rweakley Posted December 28, 2017 Share Posted December 28, 2017 So today I noticed a strange noise coming to a stoplight as I clutched and slowed. It was like a whining or rubbing noise. When I got in my neighborhood, I was able to experiment and it was doing it in 3rd-5th and not in 1st and 2nd. I wasn't able to get up to 6th gear speeds in the neighborhood. Anyways, it only does it when clutching and coasting. It doesn't do it if I cut the throttle and engine brake. I could also kind of "feel" the noise in my left foot. Any thoughts? Only thing I've changed recently was an ECU flash with FTECU to go with my new exhaust. I low sided not too long ago, but have ridden several times (around 20 or more) since then and have not noticed this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shinyribs Posted December 28, 2017 Share Posted December 28, 2017 Not trying to sound like a jerk, but how long since you've gave your chain a good bath? And I don't mean just squirting more lube on it, but actually cleaning it. Also, check the chain tension? Can you see any kinks in the chain? I will say this about the chain on these bikes: all bikes with chains have a certain amount of noise, but these bikes are the loudest I've ever heard. I actually thought maybe my stock chain was faulty, so I replaced it. No difference. I don't know what it is about these bikes, but they produce a fair amount of chain noise, and you do typically hear that more while coasting. Decel against engine braking helps keep the chain taught and reduce the chain noise ( chatter). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rweakley Posted December 29, 2017 Author Share Posted December 29, 2017 This makes sense. I’ll do a bit more experimenting. This was my first thought as well, but was weird that only in 3rd and up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick Posted December 29, 2017 Share Posted December 29, 2017 2 hours ago, rweakley said: Anyways, it only does it when clutching and coasting. simple solution, don't coast at anything higher than a walk. Certainly not at 30+ mph. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rweakley Posted December 29, 2017 Author Share Posted December 29, 2017 4 hours ago, rick said: simple solution, don't coast at anything higher than a walk. Certainly not at 30+ mph. Why not? I’ve done this plenty of times before, to include manual tranny cars. Clutch and brake. Never felt this before. I realize car and bike trannies are not the same type, but just making a point. I clutch and downshift to match gears with speed, in case I need to accelerate to avoid trouble. Can anyone give a reason not to do this, rather than just telling me not to? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick Posted December 29, 2017 Share Posted December 29, 2017 The throwout bearing in a car is not bathed in oil the way it is on a bike. If you did this to a manual gearbox i a car, you would likely wear out that bearing long before the clutch is worn out. Lots of work to replace that bearing, may as well replace the clutch while in there. Clutching, matching revs and downshifting is fine. Rolling to a stop in gear and pulling the clutch right before you get stopped - also fine. But that's not coasting. Aside from wearing out brakes faster( and this bike does have a lot of engine braking that's lost by coasting) - you lose a lot of control over the bike. 1st, having revs down makes it harder to downshift. Having revs down will also make it harder to match revs for those downshifts. Worse, you'll lose precious seconds if there's a need to accelerate to get out of some cell phone junky's way. Besides, you'll stop hear all of those pesky noises Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r1limited Posted December 29, 2017 Share Posted December 29, 2017 A chain will make a noise as yu described for some simple reasons (a) its needs adjustment "slack" (b) it needs some chain love lotion "lube" (c) It is gliding along the nylon chain guides and is naturally making music and you sense a problem which is not there. With that said, a properly adjusted, love lotioned chain will still make some noise. This is a shity chain to begin with and a big one at that, going down to a 520 (Will need to sprokets front and back) would reduce some of the noise but effectualy not by much. As a Ex-Pearo-Mint get the butt of the bike off the ground, so it is 100% stable and will not or has no chance of getting of said stand. Spin the rear does it make noise? or better start the bike, get in in 3rd and let it spin the rear Blip the throttle, pull in clutch, is it making noise? If it does, SHUT OFF BIKE take some WD40, spray on the chain effectivly while spining the rear wheel by hand (Do this on the inside of the chain the part that is closest to the teeth) as you are spinning is the noise deminishing? if you can tell. Bottom line is the chain will make noise, its the nature of things as everymoving part makes some sort of noise be it a dul humm or worse. “Laws that forbid the carrying of arms disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes.” --Thomas Jefferson quoting Cesare Beccaria Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rweakley Posted December 31, 2017 Author Share Posted December 31, 2017 On 12/29/2017 at 7:28 AM, r1limited said: A chain will make a noise as yu described for some simple reasons (a) its needs adjustment "slack" (b) it needs some chain love lotion "lube" (c) It is gliding along the nylon chain guides and is naturally making music and you sense a problem which is not there. With that said, a properly adjusted, love lotioned chain will still make some noise. This is a shity chain to begin with and a big one at that, going down to a 520 (Will need to sprokets front and back) would reduce some of the noise but effectualy not by much. As a Ex-Pearo-Mint get the butt of the bike off the ground, so it is 100% stable and will not or has no chance of getting of said stand. Spin the rear does it make noise? or better start the bike, get in in 3rd and let it spin the rear Blip the throttle, pull in clutch, is it making noise? If it does, SHUT OFF BIKE take some WD40, spray on the chain effectivly while spining the rear wheel by hand (Do this on the inside of the chain the part that is closest to the teeth) as you are spinning is the noise deminishing? if you can tell. Bottom line is the chain will make noise, its the nature of things as everymoving part makes some sort of noise be it a dul humm or worse. I'll give this a go. I ordered a set of chain tensioners with spools that should be arriving soon. I'll adjust tension when I install them, and I'll have a stable base to experiment. I'll post back in a few days and let y'all know how it's going. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beemer Posted December 31, 2017 Share Posted December 31, 2017 My chain made those same noises when it was stretched/worn just before I bought a new chain and sprockets. I don't know how old your chain is but check the owners manual, it may only need some adjusting. Beemer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r1limited Posted December 31, 2017 Share Posted December 31, 2017 What @Beemersaid, and that adjustment of slack is redicaless 2 inches???? REALLY, Just make it a tight two inches “Laws that forbid the carrying of arms disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes.” --Thomas Jefferson quoting Cesare Beccaria Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Premium Member fzar Posted December 31, 2017 Premium Member Share Posted December 31, 2017 1 hour ago, Beemer said: My chain made those same noises when it was stretched/worn just before I bought a new chain and sprockets. I don't know how old your chain is but check the owners manual, it may only need some adjusting. At what age in years and age in mileage did you have to buy a new chain and sprockets? Just out of curiosity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beemer Posted January 1, 2018 Share Posted January 1, 2018 21 hours ago, fzar said: At what age in years and age in mileage did you have to buy a new chain and sprockets? Just out of curiosity. Everyone's is different but mine lasted up to right around 22k. It started making an very unusual "whirring" noise (not your average chain noise) to begin with which is what told me something was terribly wrong. I adjusted some slack out but it kept making that whirring noise so I knew it had to be the chain/sprockets worn. Bought new chain & sprockets front and rear and no more funky noises. Just the sound of "zing" from my chain. Sounded beautiful! You'll know. Beemer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rweakley Posted January 1, 2018 Author Share Posted January 1, 2018 So, thanks for all the help peeps. I checked the chain when I got home from duty, and there was barely any tension at all it seemed. Which is strange. I took the motorcycle advanced riders course about 3000 miles ago, and the guys there helped me get the chain tightened up after the class. Bike's got just over 12k on it, hope I don't need a chain yet. Are they expensive? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick Posted January 2, 2018 Share Posted January 2, 2018 17 hours ago, rweakley said: So, thanks for all the help peeps. I checked the chain when I got home from duty, and there was barely any tension at all it seemed. Which is strange. I took the motorcycle advanced riders course about 3000 miles ago, and the guys there helped me get the chain tightened up after the class. Bike's got just over 12k on it, hope I don't need a chain yet. Are they expensive? Chain slack will be different from bike to bike. The specified 2" is a lot for the average street bike, so w/o knowing that, someone's liable to make it too tight. A tight chain is a bad thing. You'll not only cause wear and tear to the chain and sprockets prematurely, you will put excess strain on the gearbox's output shaft bearing. Chains and sprockets are relatively easy to replace - a gearbox bearing, not so much A good quality chain ( DID X-ring for example) will run about $100 and will go a long time (10k miles or more) before needing any adjustment. A front sprocket will show wear sooner than a rear - just cause it's smaller and goes 'round more often. If the valleys in the sprocket don't look symmetric, it's time for new. Putting a new chain on a worn sprocket just results in premature death to the chain. So, check the chain slack and readjust if necessary - don't guess, use a ruler. And err on the loose side if need be. The chain will let you know when it's tired. It'll need adjustment more frequently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beemer Posted January 3, 2018 Share Posted January 3, 2018 On 1/2/2018 at 10:20 AM, rick said: Chain slack will be different from bike to bike. The specified 2" is a lot for the average street bike, so w/o knowing that, someone's liable to make it too tight. A tight chain is a bad thing. You'll not only cause wear and tear to the chain and sprockets prematurely, you will put excess strain on the gearbox's output shaft bearing. Chains and sprockets are relatively easy to replace - a gearbox bearing, not so much A good quality chain ( DID X-ring for example) will run about $100 and will go a long time (10k miles or more) before needing any adjustment. A front sprocket will show wear sooner than a rear - just cause it's smaller and goes 'round more often. If the valleys in the sprocket don't look symmetric, it's time for new. Putting a new chain on a worn sprocket just results in premature death to the chain. So, check the chain slack and readjust if necessary - don't guess, use a ruler. And err on the loose side if need be. The chain will let you know when it's tired. It'll need adjustment more frequently. rick - in the words of the infamous r1limited ... "U theuh Aman!" Beemer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rick Posted January 3, 2018 Share Posted January 3, 2018 I had BMWs with driveshafts from 1976 -2003 and was really concerned about having my 1st drive chain in decades when I traded my last POS K-bike for my Futura. Took a wjhile to learn that modern chains are quite hardy. The OE chain on that bike would rust if it wasn't kept lubed (some off-brand cheapo chain), but it still lasted 15k miles and that was a bit conservative. The DID x-ring chain I have on now has gone 11k miles and is just now in need of its 1st adjustment. I don't have a lot of miles on my FZ - that'll change when I retire this summer from this thing called work, so I'm not even close to needing a new chain. considering the weight and power of this 525 chain deals with, I'm not expecting that until up near 20k w/o doing much more than lubing every 2-300 miles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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