what is this: tranny or rear drive whine?

Granger · Oct 21, 2012

I ride a 2009 AE with just over 1,000 miles. The bike was at the dealer's being serviced for the 600 break-in about 3 months ago, all fluids checked, accel-balance, etc., all good. However when I ride I seem to hear much more of a "whine" sound from the gearbox or rear drive than I am used to, all the time. I've owned a few bikes with shaft drives and never heard this constant "whine" before. Is this natural? Should I be looking for something that this sound indicates? At speed the engine is louder than the whine so I notice it less but whenever the speed is lower it's prevalent. Is this only on the AE model? I may have to swap bikes with another FJR owner to see if there's a difference. I haven't complained to the local dealership about it, but that is my next step. They've done short test-rides after servicing and never commented.

:huh:

Granger

wfooshee · Oct 21, 2012

Gearbox is all straight-cut gears, which do whine. Also, the balance shafts are drive with straight-cut gears right off the crankshaft. It's not just the AE, there is no difference in the mechanicals between the AE and non-AE.

RedPorscheKilla · Oct 21, 2012

It's called the good whine, as wfooshee said, the gears are straight cut, which is the reason for it......

HotRodZilla · Oct 21, 2012

Yeahbutt...How much whine is too much whine? When I get on the throttle, I can hear my engine whining, and I love that sound. I dont think I have ever heard my drive train (shaft/FD) whining though.

I know that a whining differential is a sign that the diff is about to take a ****. So...If the final drive is whining, are problems arising? Especially since the OP never really noticed whining before, but says its now pronounced??

Honestly, if it were me, I'd open up the FD and ensure it's full of oil and probably pull the shaft to be sure things are lubed correctly...For the OP, the stuff I mention is very easy to do.

Maybe its normal and all in his head. BUT what if its not??

Granger · Oct 22, 2012

HotRodZilla said:
Yeahbutt...How much whine is too much whine? When I get on the throttle, I can hear my engine whining, and I love that sound. I dont think I have ever heard my drive train (shaft/FD) whining though.

I know that a whining differential is a sign that the diff is about to take a ****. So...If the final drive is whining, are problems arising? Especially since the OP never really noticed whining before, but says its now pronounced??

Honestly, if it were me, I'd open up the FD and ensure it's full of oil and probably pull the shaft to be sure things are lubed correctly...For the OP, the stuff I mention is very easy to do.

Maybe its normal and all in his head. BUT what if its not??

A good suggestion! And I am comfortable checking the Final Drive for fluids, or even tearing it down to check deeper.

I also own A Suzuki 650 with a shaft drive and I hear nothing from that FD, not a sound, just the engine. That's why the noticeable whine in the FJR stands out for me, and it's not the engine, I know the diff., because the bike is moving when I hear it, but not there when its in neutral and I rev the engine.

I bought my FJR used after a test ride, with 600 miles on it. The whine was there in my test drive, but I didn't think anything about it. I had the bike serviced by a Yamaha dealer before really rolling up some miles, and then I really noticed the whining, and when I switched to the Suzy occasionally and compared I really noticed the difference.

I guess to know what the hell is really going on I'm going to have to get my hands dirty.

thanks,

Granger

wfooshee · Oct 22, 2012

That could still make it gear whine if it's only while moving.... Does the sound change when you shift gears?

Also, the balancer whine would probably be inaudible just revving the motor at a standstill, because of exhaust noise produced by the revs.

Big Sky · Oct 22, 2012

Mt guess is he's hearing the balancer shaft straight-cut gears. Another consideration, with the shield deployed you get a quiet pocket of air that allows you to hear a lot more, especially engine noise and front tire noise. I also believe the windshield reflects some noises from below back to the operator, amplifying them in a relative way. He hears no such noise on his Suzuki; I'm betting the Zook has no windscreen, or not enough of one to crate the same effect as the FJR..

odot · Oct 22, 2012

When my head hurts then I know it has been too much wine. Lotsa sugar in that stuff....

Chuck35 · Oct 22, 2012

I have also found that changes in windshield or helmet change / amplify noises. There have been whines, taps, ticks and clicks. Some of which I fixated on and imagined all kinds of disasters. If any of them were meaningful, it would have self destructed by now.

wheatonFJR · Oct 22, 2012

Granger said:
I ride a 2009 AE with just over 1,000 miles. The bike was at the dealer's being serviced for the 600 break-in about 3 months ago, all fluids checked, accel-balance, etc., all good. However when I ride I seem to hear much more of a "whine" sound from the gearbox or rear drive than I am used to, all the time. I've owned a few bikes with shaft drives and never heard this constant "whine" before. Is this natural? Should I be looking for something that this sound indicates? At speed the engine is louder than the whine so I notice it less but whenever the speed is lower it's prevalent. Is this only on the AE model? I may have to swap bikes with another FJR owner to see if there's a difference. I haven't complained to the local dealership about it, but that is my next step. They've done short test-rides after servicing and never commented.

:huh:

Granger

Take it to a local FJR rider and compare notes between your bike and theirs. Have no idea where you are located.

I'll take it to a place and run it up to 155 for you to load test it. B)

Alexander · Nov 18, 2012

I could love my '08 FJR if not for the drive shaft noise. For that reason alone I would never buy a FJR again. What's with Yamaha? Everyone else can make silent drive shafts and Yamaha has been making this model for a long time -- certainly long enough to figure out the problem.

odot · Nov 18, 2012

It is a POS, alexander. We here at the forum are just too hard headed to see our ill advised purchase any other way then, "it's the perfect platform to build our long distance riding bike upon". But, don't listen to me. I just **** here and wait for sheep and manatees to show up.

GPRIDER · Nov 18, 2012

Alexander said:
I could love my '08 FJR if not for the drive shaft noise. For that reason alone I would never buy a FJR again. What's with Yamaha? Everyone else can make silent drive shafts and Yamaha has been making this model for a long time -- certainly long enough to figure out the problem.

I think that is the first time in 7+ years that I've been a member of this forum that I've seen someone seriously post something like that. To each his own I guess.

GP

FJRay · Nov 18, 2012

Alexander said:
I could love my '08 FJR if not for the drive shaft noise. For that reason alone I would never buy a FJR again. What's with Yamaha? Everyone else can make silent drive shafts and Yamaha has been making this model for a long time -- certainly long enough to figure out the problem.

I have been around probably a thousand or more FJR's at various gatherings and have yet to hear a noise that I could blame on the final drive. The FJR has some unique sounds but the drive is quiet. It's also the same basic drive that is on the Vmax and the Venture and they are quiet also.

If you have noises I thnk maybe you need to look elsewhere.

wfooshee · Nov 18, 2012

Yeah, there is no shaft noise, unless you've let the gear oil drain out.

There's valve noise, balancer noise, transmission gear noise, exhaust noise, wind noise. If you hear the drive above all that, then something's seriously wrong with your bike.

All five speeds in the gearbox mesh with straight-cut gears. The primary drive (crank to tranny input) is straight-cut. The two balancer shafts are straight-cut. Those are where the noise comes from.

FJR Bill · Nov 19, 2012

Big Sky said:
Mt guess is he's hearing the balancer shaft straight-cut gears. Another consideration, with the shield deployed you get a quiet pocket of air that allows you to hear a lot more, especially engine noise and front tire noise. I also believe the windshield reflects some noises from below back to the operator, amplifying them in a relative way. He hears no such noise on his Suzuki; I'm betting the Zook has no windscreen, or not enough of one to crate the same effect as the FJR..

Couldn't agree more about the shield position "reflects noises... and amplifying them..." Doesn't bother me in the least and even on long rides I sometimes don't even use earplugs as that nice pocket of air kills the wind noise. If the OP is sure its coming from the rear drive, then he does have a problem. But me thinks its the normal engine noise.

Bill

Knifemaker · Nov 19, 2012

GPRIDER said:
Alexander said:

I could love my '08 FJR if not for the drive shaft noise. For that reason alone I would never buy a FJR again. What's with Yamaha? Everyone else can make silent drive shafts and Yamaha has been making this model for a long time -- certainly long enough to figure out the problem.

Click to expand...

I think that is the first time in 7+ years that I've been a member of this forum that I've seen someone seriously post something like that. To each his own I guess.

GP

+1 "Driveshaft noise"??? Seriously? Gotta be kidding......(unless something is horribly wrong with his bike.)

Spud · Nov 19, 2012

Alexander said:
I could love my '08 FJR if not for the drive shaft noise. For that reason alone I would never buy a FJR again. What's with Yamaha? Everyone else can make silent drive shafts and Yamaha has been making this model for a long time -- certainly long enough to figure out the problem.

Here you go. Good luck on furthering your zen-like existence.

https://www.zeromotorcycles.com/

roger dodger · Nov 19, 2012

The gears DO have a whine. The CCT SOMETIMES develops a whine. (Do you need an update?) But the final drive should NEVER whine.

If you need to hear a whine, stand near a Honda ST1300 @ idle. George Jetson would be proud.

what is this: tranny or rear drive whine?

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