Kawasaki Vulcan 800 Ticking

Hi there fellow bikers! I have a 1999 Kawasaki Vulcan 800 classic. I am a daily rider, purchased it with 7.000mi. Currently it has 17.500mi (Within a two year span) I use it mostly for commuting (work) and for a bit of traveling. Margeritte (The bike) has been giving me ticking noise. This began yesterday afternoon while riding. The ticking is coming from the right side only (The side where the exhausts are), and it sounds like it is coming from the motor. It is most clearly heard near the bottom. Also, as I rev the ticking gets faster. And the ticking continued throughout all gears. What is this ticking ?? It has me puzzled and a bit nervous...

I don't know very much about the metric cruisers...but to me sounds like you need a valve adjustment...

Thanks everyone, I appreciate everyone's help! Well, last night I came home late from a bit of studying (Majoring in Medicine) w/ friend's car, I walk to my porche and I noticed gas was gushing out of the air box on the bike. Now I am pist... I checked the oil as well, smells like gas -.- Now my carburetors too ?!.. It seems a bit too much all at once. Carburetors aren't rocket science I am not too concerned with that, even though the tank is in great shape, and I fill the tank with premium gas, and it's driven daily. Let me add that the oil has less than 100mi.....money down the drain.. Regardless I am hoping its valve adjustment and nothing more serious. I've looked at other forums and I've heard that it can be the chain of distribution causing the ticking ? How do you all feel about that ? I also heard of the tensioners wearing out.. Could it be ?

I agree on exhaust leak, maybe a valve, but i'd check exhaust where it fits into the head first.

Probably a stuck float on the carb...How many carbs on it??

The ticking could also be an exhaust leak,like mentioned...start with the simple stuff. It is possible for it to be cam chains and Yep, tensioners can wear out(Just ask any Harley guy that had the spring loaded tensioners LOL)but the mileage seems kinda low to me for that...exhaust leak or valve adjustment would be my first guesses...

It's the valves that are loose and ticking. It's a Kawasaki, and valves need adjusting every 5-7,000 miles. Too few miles for loose cam chain.

Hi there bikers. The Vulcan has 1 Carburetor. Just had it cleaned and works like a charm. I still have quite a bit of rattling. I will be posting a video up very soon! Hopefully you all can recognize this noise. And the it will help for future reference. The video will be posted shortly. Thank you everyone!

Just uploaded the video. Quicker than I thought. I hope its clear. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A65EMbRNWXg&feature=g-upl&context=G2fe67c6AUAAAAAAAAAA Happy biking!

Are the heat shields tight??could be a loose one....

I checked all the heat shields, they are snug. Although the screws that adjust the heat shields are rusted/seized/pretty bad. Any suggestions on how to remove them safely ?

Spray them with a penetrating oil like WD40 or whatever you use...have a beer, then get a 7 or 8mm 1/4"drive socket and they should come off...

Thank you, I am doing that tonight!! Today with a friend I started up the bike (cold). The noise is clearly coming from the exhaust. But... It isn't the heat shield. The sound is coming from the curve going into the head of the motor. There is something rattling inside that curve, you can definitely feel the rattle. What could that be ?? I was thinking the baffle, but at the same time the baffle couldn't be that long... This is strange. At least for the mileage.

Hello everyone! Thanks for the help bikers! I found source of the problem. Turns out that what was causing the horrible rattle was the exhaust system. There seems to be a long baffle stretching from the end of the muffler to the tip. When you look inside (from the tip- that heading into the cylinder) there is a missing piece of the baffle that original was soldered to the inner walls of the muffler itself. That piece was left rattling inside. Getting that done very soon. Hope that that's the end of all the noise...

Glad you found it and it was nothing serious...