Hi, took my bike to a local dealer about the tick. Went back a week later and they said they could not get it to make the noise and everything was within spec. I asked if he pulled the lifters out and he said yes they are ok. I had him start the bike and there it was, the dreaded tick. Today they tell me they are calling yamaha because everything is within spec and they don't know what to do. I'd like to get my hands on those lifters and test them myself honestly. Either way, anyone know of a good place that can do warranty work in the Hampton Roads area?

I'm not sure how their service department is but their sales & parts staff sucks at Cycle World on Va Beach Blvd. You may want to give Casey Cycle City in Newport News, a try. My bike has never been back to the dealer so I can't comment on their service departments. I do go to Casey every year for my state inspection and they seem to be good folks there. Another place to try would be Sunrise in Norfolk, never been there but it's another option. Good luck.

Your noise may just be normal Roadie noise, they do make a bit of a racket.

Edit to add: I'd be really surprised if they did pull the lifters.

What tick are ya talking about? Is it like an old 6 cyclinder Chevy? If it is don,t worry about it. I haven,t had a Star that didn,t tick and roadies do so more than the others. Just need louder pipes ha ha.

It ticks? And that bothers you?

Don't own a Roadie... they ALL tick, don't they?!?!?!?!?

If you haven't already done so...switch to synthetic oil. That quieted mine down a bit, but yes...they all tick!

Mr Cancilla wrote:
If you haven't already done so...switch to synthetic oil. That quieted mine down a bit, but yes...they all tick!

Same here. Switched to synthetics and it helped a great deal, actually. Still noisy, but I expect that from this engine now. There are many noise sources on the Roadie (headlight housing, belt cover, engine....) and many resolutions posted on the the forum.

I took my Roadie when she was new back to the dealer to check out the engine noise with the same results you got - normal, nothing out of spec. 34,000+ miles later, she's still noisy and runs great.

I look at it like this; the whole point to hydraulic lifters is to take up the lash and the noise. I know what normal valve train noise sounds like, and I know what a noisy lifter sounds like. If they were to replace them and it still makes this noise than I will accept it. If it gets rid of the noise than bingo, anyone who has the tick go get it fixed. I've heard more than a few times that their lifters fail. This was quiet for about 300 miles into the break-in before it started. I just think a check valve is stuck open and that piston is bottoming out on each stroke. I've talked to quite a few people with the tick from the cam area that have changed out their lifters and it went away. Heck, Yamaha’s bulletin says that a constant noise is not normal and could be a "flat lifter". I know you guys are awesome, and just reading your info has helped so much, but I refuse to accept that this machine, that's made so well, is supposed to sound like crap.

Think of it this way; if you had a cherried out '70 Berracuda that was imaculate, if you pulled up with noisey lifters not pumping up would you be able to stand for that long? You most likely would fix the problem and have something you can be proud of without all the racket. Yet 340 V8 engine is much bigger than our "big engine" but you would think if someone told you that the tapping on the 'cuda was normal, they were crazy!

The lifters can fail after 600 m ... mine did.

There was a batch of 1600's that must of had bad lifters as it was not uncommon around the 2000 build.

The valves do, however, tick.

If you know the difference 'normal' and 'unusual' then go with what your experience tells you .... you're probably right.

Doc

Like a fine watch only "LOUDER"