Whine, or Howl?

[nbowersock]

Ok, I know this subject has been written about many times. Please trust that I have read many posts on the whine. My issue does seem to be a bit different than the others I have read, so here goes.

I have a 08 RSTD. Bought it used last November and loved it from the first time I sat on it. Had a 04 BMW R1150RT that I never did never "clicked" with. Not the RSTD, it was love at first ride. I read as much as I could find on the whine as soon as I joined VentureRider. After getting what I think is a pretty good understanding of the whine I concluded that I did, in fact have it, though not bad at all. I would say, like many that have written here before, I would not have noticed it without reading about it. A “George Jettson Car sound” from start to stop, nothing else. I rode through the fall, into the winter (God Bless Texas) and finally spring. Now this is the warmest it has been since I owed the bike. As soon as the weather hit 70+ degrees it started. Between 39-42 mph (by my GPS, not Speedo) I now have a deafening Howl! This sounds nothing like the whine. It is of a frequency that seems to go right through my earplugs and into my skull. Ok, ok, it’s only between 39-42 mph, right? I can easily drive around that. Sure, no problem. Forward a few more weeks. Now it’s 80+ degrees and I still have the 39-42 mph issue and now have added 60-65 mph. Same sound, a howl that it comes from nowhere and drives me NUTS! This cannot stay. I am more than happy to take it in and have the clutch replaced. It just doesn’t seem to quite fit the classic “whine” scenario.

 

Now for some background facts:

The bike now has 7500 miles.

The oil is Castrol Dino 20W-50

No Motorkote or any other additives.

It not the tires because the howl stops as soon as pull in the clutch

The bike had its 4k service last Nov. The howl didn’t start till spring

 

What do you learned gentlemen and gentle ladies think the issue is?

 

:confused24::confused24::confused24::confused24::confused24:

 

 

[jfoster]

The one thing we had in common was I tried castrol 20-50 and my whine (which doesn't sound like an issue on yours) got ALOT worse. To me the motor doesn't like thick oil.

 

There's alot of folks with more knowledge, but I would try a thinner oil. For my rstd, it runs alot quiter on rotella synthetic 5-30, doesn't shift as smooth but quiter.

 

#2 Has it been greased since you bought it? The rear hub is pretty dry from the factor. Mine had a low speed growl when it started riding two up. Took it in and they (dealer) lubed it up.

[nbowersock]

I will plan on having the rear drive and splines lubed at the 8k service next month. Thanks for the tip!

[SilvrT]

yes, get the rear splines and damper pins lubed but from what you describe (pull in the clutch and the howl stops) I doubt it has anything to do with that. It could well be the clutch basket gears as they are meshing with the primary coz when the clutch is engaged, there is force on those gears whereas when you disengage the clutch, the force stops and they are just "floating" (so to speak). Try changing your oil to 10w40 first.

[jblue1555]

when you lube the drive pins pull your drive shaft and lube both ends

[jfoster]

I will plan on having the rear drive and splines lubed at the 8k service next month. Thanks for the tip!

 

When I took mine in, the dealer lubed it under warranty at no cost. The shop foreman acknowledged that yamaha uses very little grease during assembly.

[bobbyduck]

My 2006 RSTD progressed in a very similar manner, though a bit sooner in it's life.

 

It got to the point that I was going to sell it or do whatever it took. People would come up to me after I parked it and ask what was wrong, they heard it when I pulled into the parking lot!

 

Yamaha Canada finally coughed up an "I" basket after about 6 months of lies and obfuscation . It worked, it took about 80% of the whine away at all speeds. I then changed to Amsoil 10-40 Motorcycle Oil and that reduced it even further.

 

It is always there, as it was on my 84 Venture Royale and my 85 VMax. But it is muted to the point that it just isn't a problem, in fact it's a bit re-assuring because I can maybe hear if anything begins to change in the drive train.

 

Anyhow, that's what worked for me. And mine was the same, clutch it or even decelerate and it mostly went away.

 

Good Luck

[bikenut]

If you have a howl it could be the complete rear end dif.

SOme go bad and they send out a howl.

the seals and bearing go bad . If you pull in the clutch and the sound is still there it is the rear end. If it goes a way then it would be the basket.

Hope this helps.

Also I had my 06 venture basket replaced two times with "I" baskets because the first "I" basket made it worse and when I first got it back it had no sound at all but now it is coming back just a little as time goes on.The parts is bad QC on Yamaha parts.

[Shipper]

It's the clutch basket and the 50 weight oil. I had a gentle whine and changed to 20-50w synthetic and to me the whine turned into a scream. I'm having my basket changed to an "I" and think I'll go back to Dino. I should have left well enough alone unless the mileage begins to make it worse-I have 5K on my 2008 RSTD. Keep us in touch and I'll tell you how I do when my work is done.

[LNGARY]

I read all the info in this thread but I think my noise is different. I would discribe it as a bird chirping. It too is engine related as it only makes the noise at cruise speed in any gear. Most noticably in 4th and 5th with little load on the engine. As soon as you give it some gas, it stops, and if you clutch, it stops. It started around 400 mile and has become louder to now at 1400 miles.

I had the shop look for hose / vaccum leaks, but nothing showed up.

Does this make any sence to you or anyone else ? It also drives me nuts.

 

Gary