[ezrockcbrblack]

Hello , let me start by saying that I too have the 5.5k rattle. It is more than annoying as I find myself always listening for it during every ride. I bought this bike because it was a Honda and their great reputation. I am pissed that this brand new bike, that started off rattle free for 350 miles, now sounds like a piece of junk. Yes Ive lubed the chain, checked the bolts I have access to and had first service performed and two shims replaced, yet it still fuc&$%&%[email protected]#$%g rattles. So i propose we all document it here and then direct Honda to the list so there can be no mistake that it is indeed a problem...I want my bike back the one I bought, the one that sounded dreamy, this is unacceptable and it's time to be proactive and get it fixed.....
I KNOW HONDA MUST HAVE A IDEA BY NOW THAT THIS IS A ISSUE BUT THEY SEEM TO NOT WANT TO OWN UP TO IT...SHADY AND DANGEROUS BUSINESS PRACTICE, IMHO....

 

[Metalstorm]

I'm not so sure that it's an engine rattle. I have it too but I think it's coming from someplace else. The rattle doesn't sound very mechanical. It sounds like something is slightly loose and starts rattling when vibrations hit a certain frequency at around 5.5K rpms. If it was the engine I would think it would be rattling through the entire rev range but I am not qualified to state that as anything but theory. An uneducated guess if you will.

It's possible that the console unit may be loose but there's a lot of stuff that has to come off to really check it. There are too many possibilities to list. My left side fairing wasn't snug. After snugging it up the rattle got better but not gone completely so I might be on the right track. I check a couple things every chance I get.

 

[250 Tom]

I to find this rattle vary disturbing. I have crawled all over and under this bike and cant find anything loose. It ls sounds like it is coming from the top of the engine ( valve train ) There is a problem with this bike and still no responce from Honda. I have been riding for over 40 years and never had to put up with BS like this.

 

[steveeeee]

I've also got it

 

[BBRMotosports]

I've had it from day 1, it is most definatly in the valve train and i'm almost posative it's the roler on the rocker.

 

[xxxxxfoobar12]

Has anyone in the US called Honda about this yet? 866-784-1870

 

[Aufitt]

Oh no the sky is falling!

 

[bungie4]

Mine doesn't rattle.. touch wood. 3000km.

 

[Kalboogie]

Hello , let me start by saying that I too have the 5.5k rattle. It is more than annoying as I find myself always listening for it during every ride. I bought this bike because it was a Honda and their great reputation. I am pissed that this brand new bike, that started off rattle free for 350 miles, now sounds like a piece of junk. Yes Ive lubed the chain, checked the bolts I have access to and had first service performed and two shims replaced, yet it still fuc&$%&%[email protected]#$%g rattles. So i propose we all document it here and then direct Honda to the list so there can be no mistake that it is indeed a problem...I want my bike back the one I bought, the one that sounded dreamy, this is unacceptable and it's time to be proactive and get it fixed.....
I KNOW HONDA MUST HAVE A IDEA BY NOW THAT THIS IS A ISSUE BUT THEY SEEM TO NOT WANT TO OWN UP TO IT...SHADY AND DANGEROUS BUSINESS PRACTICE, IMHO....

Hello , let me start by saying that I too have the 5.5k rattle. It is more than annoying as I find myself always listening for it during every ride. I bought this bike because it was a Honda and their great reputation. I am pissed that this brand new bike, that started off rattle free for 350 miles, now sounds like a piece of junk. Yes Ive lubed the chain, checked the bolts I have access to and had first service performed and two shims replaced, yet it still fuc&$%&%[email protected]#$%g rattles. So i propose we all document it here and then direct Honda to the list so there can be no mistake that it is indeed a problem...I want my bike back the one I bought, the one that sounded dreamy, this is unacceptable and it's time to be proactive and get it fixed.....
I KNOW HONDA MUST HAVE A IDEA BY NOW THAT THIS IS A ISSUE BUT THEY SEEM TO NOT WANT TO OWN UP TO IT...SHADY AND DANGEROUS BUSINESS PRACTICE, IMHO....

I ve read the previous threads on this issue and was rattle free until the first service. My bike purred off the lot. Started reading about the rattle issue...i didnt have it. After i got the first service done...i got the rattle. I noticed it right away..around 5-6ooo rpm. I took it back to dealer..insisted they screwed the valve clearance. They re checked valve clearance..and the did screw up..valve clearance was off. Valves corrected...bike sounded like i bought it.

I am not claiming every rattle thread is related to valves... But in my case it was. To me.. Its the bloody valve clerance not mesured correctly or sloppy valve job. I am 99% convinced the rattle is related to the valves. I had no rattle..then the rattle and after valve fix..no rattle! The rattle sounded like pellets vibrating in a can...and a definite tappet racket between 5-6 rpm...

Take the bike back to dealer who did valve job...insist they re do he valve job!!!

 

[spdklls]

i saw another post in another thread somewhere ...the persons dealer contacted honda about the rattle complaint and was told the rattle was the rocker arms....that was all that was mentioned...
so i am assuming they are basically saying its an engine noise..this engine has 5 new patents...we aren't going to start rebuilding everyones motor so you might as get used to it....

this engine rattle is not to be confused with the something loose rattle (i have a metal sounding rattle from in the front fairing somewhere when i hit a bump or alot of rattling when i hit a lot of bumps in a row)

 

[Aufitt]

Put one those M4 half an exhaust pipe on it... that'll fix it.

 

[motorpsycho]

I KNOW HONDA MUST HAVE A IDEA BY NOW THAT THIS IS A ISSUE BUT THEY SEEM TO NOT WANT TO OWN UP TO IT...SHADY AND DANGEROUS BUSINESS PRACTICE, IMHO....

I think its still a bit too early to start pointing fingers at the manufacture for minor issues such as the engine rattle @ 5000+ RPM. After all, this is the first batch of 250r's from Honda and whose to say that they will not fix this problem with their upcoming 2012 models. As for the 2011s, the solutions I recommend to remedy the situation is to purchase a loud enough exhaust (such as a yoshimura or similar) to mask the rattle in its entirety or by trying to mute it out by wearing ear plugs (only if its legal to do so in your State or country).

 

[Redline]

I had it for over 16,000km.

Then a car knocked my bike over and I got the front farings and headlight assembly replaced.

It vanished immediately.

And is just starting to return now after another 1000km or so. The length of time it took to develop in the first place.

It isn't a constant. And my guess now is that it is something in the headlight assembly that becomes loose and the whole assembly acts like a speaker.

 

[Aufitt]

A single cylinder that rattles? heaven forbid how on earth could that happen!?

CALL THE LAWYERS.. CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT!!!

 

[archetypicalone]

Mine doesn't have a rattle, but my boyfriends does and has since first service.......however when we were cleaning them the other night the bolt holding the belly pan on the left side fell out, we're going to try and put back in tonight so will let you know.

Mine goes in for her 1000km service tomorrow, so will have to see......(small thread hi-jack, does anyone else get a strange surging sound at idle (both cold and warm?)

 

[Ibex250R]

A single cylinder that rattles? heaven forbid how on earth could that happen!?

+1.

 

[RVOKNIO]

Put one those M4 half an exhaust pipe on it... that'll fix it.

I tried that and I can still hear the rattle between 4.5K and 5.5K if I'm just putting along in town. Of course I don't hear anything when I've got the throttle pinned, but that doesn't go over too well in the residential areas.

I figure I'll just make sure the dealer does any engine work and since Honda knows about the issue and is "playing ostrich" they will have to replace the engine when it decides to let go. I might also be able to get a class action suit out of the deal.

It's really too bad that a company with such a good reputation is willing to piss it away over something as simple as poor tolerances in the valve train. But then again, they blew it on the initial delivery of the CBR250R and the lack of parts for dealers when the 600 mile service came up. Looks like they have an incompetent executive leading this project and have decided to see how far they can let it go without really doing anything to fix the issues and still turn a profit. When things do go Kablooey! they are going to find themselves hemorrhaging money.


∞

 

[eil]

It's really too bad that a company with such a good reputation is willing to piss it away over something as simple as poor tolerances in the valve train.

I think it's pretty amazing that a company as large as Honda can design a brand new bike from the ground up with great looks, modern features, at an amazingly low price and the worst problem most of them are seeing is a bit of rattle. (With apparently varying causes.)

But then again, they blew it on the initial delivery of the CBR250R and the lack of parts for dealers when the 600 mile service came up.

Again, brand-new bike, brand-new parts. Dealers who hire incompetent mechanics and don't pre-order their stock.

Also, this bike was designed, developed, and manufactured for the Asian market. Selling this bike in the western world was basically an afterthought. I'm not surprised that dealers (in the U.S. especially) seem to be pretty much on their own.

Looks like they have an incompetent executive leading this project and have decided to see how far they can let it go without really doing anything to fix the issues and still turn a profit. When things do go Kablooey! they are going to find themselves hemorrhaging money.

Yeah, somehow I don't think one low-end motorcycle model is going to significantly affect the bottom line of a company like Honda if it were doing poorly. Which it isn't.

 

[Top]

i'm not worried about it honestly

alittle vibration at 5.5. to 6k rpm

 

[TheMente]

After several hundreds kilometers without lubing the chain and with a very annoying rattle lately, today I have cleaned it with a brush removing the ash from Mount Etna and lubed properly: it's amazing how much the rattle has reduced in the ride from home to work.