KDXRIDER.NET

There is an awful clatter coming from my kdx. It's a 2004. I traced the noise, using a screwdriver as a stethoscope, to the countershaft. It is loudest with the screwdriver tip right on the shaft. It sounds kinda like a gear not meshing or something. Shifting gears makes no differences, and it seems that speed doesn't either, though I didn't go faster than walking speed with that noise. The last thing I did before it started was slide the bike sideways into a tree, and the left side hit pretty hard. Wonder what that could have done? I don't really want to split cases, so I'm hoping I won't have to. I plan on pulling the clutch/ignition covers to see if I can see anything, but I'm wondering if anyone might know what this noise is.

Nothing good. Sorry. Check the oil for pieces of stuff.

Oil did look shiny like there's small particles in it.

No chunks? That is a good thing. The shiny color could be just the clutch wearing. Try taking the chain off and see if the noise goes away.

What would that mean?

Now that you mention it, every time I hear the noise, it looks like the bike is trying to pull the chain forward. Whack-whack-whack and each time the chain gets taut. This is in neutral or any gear.

At this point, it could be just abot anything - kick start mechanism, clutch, or transmission. The best approach is to remove the clutch cover (with the engine still in the frame) and take a look. To go any further means splitting the cases, which means that the engine has to come out of the frame.

remove clutch cover, do not forget to support the kips actuator shaft and also that the nut holding onto the claw is reverse.
Is your kips valve really working? Could be that the actuator is broken and that you have some of that stuck in the clutch, gear mechanism, kickstarter gear...