The smell of rubber

[MajBach]

I can't figure it out. Short ride, long ride. Whenever I get off, I detect the faint odor of burning rubber. Can't find where its coming from. Anyone else experience this?

 

[RaYzerman19]

Yep, I get it too, don't know where it comes from and haven't dug the tupperware off when she's hot. I don't smell it after a long ride, only short ones where it gets up to operating temps. Sometimes, not all the time.

 

[PhilJet09]

Me too. I've torn the bike apart and haven't found anything wrong. I don't worry about it anymore...much.

 

[fjrbrad]

The smell I get is more a combination burning rubber and burning brake lining. I only smell it when I am moving never stopped, and usually short not long rides. For a while I thought it was other vehicles around me but it has happened too many times to be others. Dont smell it in warmer weather, usually when it is cooler and havent had the smell in a while. Thought it was one of the spiders burning, so I installed Brodies harness and come to think of it I dont think I have smelled it since. I dont worry about it anymore.

 

[wmadoty]

The only time I smell the burning rubber is when the exhaust on my left side is melting the heel of my shoe. that is almost every time I ride.

 

[snikr]

I've gotten that smell but usually after a ride in the rain. So I figure something must be getting washed in to the pipes. I don't worry about it anymore.

Tom

 

[08FJR4ME]

I have had it on several ocasions and seems to come from above the rear shock area. Voltage regulator would be a guess. I have YES so if it ***** the bed MaMa Yami will take care of it.

Dave

 

[Gary B]

Old thread alert!

Apologies if this has been solved in another thread (I did do a search, honest!).

I smelled this twice today, both times at the end of a very gentle 12 mile journey. My heated grips sometimes smell but they were turned off, I checked my boots and exhaust, no melting.

Doesn't smell electrical to me. Could it be the catalytic converter?

Doesn't particularly worry me, just a bit strange.

Cheers

Gary

 

[Donal]

I've gotten that smell but usually after a ride in the rain. So I figure something must be getting washed in to the pipes. I don't worry about it anymore.
Tom

Old thread alert!
Apologies if this has been solved in another thread (I did do a search, honest!).

I smelled this twice today, both times at the end of a very gentle 12 mile journey. My heated grips sometimes smell but they were turned off, I checked my boots and exhaust, no melting.

Doesn't smell electrical to me. Could it be the catalytic converter?

Doesn't particularly worry me, just a bit strange.

Cheers

Gary

I get it but usually when the exhaust pipes are wet/damp.......

 

[Pterodactyl]

I've gotten that smell but usually after a ride in the rain. So I figure something must be getting washed in to the pipes. I don't worry about it anymore.
Tom

Ditto.

 

[Gary B]

Sky was blue and the roads were fairly dry (but 'greasy').

Temperature around 5 degrees C, someone else noted above that it happened in cooler weather.

Next time I'll have a good sniff around the bike but make sure no one is watching!!

 

[Jer]

I get an odor, but not like rubber more like a mouse nest. Haven't been able to find it though. Had the same odor with my 07.

 

[MajBach]

since writing that, i've never noticed it again . Maybe it's a break-in period for our nosee.

 

[mcatrophy]

Catalytic converters typically give out a smell of rotting eggs if smelled within a few miles from cold, due to their too low temperature for complete conversion of the exhaust gasses. I'd suggest you are smelling the residuals of this.

 

[Gary B]

It's a slightly different smell to that from a catalytic converter, perhaps the FJR cat produces a new smell?

I'm encouraged that other owners have noticed it, thought I was going mad!!

 

[El Toro]

I'm wondering if it is a clutch odor.

I get it from time to time on multiple bikes. Sometimes it is after an especially spirited ride on a bike with relatively soft compound tires.

Often it is on new bikes with relatively new tires that have not yet been fully scrubbed in.

But then sometimes it shows up at odd times, and I wonder if it is related to the clutch workout.

 

[Mayhem454]

2012 with 23k miles. Smell of burnt rubber when pulling into garage near 9 times out of 10. Smell occurred with stock exhaust and with after market carbon cans. Have spent a bit of time looking for something wrong or out of place and never have figured it out.

 

[Gary B]

A Google search shows posts going back to 2002 for FJRs, other Yams (R1 and R6), BMW K1200 and GL1800 Goldwing.

No answers in all that time. If the PAIRS was operating could there be a smell from the inside of the rubber hoses making it out of the exhaust?

 

[08FJR4ME]

I have been noticing it on the Gen3 also. Son came through the garage to get some wood for the wood stove and said hey dad something smells in the garage. Sure enough rubbery electrical smell same as the Gen2. It still happens on the Gen2 and it hasn't gone up in flames with 90K miles on it. So for now I am going to just ignore it on the Gen3 also. I have actually seen a llight puff of smoke on some occasions. My guess it is coming from the regulator area of the bike near the air box best I can tell.

My .02 worth, Dave