[Teach]

Just wondering if anyone has ever gotten a weird noise aftre washing their RT or after it has sat out in the rain upon startup?
I washed the bike yesterday and it made a noise when I started it, almost a cross between a ring rubbing on the cylinder and/or a belt. I wasn't expecting the noise so I didn't pinpoint it, and the bike started quiet as usual every start after... but when I came out of work today it had sat in a rainstorm and made the noise again when I fired it up. Again no noise after the initial start and the oil level is fine.
I'm leaning towards something getting wet around the starter or something stupid like that but being unfamiliar with the BMW's it has me baffled. Is this something I should be concerned about?

On a plus note the wife and I did a nice little 300 mile loop yesterday afternoon and got 50 mpg two up while riding the bike fairly hard thru the twisties

 

[12R12RT]

Mine has done that a couple of times after a wash.

It's been rained on quite a bit but never made odd noises after a rain; I keep a cover on it and it stays pretty dry, so it's a direct moisture sort of thing.

Tom

 

[gphusky1]

I've heard that too. Never have been able to put my finger on it but it's got to be something that's rotating. I wonder if moisture can get to the clutch?

 

[MattWhite]

Mine was the alternator belt.
It wasn't the wet - it was the cold for mine.
Kind of a plastic chatter.
Had it replaced under warranty and now it's more of a
slight whistle till everything warms up, then it's gone.
I'm hoping that when the belt gets worn in a little,
that whistle will go away. It's a hell-o-allot better than the chatter.

Not sure that is your deal cause I'm pretty sure with it being under the
front engine cover - it couldn't get wet. I could be wrong though.
I usually am.

 

[deanwoolsey]

It's your alternator belt slipping. Not a big deal. If you are using a power washer on your bike you need to consider not doing that in the future. The high pressure penetrates the seals and is particularly harmful to the brake system.

 

[twkBMW]

Alternator belt was what I was thinkign too. But there is a cover over the belt, so it should not be getting very wet.

The cover is on the front of the engine and has a pretty "BMW" logo on it.

The inside of the cover also has insulation on it, and you do nto want that getting wet very often or it will deteriorate.

 

[deanwoolsey]

I don't know where the water gets in but it does, especially if you inject it with a power washer. My bet is that it goes in where the alternator shaft passes through as I don't think there is any type of seal there. The drive pulley is inside the plastic cover and the alternator itself is on the outside so that's likely where it goes in.

 

[05Train]

Thank God it's not just me. Mine did that too.

 

[DocCarroll]

Yep, mine does it to. It goes away after a few minutes. Figured one of the belts was just wet.

 

[Teach]

As long as it isn't something serious......
For the record I don't use pressure washers on any bikes, they aren't good for the seals and/or bearings to name just a few items. The reason I mentioned this was because the first I noticed it was after a wash, but it did it again after the bike sat out in the rain at work a day later, so I figured it was probably a water thing... Thanks