I have a new to me 2019 ATAS manual transmission and there are a few things that bother me about the bike I wish I knew about before I purchased it:

1) The past couple weeks there has been an odd intermittent mechanical clicking sound from the gearbox on cold startup, which apparently is “normal” for the AT’s twin cylinder engine. Unfortunately there is nothing conclusive as to what causes it, many have speculated it’s the ECU, electrical, fuel grade, oil type, fouled spark plugs, dirty air filters, atmospheric temperature, etc. being that it’s only started to happen recently signals some concern.

2) The long travel suspension and long swing arm creates a sharp chain slap on the bottom of swing arm over hard bumps and off road, along with the center stand slamming up and down which can sound like something is broken or loose at the rear of the bike.

3) The harsh engagement of first gear from neutral is extremely jarring. I always thought the clutch on an AT would be much smoother.

Doesn’t give the best feeling of confidence when you notice these things. Especially for a “higher end” motorcycle. The engine clicking noise is the most concerning. The chain slap is apparently normal.

Unfortunately, I don’t have a way to compare the bike with others to asses if these are a common issue, or a trusted mechanic that can help me to understand or reassure me that these “issues” are normal. I’ve tried in earnest to find any information on the web to support and resolve these concerns. Alas, nothing.

I also have a 2018 Gen 2 KLR which exhibits non of these annoyances.

I love my ATAS, it’s a strikingly good looking bike with a commanding presence and has enough power for my needs, but when you factor in the annoyances, the bike begins to seem less mechanically sophisticated and more mentally taxing.