Same here I run Amsoil 20/50 just make sure what you use has no friction adatives. and wait until the break in period is over to switch.

When I ride mine when its warm out I swear I can the lifters everytime they move. Thankfully I had been reading this board and didnt worry about it. My buddys Fatboy sounds exactly the same way on hot days.

Thank you all very much for your support on this issue. I feel a bit better about how the bike sounds. By the way, the best way to describe the sound it is making is, ‘it sounds like a 1 ton truck with a Cummins Diesel engine under load.

Doug

Lugging the engine (running at too low an RPM under load) definitely makes for more noise from the engine...something like a "1 ton truck with a Cummins Diesel engine under load."

Went to the Yamaha dealer for the 600 mile service (at 950 miles ) after listening to the knocking I was told that “yes there is some top end noise, but it is very much like what they hear in all of the Roadstars they see in the shop”. As many of you said, they said it was normal and should not cause a problem. After changing the oil and making a few adjustments the bike ran better but was just as loud. I will be installing a set of BUB Big Willy pipes this weekend and that should help with the knocking . I was also told that if I were going to put these pipes on I would need to have a jet kit put on the bike or the pipes would turn blue, what do you think??
Thanks
Doug

Nope. You don't need to jet for just pipes. You really don't even want to jet for just pipes. The dealers love to make money with that line.

Thanks, I thought so.

Doug

uniquedoug wrote:
Thank you all very much for your support on this issue. I feel a bit better about how the bike sounds. By the way, the best way to describe the sound it is making is, ‘it sounds like a 1 ton truck with a Cummins Diesel engine under load.

Doug
It's funny you should use that analogy because it was just yesterday that I was in stop and go traffic... Well, down here in the sunny south... They's loves their F-350s and I got to thinking how much the Star sounds like those Tritons...

It is still a hell of lot quieter than the evo harley motor I rode on for 9 years...

Maybe my pipes are so loud that I can't hear any knock...but I did change to synthetic and didn't really notice a major difference. Right now my 2000 RS is getting the transmission recall which includes new rings since the motor is all the way down. I dropped by the dealership to look at the motor today when it was apart and I was very impressed...after 21,000 miles you can still see a slight hone cross hatch on the cylinder walls and no ridge at the top of the cylinders and almost no wear on the piston skirts. I bought it with 17,000 miles on it so maybe it had a lot of freeway cruising...who knows but the motor looked great with very little wear. I'm really happy to see the insides look so good...honestly if I had to guess based on the wear, I would say there's very little milage on the motor. It says to me that Yamaha did a great job endineering the motor.