[AnalogFour]

My new 2014 N1K has 2500 Km's. When I am sitting in neutral with the clutch engaged (lever pulled in) it is normal engine sound. When the clutch lever is disengaged (lever let out) it makes a rattle type sound. Is this rattle something I should be concerned about? I'm wondering if any other 2014 N1k riders have experienced this same type of noise? Is it normal, or could it be a problem with my clutch basket?

Your comments are appreciated! Thanks!

Yes the clutch basket on the Ninja 1000 is louder than most bikes i have owned. My Yamaha FZ8's basket was significantly quieter than the Ninja 1000 but even quieter than that are Honda's. It is normal unfortunately because the engine sounds a lot better without all that clatter.

 

[rcannon409]

All bikes do this....ALL. Some more noticeable than others. I went through a yz 250 once trying to eliminate this. I replaced EVERY part in thsi assembly..every single part up to and including the basket and inner hub.

I finally traced the noise to the bearing that supports the clutch basket itself. The noise was different when I had a brand new bearing vs one that was broken in....but, for sure..no worries. Your bike is fine.

 

[nate1235]

Hmmm. I've read that it was an oil starvation issue in the clutch hub. Some have drilled holes in the hub to supply more oil and had their clutch rattle issues disappear. I was planning on doing this on my next oil change, since I have the rattle, too. Here's the write up on another forum. rattle link

 

[kxfsledder]

Mine does the samething. At first I thought my windshield was rattling and then I noticed when I pulled in the clutch it went away.

Edit: Just read the link above and mine is different....the rattle goes away when I pull in the clutch just like the OP.

 

[rcannon409]

I'll bet you coudl do that mod and change it, but you wont ever make the sound the same between the clutch in or out.

If you have abnormal noises, sure, go for that fix. The noise talked about, in association with the fix, is loud. Mines only dont it once, or I'd try that fix as well.

 

[Indy N1K]

Just as nate1235 said above, the problem was an oil starvation issue in the clutch hub. The link he provided has a video of the problem, which was actually my 2011 Ninja 1000. My bike was likely the first or one of the first bikes that Kawasaki dealt with regarding this problem. Kawasaki initially blew us off (myself and the dealership) saying the noise was normal. I and the service manager at the dealership knew it wasn't normal and I called Kawasaki myself and complained. They looked at it again and agreed to fix it under warranty. Btw, my 1 yr warranty had run out and I used the extended warranty with no issues at all. I've put about 5,000 miles on my bike since the fix with no problems at all and I've never had the clutch rattle return.

 

[AnalogFour]

Just as nate1235 said above, the problem was an oil starvation issue in the clutch hub. The link he provided has a video of the problem, which was actually my 2011 Ninja 1000. My bike was likely the first or one of the first bikes that Kawasaki dealt with regarding this problem. Kawasaki initially blew us off (myself and the dealership) saying the noise was normal. I and the service manager at the dealership knew it wasn't normal and I called Kawasaki myself and complained. They looked at it again and agreed to fix it under warranty. Btw, my 1 yr warranty had run out and I used the extended warranty with no issues at all. I've put about 5,000 miles on my bike since the fix with no problems at all and I've never had the clutch rattle return.

that was definitely a warranty issue , but not the same rattle we are talking about. we are talking about normal clutch chatter when in Neutral with the clutch engaged (lever out). then the sound goes away when disengaging the clutch.

 

[BobN54]

Search for the post in the 3rd gen forum with the procedure about leaning the bike over and scooting it forward to get oil on the clutch plates. I know it sounds weird, but it really does help. After 3K miles or so, the clutch basket noise lessened considerably on my bike.

 

[Chrispy]

Search for the post in the 3rd gen forum with the procedure about leaning the bike over and scooting it forward to get oil on the clutch plates. I know it sounds weird, but it really does help. After 3K miles or so, the clutch basket noise lessened considerably on my bike.

I had some clutch shudder on my '13 since new but after 5000kms, it's mostly gone now.

 

[Indy N1K]

AnalogFour, your description sounds like the exact issue that I was having when the bike was in neutral.

 

[axil]

Yes the clutch basket on the Ninja 1000 is louder than most bikes i have owned. My Yamaha FZ8's basket was significantly quieter than the Ninja 1000 but even quieter than that are Honda's. It is normal unfortunately because the engine sounds a lot better without all that clatter.

All bikes do it to some extent, some way more so than others. The N1K is way quieter than several bikes I have owned. The dry clutch on my Ducati is just raucous when engaged in neutral. So much so, people riding with me will ask me if something is broken. I recently sold a BMW K1200 shaftie that would make death rattles. I hardly notice the extra noise on this bike.

 

[rcannon409]

Theres a big difference in "Noise" and THAT noise cured by old starvation. The oil issue is LOUD, and very obnoxious.

 

[nate1235]

Hey, just FYI, guys. If you plan on doing the drilled clutch hub mod, make sure you use an air gun to get the retaining nut off. I tried to do it with a breaker bar and socket last night. I put all of my weight and strength into it, and the nut wouldn't budge (I think it was over-torqued from assembly), and the socket slipped off the nut, which resulted in me breaking off one of the columns that the spring bolts thread into. I now need a new clutch hub, but I got the old one off after spending about $180 at home depot getting a 3 gal compressor and 300 ft/lb air gun. Stupid nut came right off with the gun -__-

 

[ash_z1000]

Gday Nate. Hows the dog? My Z1k does the same thing. When its cold the clutch is a pig. Sometimes wont disengage and noisy as. Let me know how the fix goes. If it solves the issues will do mine. I find leaning the bike to the right and pump the clutch when I first go into gear helps otherwise the bike bangs in and jumps forward. Works fine when warm.

 

[Squidlius]

Gday Nate. Hows the dog? My Z1k does the same thing. When its cold the clutch is a pig. Sometimes wont disengage and noisy as. Let me know how the fix goes. If it solves the issues will do mine. I find leaning the bike to the right and pump the clutch when I first go into gear helps otherwise the bike bangs in and jumps forward. Works fine when warm.

If you have any free play in the clutch cable (checked lock to lock), I would take a little slack out of the cable with the adjuster to see if it then fully disengages. This Ninja has a long throw clutch and you need all the cable pull you can get, particularly first thing when cold.

 

[BobN54]

Once again, one does not need to mod the clutch to fix this problem. There is a walk-through on the 3rd gen forum; can't recall the author. All you have to do is lean the bike over to the right as far as possible, and with engine off an in gear, scoot the bike forward while lightly dragging the clutch. Have a helper. This gets oil on the clutch disks, which were under-lubricated at assembly. It worked on my bike; no more clutch hang-ups. The basket noise gradually went away, not noticeable 5,000 miles.

 

[ash_z1000]

Thanks for that Bob. I have been doing that for a while now and yes it does work but am sick of not being able to just start, warm up and ride my brand new Z1000 with out doing some Kawasaki Voodoo dance to get the bl#*dy clutch to do what it is supposed to do. This issue has been around for sometime and am surprised that Kawasaki decided the Gen 4 should have this issue also.