Some new thoughts on clutch basket whine

[dalv]

NBOWERSOCK and others,

 

I have the 08 RSV, bought used about a month ago with 1600mi on it. Noticed the chirp/whine while test driving but fell in love with the bike anyway. Been reading all the posts on the condition, changed the oil to Rotella TP per earlier success story...to no avail. It is disturbing how loud it is (unless I wear ear plugs).

Even installed the Road King pipes which is a nice change in the exhaust note but doesn't cover the chirp.

I have a call into the local dealer and he claimed to know nothing about the problem but would put a call into the manufacturer rep who he says is a great guy (we'll see).

I do appreciate the details of your experience and hope to see similar results. Any more info would be great. Will get back with what happens in my case.

 

Thanks

Dal

[Steve-O]

Any solutions to this problem yet? Bought ready to sell my 06. Love it. But just rode it from Dallas to Tulsa and back. Whine is annoying!

[GeorgeS]

Have known about this for several years, but own 1st gen so never paid a lot of attention to the 2nd Gen , whinning, Noise problem.

 

However, been working on my 89 the in garage all week , ( just normal service items, and a new tire ) and the wife gets out of car, walking thru the garage, she says !! ( To my utter surprise !!! )

 

 

"""" Why don't you just buy a New Bike """ !!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

Now , Normally she is always "" whinning "" about something.

 

But-- this has , really, got me worried ?? Was she serious? or just " whinning " about me spending all week in the garage working on the bike ???

 

And -- If I buy a new 2nd gen, will I have another " whinning problem " ???

 

Frankly, I just don't know what to do now ????

And the old 89 is all serviced, ready for another season .

 

Well, ---- maby--- a new FJ-1300, Do they " Whine " ???? I ran into an old gezzer with an FJ last week, he said, 68K on his FJ, and Absolutly no problems, AND, the Seat was comfortable !!! Hmmmmmmm ( I forgot to ask about whinning )

 

Hey Jack, what do you think ?? :whistling:

[YamaDuck]

I have not found a solution to the problem. I have two Ventures and the 01 has the whine the 2000MM does not. I have found in my case that the 01's whine is not very bad until the engine/transmission gets good and hot at which time the whine gets real noticeable. At least in my 01 that is how it works. thinking that maybe the whine gets worse as the oil thins I switched to a 10w50 but if that helped it was not much.

 

Someone posted some info about a friction additive that is suppose to be safe for wet clutches and said it worked for him. I tried it and it did not work for me. Mine only whines at a certain RPM range and then is worse when it is hot and within the RPM range and power is being applied. If you ease off on the power a bit the whine is not as bad.

 

This is what I will try next. As I wear a half helmet and use a mic to talk over the CB I bought a converter that allows my mic to function and allows me to wear earbuds. The earbuds block outside noise and allows the music to come through. I have used them on my 2000MM and they work great. I can play the music at a much lower volume and it is much clearer. I will try it on my 01 with the whine next. The biggest problem I see if this works is that I have to listen to the music to get rid of the whine. Not a problem for me but if you want to just ride down the rode and listen to the wind, well your out of luck.

 

One other note that wearing earbuds while operating a motor vehicle is illegal in some states because it does reduce the ability to hear emergency vehicles. Here are a couple of links if you are interested in the adapter. My adapter has a hiss in it if you do not have a song playing but is not noticeable with the music playing. I have the Plugup model (cheaper).

 

http://www.plugup.com/ and here some other ones I don't these; http://www.spoiledbiker.com/harleyadap.html

or http://www.edsets.com/edsets_adapters

or http://www.ebay.com/itm/Motorcycle-Headphone-Adapter-Intercom-Stereo-Systems-/270844822786?hash=item3f0f9c0502&item=270844822786&pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr#ht_500wt_1202

[YamaDuck]

One other note I think is worth mentioning, I have never seen a perfect bike. Some Ventures whine and some don't but even the ones that don't whine are not perfect either. People change brands in search of the perfect bike but no one has ever found it. What they do find is a bike that the imperfection is easier for them to live with. Everyone is different so what bothers one person will not even phase another person. If the whining bothers you then you may want to try another brand or model of bike that whatever problems or short comings it has will be easier for you to live with. Good luck.

[Condor]

 

Hey Jack, what do you think ?? :whistling:

 

I don't know nuttin'.... What happened to the Busa??

[mag1101]

Mine gets louder as the engine (oil) gets hotter. When starting out with a relatively cold engine it's nice and quiet. I think it needs a oil cooler to keep the oil from getting too hot.

That's my .02s.

 

Mark

[YamaDuck]

Mine gets louder as the engine (oil) gets hotter. When starting out with a relatively cold engine it's nice and quiet. I think it needs a oil cooler to keep the oil from getting too hot.

That's my .02s.

 

Mark

 

Mine does the same thing. Now that's a good idea. I need to start working on that.

[pmelah]

any way to do that coming from the filter put a filter relocate bracet on and run hoses to a oil cooler from the filter then back to motor maybe just a thought

[variousgsc]

Hi folks ... great site!

 

Looking for recommended dealers that are familiar with the whining issue on the RSV. I ride an '07 Midnight Venture that I have a love/hate relationship with. When I hear the whine (most of the time on some decibel level) I HATE it. When the music is up loud and I'm on an interstate I LOVE it. The higher the revs the less whine it seems. 50mph in 3rd gear is deafening. 110mph in OD is sweet.

 

Shame on Yamaha for not addressing this problem on their top of the line motorcyle. I must confess that I don't know diddly about clutch baskets but to me the whine seems to be more in the driveline (i.e. the shaft and final drive area). Maybe that shim suggestion will fix mine.

 

I live in Ottawa Ontario but the bike is a U.S. model that I imported new in '08 because I wanted the Midnight version and there were none in Canada. Warranty work must therefore be performed in the U.S.

 

I travel to the mid-west occasionally and want to have someone look at it this the next time I'm in the States (June). My preferred route when I go is from Port Huron along hwy 69 to 94 (Lansing MI area) to I-80 = Des Moines Iowa, but of course I could veer off that course, or be happy to do a little getaway to upstate NY or Vermont for the right dealer.

 

At this point it's either take a crack at getting this thing resolved or change bikes.

 

Thanks in advance for any suggestions. They will be appreciated.

 

Cheers ... Greg

[XV1100SE]

...Looking for recommended dealers that are familiar with the whining issue on the RSV ... Greg

 

Are you going to the International Rally in July? Pioneer Motorsport in Chaffee, NY is great to deal with and if you hook up with Chad on the phone he might be able to make arrangements to look after it for you while you are there.

[ediddy]

Hey variousgsc,

You may not have the transmission whine. It could be the rear diff. I would get a dealer to look at it. If no satisfaction with the dealer, I would call yamaha. They know this is a problem but you may have to be persistent with them.

[Jetfixer03]

I guess this whole topic is more or less beating a dead horse, so I guess I'm just commenting to vent.

 

I'm a new owner of an '03 RSV. Now that I've had a chance to put about 1300 miles on the bike I'll say I love it, but the whine is ridiculous. I wish I had test ridden it more extensively. I'm going to do some of the obvious stuff to try to mitigate it, like switch from dyno-oil to Rotella, and synth in the rear end, in case any of it is from there.

 

I have a lot of respect for the products Yamaha puts out, I've had several, but for this to go on for years without being addressed baffles me. The argument that all bikes have their issues is weak. I've had plenty of bikes, and they all have their strengths and weaknesses, like gas mileage, power, handling, even transmission noise (my Valkyrie). But to me those are more just characteristics, like personalities....IMO this rises to the level of a serious engineering flaw. I think that just the fact that it is so inconsistent between bikes shows that it isn't a design characteristic, but a flaw.

 

OK, I'm done spewing....I'm going to go ride!

[Jetfixer03]

Next tourer for me...Victory Cross Country.

[mag1101]

"I have a 2009 and it whines a little as it gets hotter."

 

 

I have a 2008 RSTD and it also whines a little whine went it gets hot. It's sounds GREAT when the engine is cold.

I think someone should try to come up with a oil cooler.

Just my .02 cents worth.

 

Mark

[djh3]

VARIOUSGSC: Why would your warraty not be any good in Canada? I have worked at a MOPAR dealership here in Fl and we service our Canadaian winter esidents vehicles all the time. If they wont take care of it I think I'd be contacting Yamaha. If I come up there and my bike breaks down say in Montreal am I going to have to get it towed to the states for repair?

[mag1101]

Mine does the same thing. Now that's a good idea. I need to start working on that.

 

 

I tried a thinner oil one time and it (THE WHINE) was so bad I changed back to Rotella 15-40 the same day.

Mine is not as loud as some that I've heard. I took a new 2006 RSTD for a ride 3 years ago and it was so loud that I thought I wasn't going to make it back to the dealer. That bike is still at that dealer today...and they want 12,500.00 for it.

 

Mark

[allwx]

I seriously doubt that thicker oil or an oil cooler will have a noticeable effect on the whine.

 

I think the reason we notice the whine more on some days than on others has to do with ambient conditions, especially wind and traffic. Any loud noises around you, like trucks, will tend to mask the whine. Wind variations, crosswinds, tailwinds (especially tailwind, which quiets down the cockpit), have a strong impact.

 

For me, the perfect solution to the whine is to ride with a fullface helmet. A fullface helmet completely masks the whine. If I do ride without a helmet, then I wear earplugs.

 

I'll betcha that Yamaha engineers, when they debated what to do about the whine, decided to do nothing, assuming that MOST riders will wear fullface helmets, and that those who ride in baseball caps and do-rags will wear earplugs. But, let's say the whine didn't exist. Let's say the motor was as silent as an electric. You'd STILL have a huge amount of wind noise, and the racket caused by those tires scooting across the pavement. The whine is only one component of the total "noise package" arriving at the ears of the rider.

[Cougar]

[MikeWa]

I agree with the above posters. Oil does make a difference. I switched to Amsoil once and switched back soon after. There are a couple of roller bearings involved with the clutch basket assembly. Has anyone ever looked into whether one of these could be the culprit.

 

Mike

[variousgsc]

Are you going to the International Rally in July? Pioneer Motorsport in Chaffee, NY is great to deal with and if you hook up with Chad on the phone he might be able to make arrangements to look after it for you while you are there.

 

Hadn't planned on attending but I thank you for suggesting Motorsport. I'll give Chad a call. It's not THAT far off a route I could take to the mid-west. Actually, it would probably be fun to go.

 

Hey variousgsc,

You may not have the transmission whine. It could be the rear diff. I would get a dealer to look at it. If no satisfaction with the dealer, I would call yamaha. They know this is a problem but you may have to be persistent with them.

 

This thread is the first I've heard of a rear diff problem. I will have a dealer take a look at it as soon as I can. I LOVE looking at this bike but have sworn to get rid of it every year once that whine gets under my skin.

 

VARIOUSGSC: Why would your warraty not be any good in Canada? I have worked at a MOPAR dealership here in Fl and we service our Canadaian winter esidents vehicles all the time. If they wont take care of it I think I'd be contacting Yamaha. If I come up there and my bike breaks down say in Montreal am I going to have to get it towed to the states for repair?

 

Come on up. Your bike would be fixed in Montreal without any question unless you'd imported the bike FROM Canada to the U.S. (a senseless thought). There's Yamaha U.S. and Yamaha Canada. Two different children of the same parent company. I've called both and been told that a U.S. bike imported into Canada would not be covered by the Canadian warranty providers but would still be covered in the U.S. I guess that's to discourage people like me from buying and importing a bike from the U.S. and saving myself $5,000.

 

I say "screw 'em!" I live 1 hour from the border. If push came to shove and I had to get the bike to a U.S. dealer for warranty work I'd just rent a u-haul bike trailer for $14.00/day and take it there myself. I'd have to do that 50 times (including fuel) to equal the savings I realized buying that bike in the U.S.. Plus, I'm trying to do my bit to get your economy back on it's feet:stirthepot:.

 

I'm not at all thrilled with my local dealer and his $90/hr labour rates for a freakin' oil or tire change so I went and bought a nice bike jack on sale for $70 the other day. I may ask one of his mechanics to take the bike for a spin though. A real quick one just to see if he thinks it's the dreaded whine or a rear differential noise I'm hearing. Is there a fix for the rear diff problem?

 

As I've already said ... LOVE the bike - it's a thing of beauty and comfort ... HATE HATE HATE the fingernails on the blackboard whine. Shame on Yamaha.

[PGunn]

I bought mine new in 06 and had the basket changed right away, I could only stand it for around a week. Well I went from whine all the time to whine only when slowing down. One other thing I noticed is when I pull in the clutch the whine goes away. Now I know those gears are still engaged when the clutch releases so I'm guessing it is because the load is removed that the whine stops?

Has anyone come up with a list of what to look for and how to fix all these little gotcha's in the drive train? I had my back tire off and talk about never being serviced so I have added that to my maintaince plan for the future.

[XV1100SE]

....Come on up. Your bike would be fixed in Montreal without any question unless you'd imported the bike FROM Canada to the U.S. (a senseless thought). There's Yamaha U.S. and Yamaha Canada. Two different children of the same parent company. I've called both and been told that a U.S. bike imported into Canada would not be covered by the Canadian warranty providers but would still be covered in the U.S. I guess that's to discourage people like me from buying and importing a bike from the U.S. and saving myself $5,000.

.....

 

The way I understand it.... if I have a warranty issue with my Canadian purchased bike while I'm in the U.S. I would pay for the work in the States and submit a claim to Canadian Yamaha. Likewise for U.S. bikes in Canada - submit the receipts to Yamaha U.S..

 

As for cost differences... today the Yamaha sites show :

2012 RSV 'S' - U.S. $20,190, Canada $19,999

2011 RSV 'S' - U.S. $20,090, Canada $23,899 (-$2,000 rebate until end of May)

U.S. - "Limited Factory Warranty"

Canada - "unlimited mileage warranty"

 

Up until the 2012 model, the Canadian price was $3,000 to $4,000 higher despite the near par value of the US$ and Cdn$.

 

As for the whine... if you contact a dealer they should be able to tell you what clutch basket was intalled in your bike. I work for Toyota and they keep track of everything that goes into our cars. Might be worth a call to see if they can tell you what basket was used. Mind you, some people have issues with the 'I' basket as well. It comes down to the alignment of the splines and the tolerances.

 

If you come thru Ontario, post your route/timing on the site. A number of us in this area would enjoy getting together with you.

[variousgsc]

The way I understand it.... if I have a warranty issue with my Canadian purchased bike while I'm in the U.S. I would pay for the work in the States and submit a claim to Canadian Yamaha. Likewise for U.S. bikes in Canada - submit the receipts to Yamaha U.S..

 

As for cost differences... today the Yamaha sites show :

2012 RSV 'S' - U.S. $20,190, Canada $19,999

2011 RSV 'S' - U.S. $20,090, Canada $23,899 (-$2,000 rebate until end of May)

U.S. - "Limited Factory Warranty"

Canada - "unlimited mileage warranty"

 

Up until the 2012 model, the Canadian price was $3,000 to $4,000 higher despite the near par value of the US$ and Cdn$.

 

BASE MSRP(US) $17,399.00

 

As for the whine... if you contact a dealer they should be able to tell you what clutch basket was intalled in your bike. I work for Toyota and they keep track of everything that goes into our cars. Might be worth a call to see if they can tell you what basket was used. Mind you, some people have issues with the 'I' basket as well. It comes down to the alignment of the splines and the tolerances.

 

If you come thru Ontario, post your route/timing on the site. A number of us in this area would enjoy getting together with you.

 

MSRP on a 2007 Royal Star Midnight Venture

 

Canada: $22,499

 

U.S.A.: $17.399

 

Difference: $5,100

 

The price gap has closed in recent years with a number of different manufacturers.

 

"The way I understand it.... if I have a warranty issue with my Canadian purchased bike while I'm in the U.S. I would pay for the work in the States and submit a claim to Canadian Yamaha. Likewise for U.S. bikes in Canada - submit the receipts to Yamaha U.S.."

 

Never thought of it that way. I'll look into this approach.I'd want to be absolutely sure though so there would be no cash out of my pocket and THEN start discussing who gets the bill. Thanks!

 

It's going to be raining here in Ottawa for the rest of the week so I can put the whine out of my mind for a few days anyway. Give me a chance to make some important calls to Yamaha people.

[YamaDuck]

The argument that all bikes have their issues is weak. I've had plenty of bikes, and they all have their strengths and weaknesses, like gas mileage, power, handling, even transmission noise (my Valkyrie). But to me those are more just characteristics, like personalities....IMO this rises to the level of a serious engineering flaw. I think that just the fact that it is so inconsistent between bikes shows that it isn't a design characteristic, but a flaw.

 

Okay I don't no what to say about this statement. He says the statement was weak and the very next sentence makes the very same claim????? Like I said before, every bike has it's problems and the Venture is no different. Not all the Ventures have the problem so I disagree that it is an engineering flaw. It is probably a manufacturing flaw of not holding the proper tolerances on the specific part that is making the noise. Since not all Ventures make the whining noise then there has to be small tolerance differences within the parts.

 

I did get the adapter in so I can use earbuds. I test drove my Venture that has the whine. With the earbuds I turn the volume down to half what the speaker volume was and the music and CB are clearer and easier to understand AND I did not hear the engine whine one time. I did have to get use to shifting again since I shift by listening to the engine. After about 10 minutes I had that down pat.

 

So I will not mess with trying to fit an oil cooler since the $45 dollar adapter and the $20 earbuds did the trick for me. Plus I don't have the ringing in my ears from all the wind after a day of riding.