Hey Guys, I just got a 02 500r!

I haven't got a chance to ride it yet, but i just did a tune up to the bike.

Oil change and Spark Plugs

I started the bike up but it seems to be loud? and my idle is below 800.

Is this normal? or abnormal?

Thanks in advance, hope to ride with you guys now.

 

Gratulations, old-sport! Excellent choice. I had one before and 2002 was, IMO, the prettiest vintage of this millenium so far.



Does your bike have stock or aftermarket mufflers on it? If the previous owner was a dip$hit who put louder pipes on it to make sure you get your fair share of tickets, perhaps you can give him a call and ask for the stock mufflers. (Seems like every mouth-breathing son-of-his-own-uncle has to take out his frustrations and inadequacies on his motorcycle, by "hopping it up.")

You should warm the engine up nice-n-hot before fretting over the idle. When the engine is cold, it will idle lower. But when it's hot, it should idle at about 1,200 rpm (plus or minus 50rpm). A small, 180-degree engine like this should have a fairly high idle, but don't diddle with the idle-adjustment until the engine is nice and hot.

Congratulations again on the bike. That red is mighty easy on the eyes!
-Chris in Carlsbad, CA

 

yea, it has the stock mufflers.

haha Nice! i have the same color. Are those rear mirrors stock?

Another newb question. When the bike is on idle, it seems to make a clunking sound. Not sure if thats how you put it but its pretty loud. I have no clue if the ninjas are like that? or no?

I've riden a night hawk before, the sound of it seem pretty loud as well.

 

All engines make pretty loud mechanical noises, which is why the larger sport-bikes put padding on the full-fairings.
If you've ever done a valve adjustment or other operation, you'll see a lot of metal parts that spin, tap, bang, and beat against each other at speeds that would giving a hummingbird a heart-attack. I'm convinced that these natural, mechanical noises are the reason so many dummies get the loudest possible exhaust pipes for their bikes. When the exhaust is loud enough, you no longer hear the clanking cacophany between your legs.
Me, I went the other direction. I noticed that the larger bikes like my ZX9R came with sound-absorptive foam pads covering the insides of their plastic fairings. So I ordered an extra set of these foam pads and lined the inside of my 500R's fairing thus:



They definitely work while I'm riding the bike! The only time I hear the engine's clankiness is when I'm riding next to a curb or when I'm leaned over pretty far. (The clanky sound from the engine reflects off these surfaces.) But it's completely natural.
All bikes do it to varying degrees. I had a Honda Superhawk which was a V-twin that had TWO camchains (one on each side of the engine) which sounded like Yoko Ono accompanied by an unfortunate cat stuck in a rusty kitchen sink disposal. It was the loudest POS I ever owned in my life (and I've even owned a Harley.) As long as I owned that bike, I never met another Superhawk owner who had stock mufflers on his bike. And they all asked the same question, "When are you going to get some sweet-sounding pipes on that poor thing?"

And the mirrors are from a 2002 ZX9R/ZX6R, or a ZZR600. They're lower, wider, vibrate less, and you can get aftermarket replacements from Emgo for only about $20 or so.


Good luck and PEACE!
-Chris in Carlsbad, CA
http://www.calamarichris.com/