I have a 2013 X with 64,000km on it. When I hit 50 km or more I hear a whine from the transmission which remains at higher speeds. The gear doesn't matter. I removed the chain and it still does it ( remember speedo is internally controlled) above the indicated 50 or so, regardless of the gear. There may also be some slight increase in vibration but hard to tell. It does stop when I pull in the clutch as I'm going. Any ideas as to what causes this? One mechanic suggested I could take it apart and still not find the culprit but I am sensitive to noise and I have a very effective windshield setup which means that I generally have a quiet ride but am immediately aware of any new noises which appear. Thanks.
IMHO it's an issue of too effective windshield - when I installed AirFlow windshiled on my former VStrom 650 a lot of noises appeared from nowhere. Chain noise, gear noise, fuel pump noise, etc. It happens in cars also - if you reduces the noise from one source then other noises becames more perceivable.
On other hand - at least on my CB gear whine is always present, the gearbox and engine is in perfect condition and it's just this - gear noise. But with normal screen it's not so present when you ride at speed. And reciprocating engines are very noisy - if you have a chance to observe a dyno test of a bike from short distance you'll be suprised how loud they are.
Most motorcycle transmissions use straight-cut gears which are inherently noisy. If you're comparing the noise to your manual transmission automobile know that most automotive manual transmissions use helical-cut gears in large part because they are much quieter. Not silent though; change out shift linkage bushings from soft rubber OE to stiff urethane and you'll be surprised re the amount of noise your transmission is actually making coming through the shifter, even with helical gears.
If the bike is shifting normally, the oil level is correct and no metal glitter is visible when you change the oil don't worry about it.
Thanks for the replies but this is a new sound. Believe me, after 8 years with this bike, I know when something changes and I started long after my windshield upgrade. Moreover, I said that I removed the chain and ran I through the gears while on the centre stand. The whine started at the same "speed" as indicated by the speedometer (becoming noticeable at about 55kmh and higher). So no wind, sprockets, chain or tires were involved. The noise does stop when I pull in the clutch. One mechanic said I could tear it down and not find the problem. So I'll just keep riding it until the noise becomes too much.
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