My honda is making a knocking noise, but once it warms up it seems to quit. Any ideas?

 

it burning oil? could be the piston banging around in the cylinder till it gets up in temp. seen it on trucks not much at all on honda's.

check the compression

 

Replace the cam chain tentioner. It has gone bad
If you want to test it, remove the tentioner, push in on the tentioner guide with a screwdriver and start the quad. constantly hold tention on it because if you let it slack, the cam can jump time. the noise should be gone. Turn off the quad before too much oil splatters everywhere.
Then replace the cam chain tentioner because you found it is bad
They knock so bad you swear a piston or rod has went south. Not the case though

----- Gimpster -----