Wheel Noise When Leaning

[Maddog]

When I'm on the freeway and I lean the bike, I can hear a faint whining/humming noise coming from the wheel area. It doesn't make the noise when the bike is upright and I also don't hear the noise off of the freeway. Any ideas what it might be? Wheel bearings perhaps? The bike has 80,000 miles on it.

I haven't ruled out tire noise but none of my previous tires ever made any noise. I'm currently running Pilot Roads with about 4,000 miles and they are a bit squared off from my daily commute. It also isn't the road surface as I have been riding on the same roads for five years now.

Thanks for any input!

Larry

 

[wheatonFJR]

Do you wear earplugs? If so...that may be actually a loud noise. :huh:

 

[SkooterG]

Ya know, my FJR has always made a different noise when leaned over that seems like its coming from the wheels. I quit worrying about it a long time ago. So far, that hasn't bit me in the butt so to speak.

Recently however, I am getting something new. Not so much a noise as a slight vibration. Only occurrs when leaned over and decelerating through 15mph. I think its coming from the rear wheel. I have checked the bearings and they seem fine. I am stumped. Guess I'll have to wait until it gets worse and becomes more obvious. BTW, I have an extra set of wheels and it doesn't happen on them.

 

[Maddog]

Wheaton - You raise a good point, I do wear ear plugs. Today on the way home I won't and I'll see how the noise changes.

SkooterG - I'm not getting any vibration and the only time I notice the noise is at high speeds. But like you maybe I'll have to wait to see what develops.

 

[radman]

Pilot Roads, as they wear, will start putting up a horrendous amount of sound on high speed turns, on a trip to the great state of NC, coming back I heard so much noise I thought the rear end had taken a shit-nope, Mickey Roads. Just mounted a set of Mickey 2's, talking with Shane, who mounts all my stuff, he too had the same experience.

 

[Afast03nNJ]

My vote goes for tire noise as well. As my Bt020's wear (or cup - thanks Bridgestone) the noise when leaning into turns increases.

I call that my time for a front tire change indicator.

 

[Jeff Q]

Mine whines a little too when leaned over!

 

[Warchild]

This is common, gentlemen, so worry not.

We call this "The Howling" and it is produced by a noticeably worn rear tire when leaning into a turn. Specifically, the "howling" noise is generated when the scalloped edges (toward the outboard part of the tread) hit the pavement at a certain angle.

 

[Fred W]

Definitely the tahrs.

I think the front will howl too. At least my last Strada did, even after replacing the rear one. New front Strada... no howling.

It's not a bad thing. It's just your tires letting you know (that they know) that you are leaned over.

 

[jnor]

This is common, gentlemen, so worry not.
We call this "The Howling" and it is produced by a noticeably worn rear tire when leaning into a turn. Specifically, the "howling" noise is generated when the scalloped edges (toward the outboard part of the tread) hit the pavement at a certain angle.

+1....I had that exact noise with my FZ1, the edge of the front tire was worn uneven, and it howled/wined terrible when leaned over. I put a new tire on and it fixed it. This is a common problem with FZ1's and certain tires.

 

[Fred W]

This is common, gentlemen, so worry not.
We call this "The Howling" and it is produced by a noticeably worn rear tire when leaning into a turn. Specifically, the "howling" noise is generated when the scalloped edges (toward the outboard part of the tread) hit the pavement at a certain angle.

+1....I had that exact noise with my FZ1, the edge of the front tire was worn uneven, and it howled/wined terrible when leaned over. I put a new tire on and it fixed it. This is a common problem with FZ1's and certain tires.

As noted above... It's not really a problem. I would not change my tire just for this.

 

[adaniel]

The scalloped edges can easily be removed with a razor-blade or sharp exacto knife. Get the wheels off the ground, sit straddling the tire, and just slowly work off the edges.

 

[Jeff Q]

My tires are not scalloped and still have the noise.

 

[wfooshee]

Doesn't need to be scalloped, it may be a result of the tread design.

We all know that car and truck tires vary in the amount of noise they generate. Everyone's experienced a change in tire noise when they change brands on replacing their car tires. But car tires don't vary from time to time on the same tire, as a cage (hopefully) does not present multiple profiles and surfaces to the road. A bike obviously does, and as the tire wears, its tread changes shape, too, whether it's visible scalloping or cupping, or not visible. As the shape changes, the sound it makes will change.

No Big Deal.

Hell, a brand new tire can make a different sound leaned over than it does straight up. Who cares? The engine noise is the fun part. Crank that up to cover up the tire noise!

 

[timalan]

When I'm on the freeway and I lean the bike, I can hear a faint whining/humming noise coming from the wheel area. It doesn't make the noise when the bike is upright and I also don't hear the noise off of the freeway. Any ideas what it might be? Wheel bearings perhaps? The bike has 80,000 miles on it.
I haven't ruled out tire noise but none of my previous tires ever made any noise. I'm currently running Pilot Roads with about 4,000 miles and they are a bit squared off from my daily commute. It also isn't the road surface as I have been riding on the same roads for five years now.

Thanks for any input!

Larry

My pilot road II are the noisiest tires I have ever had on any bike. they have had a off center hummmmm since about 2k or so. They wear terrible uneven. And sound just like the mud tires on my 4X4 truck. If you wait till the last second and really lay the bike over it doesn't make the noise... Suck for noisy but, I now have 9k On the rear and it is holding up. i could see 12k so I'll put up with the noise. Not buying PR2 ever again.

JMHO and that aint worth shit.

 

[Janet]

The scalloped edges can easily be removed with a razor-blade or sharp exacto knife. Get the wheels off the ground, sit straddling the tire, and just slowly work off the edges.

...or just go ride some twisties.

 

[Big Sky]

It's unanimous: tire noise. I will add that when the bearings went out of my front wheel, the bearings were quiet when leaned over, noisy when straight up.