What's that noise?

[Beezageezauk]

         Is it good policy to give the bike a test run after every little adjustment?  I believe that it is because you never know what you might have disturbed or altered in the process.  To have a bike feeling comfortable on any long run will make the journey less tiresome.
         A couple of years ago I was giving the A10 a full service and check over prior to the Swedish BSAOC International Rally.  I put a full day to one side (5 days before my departure) to carry out the work.  This included an oil change, brake, clutch and tappet adjustment.  Wheel bearings and tyre pressure checks, as well as going over as many nuts and bolts that I could to check for tightness.  Everything seemed fine and at 6pm on the Sunday evening I jumped on the bike to begin a 20 mile (32km) test run. 
         I live in an urban area so the first part of my journey is to head for the countryside.  A couple of minor adjustments were needed to both brakes so I was comfortable with the actual operations and there was no problem with anything else.  The last leg of the journey required me to ride through an underpass near the centre of town and as I was exiting and travelling slightly uphill I heard a peculiar noise coming from the engine.  I'd never heard this noise before but I was in an area where it was impossible for me to pull in safely and couldn't determine what was causing it.  I obviously thought the worst and with only 5 days to go before heading for the ferry to Sweden.
         Just at the top of the incline were some traffic light that were fortunately on red.  The noise is louder now so I try to check down the right side of the fuel tank, then the left side and I am cursing my full face helmet because I can't determine where the noise is coming from.  If only I was wearing an open faced helmet I could maybe get a better idea of the problem.  The lights change to green and I know that there is a fuel station forecourt only a couple of hundred meters away.  If only I can get there I will be able to check it out more thoroughly.  By this time the noise is much louder and I was even more anxious about not having the time to perform an engine rebuild by the following Friday.  I gently coax the bike and arrive at the fuel station hoping that the engine will tick over as I furiously try to remove my helmet.  The engine did tick over and as I was removing my helmet the noise became obvious.....it was the damned police helicopter hovering about 100 meters above me.
         Total relief with the bike but it just highlights what goes through the mind when things appear to be drastically wrong.  The remainder of the test run was uneventful, as was the performance of the bike in Sweden.

Beezageezauk.

[LJ.]

 "Is it good policy to give the bike a test run after every little adjustment?"

I think it's a darn good excuse for yet another ride out! 

Well I'm going to give a complete different reply to what everyone else is likely to write. The fact is, is that I have a serious to profound hearing loss. A lot of sounds especially those of a higher frequency, I dont hear at all. I have to take along someone to listen to the bike if I am making a purchase or ask someone for their opinion of what they can hear if I feel there maybe something wrong.

It probably is important to hear what is going on inside the engine or other parts of the bike but then again I suppose one can get a bit paranoid as you mention in your account of the overhaul. I also think that if you ride the machine very regularly then you get the 'feel' of the bike and come to 'know' if it is in fine fettle or not. I'm afraid I have to rely on a serious vibration or instinct before I eventually pull over for further investigation. 

[jfligg]

Hi Guys

  I am an automechanic.  We road test all the cars before and after all work is completed.  I treat my bikes the same way.  Jeff