wierd noise from 500

[medic500]

Hey guys, I finally got to ride the k5 in the open dez last saturday after riding single track all summer, (never leaving 2nd gear). so anyway we rode close to 60 miles out at ocotillo wells(so cal dez) and during the ride i occasionly heard a knock after getting off the gas,at first i thought it was rocks hitting the skid plate, but i dont think thats it. i did not feal anything as far as performance loss but the noise concerned me. is this my paranoia? or should i be concerned? any ideas where its coming from?

[alan]

So is the noise still there? I hate to hear anything new coming from my bike, it makes my wallet ache!

[kx666]

sounds like predetionation. what fuel are you running? mabe check jetting, squish band, altitude???

it is hard to say without knowing more

[Albertan]

I have a 2000 and no knocking issues, but I had an '85 that knocked like mad without octane booster, but it was most apparent under load, when the bike made a clicking or ticking noise.  Apparently years ago, the Kawasaki factory 500's had a choke mounted on the handlebars so that they could dump a lot more fuel in after an extended wide open stretch so they didn't seize when the throttle was closed.  I'm assuming everything else stayed the same for you -- jetting, fuel type, oil ratio?  Also, did you change elevation or temperature?  Lower and/or colder would lean out an otherwise perfectly jetted bike.

[Scargoes]

Ocotillo is at/near sea level. I have to rejet my bike when I go there from my normal playground(CA's high desert). My 87 did that at times also. But I'm not sure if it was normal or my rod bearing/crank slowly taking a dump.

[01KX5WOODSRIDER]

    My 500 will knock once or twice after it gets run up too. I think its a
lean knock. I don't know if it hurts anything but it doesn't sound good!
I ride only in the woods at less than half throttle mostly and the bike is
jetted leaner than stock.

[kx666]

i just burns a hole in your piston...

poor fuel or improper jetting wil cause this,