I have been having a similar issue for over a year now. I have been through the entire bike and can't figure it out. It sounds like tapping very fast with a key on a steel tube only when it's under torque. I can really only hear it when driving on concrete (not asphalt) at highway speeds. It is not engine ping and sounds like it is coming from the rear but that can be deceiving sometimes. I have been watching this forum waiting to see someone with a similar problem and everytime someone comes up with any rattles I always check it out on mine but no success yet. This has become a real puzzle to me. You guys have a wealth of knowledge and I really appreciate all the advise. Keep the answers coming guys! THANKS.

I know of the CLUNK your talking about. I've made 2 changes on my bike & it's almost ALL gone. (1) removed upper belt guard, grommets were worn & it would hit the swingarm & saddlebag bracket(bags are lowered). (2) changed the rear shock/spring. Bumps I used to get the clunk out of, I don't anymore(?) I suppose if I went MXing with it I might though HEY, is there a "bagger/ super senior class?

Mine does that too. I think the rear shock is adjusted too soft and it bottoms out on the rough roads.

No flip on the rear dogbone so that's not an issue. I'm also running a heavier 800-1,000 lb spring with the preload cranked up about 3/4 to max so I can't see bottoming out being an issue (I'm only 170-lbs or so), and it doesn't seem to do it as much when I have a passenger on which is why I initially thought it was the tour-pack mount.

I'll get it figured out eventually...even it it means stripping the rear of the bike down completely and putting one piece back on at a time and testing until I find the culprit.

My 1999 had a terrible clunk crack or pop and I found the brow bolts were not tight enough and were allowing the fender, fender liner, and brows to slip under pressure of impact making a terrible noise. Hope it's that simple for your problem.

I would say the stay bolts as well as the horn top long bolt needs to be really tight. Make sure you have washers on both sides of the bolt also. Went through this my self.

MrFurious wrote:
So ever since I put the bike back together this spring I've had the notorious clunk from the back end somewhere. I checked the usual things...main fender bolt, belt guard, etc. to no avail. Then I noticed my tour pack mount has a little forward/back slop where it slides into the mounting arms, so I thought maybe that could be it. Pulled the tour pack and mount, installed the old sissybar and went for a ride.

CLUNK! *&^%(&%!

So now I'm at a total loss as to what's causing this dang clunk. I'd checked, rechecked and triple checked that every single nut and bolt is good'n tight, I've pulled off anything that even looks like it might come into contact with something else, and I've even sacraficed two Honda's to the Yamaha Gods in hopes of appeasing them...all to no avail.

It only clunks when I hit a hard square edged bump like a bad expansion joint in the road, a big pothole, or some rough RR tracks. About the only other think I can think it could be is a broken shock mount on the swingarm, but having looked at it still on the bike it appears to be fine (no obvious crack or separation in the usual place).

Anyone got a clue?

Okay, I have the same clunk. from the same situations as you describe. I also have the RSTD bags. From looking at you pic, I do not see a stay arm on your lower bag bracket. I have not installed a forward stay on my lower bag bracket. It is a very loud clunk when the pot hole and sharp ridge is hit. I believe it is the bags flexing hitting somewhere on the frame, pipes, somewhere. I am going to fab forward stay from the lower bag bracket to the passenger peg mount. When I find some time. Look in this area. I beleive we are both experiencing the same problem. There is not enough rigidity on the forward are of the lower bag mount.

r/dennis

Mine was making a clunk noise also after I installed my RSV bags. Looked everywhere, and finally found it. Left side bags upper front bracket I made needed to be spaced out a bit more. Was rubbing on the swing arm.
Just keep looking, you'll find your clunk. Usually the simplest problems are the hardest to find.

I've got a pretty standard 2004 Silverado Midnight and mine makes the same clanking noise when I hit bumps with sharp edges (small water valve covers, expansion joints, etc... it doesn't have to be a big bump). The back end bottoms out when my wife is on the back. I'm 250 and she's about 130, so I need to get a stiffer spring. But this clanking doesn't appear to be related to the distinct noise bottoming out makes. It's altogether different and happens sometimes when I least expect it. Everything on my bike is in its standard position, no lowering, etc. The belt guard is a good possibility, so I'll check that. It is a 2004... parts do wear over time. I actually thought it was the front suspension at first, but after a while I'm convinced it's somewhere in the middle to rear of the bike.

EDIT: Just had a hunch and went out to the garage to check it out. In my case I believe it is the exhaust heat shield making all the noise. At the bend in the front pipe the shield is close to the pipe all the way around. Is there a material I can wedge between the pipe and shield to keep them from colliding and that will stay in place?

I used to have the bad case of the clanking as well. It was my belt guard hitting my swing arm every time i would hit a bump. I fixed the problem by simply adding a rubber washer in between the belt guard and the bracket where it's bolted onto, this raised the cover just enough for the clanking to stop. it's simple and it worked!