A clacking when decelerating in gear

[Guest]

Alright this just started happening a few days ago and it's kind of impossible to track down since I'm riding and all.
It's not 100% repeatable but I've noticed a few things:
1) it only happens when letting off the throttle but staying in gear
2) happens in 2nd or 3rd gear most often
3) It sounds like it's drivetrain related but and not engine. Not quite a clunk but worse than a click.
4) The loudness varies but I can't tie down if it's related to speed.
5) It never happens if I pop into neutral and brake no matter how hard I pull the brakes

I know this is vague but it's driving me nuts and I can't think of anything. Has anyone come across something similar?

[JEEPRUSTY]

You lugging the engine? Chain properly adjusted?

[mdturner]

What do you mean by lugging? Like lugging it when accelerating? I'll give the chain a look, haven't replaced it since I got the bike 6 months ago.

[JEEPRUSTY]

Lugging as in being in too high a gear for the road speed.
My chain slaps and acts generally bad when I do this.

Does it stop if you pull in the clutch?

[mdturner]

Well it only does this when I'm slowing down in gear. It goes away when clutch is in. The more I picture it I can definitely seeing it be a chain or sprocket problem. I'll check those out when I get home

[JEEPRUSTY]

It may not be a problem at all if you downshift to a gear that will have the bike in a suitably high RPM range for the given road speed.

[Rob S.]

Alright this just started happening a few days ago...

Call me Professor Obvious, but did anything else occur at the time the noise started? Like chain adjust, remove and install chain guard, etc.?

[Brendan W]

Clutch nut loose? If it is it will lift the basket on the overrun. Open the filler and have a look at what's going on in there.