If you've ever heard a 9 inch grinder on its way out, this is close to the noise. Otherwise, it sounds similar to an object being lightly placed onto a grinding disc, or placing a spinning grinding disc on the ground to stop if from spinning. The sound is faint but noticeable.

This ONLY happens in 6th. Only under load - while maintaining speed or throttling on. Come off the throttle and the noise goes. Pull in the clutch and coast and the noise goes. Drop down to 5th and the noise goes. The noise does not change pitch to match engine revs.

Chain tension is fine. Oil level is midway between the High and Low mark. Oil replaced 3000 miles ago and still looks good. No loss of power. RPMs remain what they were at various speeds. Noise is more prominent with warmer oil - first thing in the morning the noise is hardly there, but a few minutes later as the oil is warmer it is more noticeable.

Bike has 23,000km on the clock, 1000 more until its 24,000 service was due. In three weeks or so, the bike will be one year old - yes, I ride a lot. And it is still under warranty.

This is a problem which from time to time has been posted on this board over the years. With no real definitive answer. And so, I post this now so we can see what it turns out to be - for future refernce. I've dropped the bike into an Authorized Suzuki Dealer for them to have a look (warranty stipulates this) and for them to do the service as well.

I told the head mechanic, I thought it might need a 6th gear pair to be replaced. And that, whether it is my imagination or not, the same noise is starting to appear in 4th gear.

My theory being, if the gearing is slightly pitted or whatever, as the teeth come together and move past these rough spots, they make the noise. The thicker cooler oil helps deaden this to an extent.

6th would be my most used gear, followed by 4th. Warranty excludes certain things due to wear - gears are not such excluded. Guess we'll see if the warranty is worth the paper it's written on.

Before they get back to me in a day or so... anyone want to chime in to see what They think it could be and see how close to the mark you get?

Michael

Quote from: mister on June 28, 2010, 11:02:23 PM
Before they get back to me in a day or so... anyone want to chime in to see what They think it could be and see how close to the mark you get?

Michael

"Could not duplicate customer's complaint" would be my guess!

I think it is gear whine from the straight cut gears in the transmission.  I have noticed a similar noise only in 6th.  Has it always been there or did it just start?  I have always noticed some gear whine but I have always just assumed it is normal.

My 07 has been doing that slight almost rattling in 6th since I bought it 8400miles ago, there have been no ill effects.

Picked bike up.

Previous to taking in, I had noticed some Tight spots on the chain. And a slight noise from the front sprocket while lubing the chain - when tight spots went over I assume. And I knew the rear tire was wearing a little thin. Could have maybe got another thou out if.

Shop called me... front sprocket needs replacing, and chain. Rear sprocket fine. And they think the noise is from that - no gearbox noise using their listen-to-noise-oscope thing while bike sits on dyno rollers just front sprocket noise. I said to change them all, and while they were at it, replace the tire as well. No obvious 6th gear noise now.

Replaced fork oil with whatever 10w they use - feels better/firmer than OEM oil. And replaced brake fluids front and rear. And air filter and plugs.
Pirelli Sports Demon on rear. Feels good so far. Taking it easy until the Shiny Stuff is rubbed off.

Feels like a new bike again. Man I love these bikes. 23,000+ and she runs like new still. 

Michael

hows that Pirelli sports demon working out?.. not needing hoops just yet but was looking over my options today.. they look good enough.. price is ok.. and can anyone compare to the battlax ?? what i have currently. 

Did you have the same tire on the front already or are they mismatched? just make sure the new rear isn't stickier than your front.

As far as the noise, I was gonna guess it was just you screaming like a little girl inside your helmet from going so fast...   

Quote from: Janx101 on August 26, 2010, 04:35:27 AM
hows that Pirelli sports demon working out?..

Quote from: tt_four on August 26, 2010, 05:12:19 AM
Did you have the same tire on the front already or are they mismatched? just make sure the new rear isn't stickier than your front.

As far as the noise, I was gonna guess it was just you screaming like a little girl inside your helmet from going so fast...   

The tires are mismatched. BT45 on the front, Sport Demon on the rear. If the rear is stickier than the front, I know it could still stick while the front doesn't - not good. However, I don't figure - and I could be wrong - that my riding even comes close to the limits of the front tire's grip. Yeah, I know that even though the front tire looked fine when I changed the rear, it still had done the same number of road miles and went through the same number of heat/cooling cycles. But the front tire Looked like it was coping so... Upcoming service it will be changed out though - and for a Sport Demon on the front.

I've done some higher speed twistie runs with the current set up - not knee scraping type leaning but higher than just my normal pace riding. Ridden 2,500 miles on its current set up. It Feels alright. And I'm used to it. My bigger concern is debris on bends and the road smoothness - or lack of - on bends. I think That plays a bigger part on the roads I ride on.

For all I know, my preference for the Sport Demon could be imagined - I just Think it's better cause it's newer than what was on. 

OR... and this could very well be it... I've become used to the high-pitched girlie screams that come from my helmet when I get into 6th gear (do you know how fast you are going when in 6th... man, it's fast... faster than a fast thing). And changing the chain was just coincidental.


Michael

mine has a noise in 6th as well, but its a 1989