Burning smell?

[Expatriated]

For the past few days, after my bike is running for 20 minutes or more and I come to a stop, it smells hot. It smells like brakes that have been overheated, like on a car riding them downhill. Except that I'm not hardly using the brakes and it just started. It's an 08 R12RT with 3500 miles on it, purchased in August.

I can't pinpoint exactly where the smell is coming from. I got down on my knees and it seems to be coming from the engine area. Nothing is leaking, engine temp is normal, oil level is normal, etc. Not experiencing any brake fade.

Anyone have an idea what this is? And is it a problem?

[wezul]

I'm just a dumb cluck so take this for what it is worth. Could it be a hot clutch? You aren't hanging on to that clutch grip, are you? To my uneducated brain it sounds like clutch slippage which could result in that smell from that area.
Just my .02 and that's about what it's worth. ;)

[markgoodrich]

Bugs cooking? I'm serious. Happens to me on occasion.

[Expatriated]

1. Definitely not hanging on to the clutch

2. I actually thought about the bug thing or some other foreign substance on the pipes or the engine burning. I checked around and could not see anything at all.

thanks for the input, though.

My concern was that it was some obvious precursor to a serious problem. Everything seems to be running well. I will just monitor it, I guess.

[heavyjetpfe]

I have an 06 RT. on my way back from Alaska I started to notice a burning smell. I was with my Brother and neither one of us could pin point it. The bike continued to run strong all the way back to Atlanta. When I put the bike in the garage some 6000 miles after the smell began it was still there. I made an appointment with my dealer to bring it in. I rode the 12 miles to the shop. When the mechanic started it up to take it in for diagnostics smoke poured out from under the tank. After checking it out he told me to take a cab home. the main computer was fried.

I don't know if you are having the same problem but I would get it to the service department for a check up before all the smoke leaks out of the electrical system.

Almost anyone that ever rode an older English bike knows that electricty relies on smoke to work. Once all the smoke leaks out the bike dies:dunno

[108625]

After checking it out he told me to take a cab home. the main computer was fried.

I don't know if you are having the same problem but I would get it to the service department for a check up before all the smoke leaks out of the electrical system.

Almost anyone that ever rode an older English bike knows that electricty relies on smoke to work. Once all the smoke leaks out the bike dies:dunno

And if the lights go out it's usually because the dark absorber is full...

[RTRandy]

My 08 RT presents the same symptoms. I've got 6,200 miles on mine and while it seemed to be more profound the first few hundred miles, it still does it. Smells like the aftermath of a burnt out vehicle. Never had it on my 04 1150 and my dealer seemed to scratch their heads when I brought it up.

I'm convinced it's the clutch. There have been times where I'm at a light in heavy traffic and I didn't realize I had come to a stop still in 3rd or 4th gear. When I start out in too high of a gear (anything above 1st) I'll pick up that smell. Even 1st gear on the RT is a bit tall so it may explain the clutch heating. It's still unnerving since it would imply the clutch will wear out prematurely.

And no I don't start out above 1st gear on a regular basis. Like no one has ever done that.

[BrianM]

I don't know if this is even close, but if you suspect the clutch, have you looked at the thumb wheel adjustment at the clutch lever? I'm just thinking it may be just off to the point where the clutch does not fully engage and slips just a little...

[mrmaico]

I don't know if this is even close, but if you suspect the clutch, have you looked at the thumb wheel adjustment at the clutch lever? I'm just thinking it may be just off to the point where the clutch does not fully engage and slips just a little...

That adjuster won't affect the clutch engagement point. It is just an adjuster for the reach, for people with shorter fingers for example.

Does it smell like burning rubber? It may just be rubber off the road getting up on your exhaust. Whenever I've trailered my bike somewhere the first time I start it afterward it always smells of burning rubber for a minute or two.

Barry

[danalbertson]

Oil changed recently? Mine smells nasty after an oil change, the oil they use smells foul.

[Expatriated]

Oil was not changed recently. Doesn't smell like rubber, more like hot brakes.

As I thought about it more, it happened first last week when riding in a pretty good downpour-could water have done something? It seems to be smelling less and less now.

Again, everything operating normally so I'll just monitor it, I guess.

[TGA57589]

My '07 RT has the smell of hot rubber when I run it pretty hard on the turnpike as I did last weekend. I ran it home from a sprint car race at 75-80 for about an hour straight and it had the smell of burning rubber. This has not been the first time this has happened as it has 6k on it and I have run it a little bit when I want to make some time on the flat and boring to get across the state quickly. I haven't brought it up to the dealer yet but, I will when it goes in for the ignition warranty item.

[mrmaico]

My '07 RT has the smell of hot rubber when I run it pretty hard on the turnpike as I did last weekend. I ran it home from a sprint car race at 75-80 for about an hour straight and it had the smell of burning rubber. This has not been the first time this has happened as it has 6k on it and I have run it a little bit when I want to make some time on the flat and boring to get across the state quickly. I haven't brought it up to the dealer yet but, I will when it goes in for the ignition warranty item.

I'd bet it's just rubber off of the road.


BB

[Slablog]

I'd bet it's just rubber off of the road.

And tar and mud and dirty water and bugs...

Maintain it and ride it. When it stops on you, then worry.:thumb

[n1kcl]

Mine was replaced at 14k and had smelled for abt 5k prior. It's a dry clutch and any slippage will cause it to smell. My bike had a very slight oil leak, no oil drops visible as it looked like only road grime under the engine/transmission area. When I picked the bike up from the repair shop, they had two other blkes in for the same problem, one had a few thousand miles and the other had eight miles on it.

So you should take a little closer look under your bike to make sure your not looking a road grime as most of the leaking oil is burnt up by the clutch.

Also, a good way to test it when the bike is very hot is to bring it down to say 3000 rpm's in any of the upper 3 gears and jump on the thottle hard. If it's on it's way out, or you have a slight oil leak you'll probably notice a little slippage as the engine comes into power around 4000 rpm's.

Hope this helps, but if it smells like a clutch it usually is a clutch.

[aaaaaa]

Could it be oil? When the input shaft seal failed on my 00RT a slight drip onto the exhaust was the first clue. For a long time not enough to affect the level but I sure could smell it. It was strongest after exiting the highway. The only time I can remember smelling clutch was after starting off on a very very steep hill in traffic in the wonderful city of San Fransisco. Have you ever ridden across the Golden Gate Bridge? All you can smell is the Pacific Ocean.
robert

[gulfcoastbeemer]

Could it be oil? When the input shaft seal failed on my 00RT a slight drip onto the exhaust was the first clue. For a long time not enough to affect the level but I sure could smell it. It was strongest after exiting the highway.

oil dripping on the exhaust

+1

[Expatriated]

I think you guys might be on to something

[glieske]

This summer during a ride I noticed a burning smell every time I stopped the bike for a rest.

When I got home I found a lot of tar on the muffler. I went over a number of roads recently sealed. I washed the bike, removed the tar and the burning odor was gone.

[139830]

My RT routinely smells hot after I run in the wet or on restarting thereafter. I never notice this otherwise, so I assume that road junk gets on the pipes with the splash and causes the stench. It worried me at first, but I just ignore it now.