roughness / noise in transmission

[hoosier jaybird]

Hopefully you veteran Valk riders can give me some guidance. Today I noticed while idling in neutral I felt it seemed like roughness and noise coming from the transmission that stopped when I pulled in the clutch lever. The PO had been using Honda HP motor oil. I realize the whine I hear while going down the road is normal because of the way the gears are cut, but I am in question about the neutral situation. Would running synthetic oil quite it down? If so what do you recommend I use. The bike is a 99 with a little over 18K miles on it.  Thanks for your help. Jaybird

[3W-lonerider]

normal..ride it and forget about it.

[Hook#3287]

Just guessing, but i feel it may have to do with how well the clutch disks/plates are lined up. 

The bike I've owned since new, I replaced her clutch when the rivets on the damper plate let go.

After, the difference between when the clutch was engaged and when not in neutral, was more noticeable.

At first it bothered me, then I ignored it.  That was about 60k ago.

One of the bikes I got used is a little more "noisy" than the other used one, but the one I did the clutch on is the "loudest".

As far as I know, neither used bikes have had the clutch out.

You could try synthetic oil, most of us run with it anyways cause of the "whine", but I don't think that will make much of a diff on the "noise".

I'd go with what 3W-lonerider said,  "normal..ride it and forget about it."

[Patrick]

From the 'sound' of your post, it seems normal. Synthetic oil may help quiet it a bit, but, these are noisy. Especially with clutch released in neutral.

[Chrisj CMA]

get louder pipes 

[salty1]

Try Mobil 1 15W50 synthetic. It sure quieted my down. 

[hoosier jaybird]

Thanks guys for the advice. I guess it's just the nature of the lady. I think I will try the Mobile 1 synthetic. What  mileage do you change the oil with the synthetics?

[SANDMAN5]

I change every 5,000 just because it's easy to remember.
Manual says 8,000, but I think that's more because of
the filter than the oil. YMMV.

[Hover]

I have a 99 valk and the local dealer has told me to run a blend when I asked about going synthetic.  They said it was necessary for the clutches!  Are you running a synthetic blend or straight Synthetic?  Any info would be interesting.

[hoosier jaybird]

Thanks for the replies. Right now Honda HP oil is what the PO used and I think what the dealer put in it before I picked the bike up. It's a new bike to me so I appreciate all the heads up I can get.

[F6MoRider]

Try Mobil 1 15W50 synthetic. It sure quieted my down. 

+1 on the 15w50 Mobil 1 Synthetic, 13 years and counting.

I also change filter and oil at 5000 mile intervals.

[Oklahoma_Valk]

I tried the mobil 1 mentioned above. I really liked it. Then I tried Rotella T6 5W-40....and I'll never need another oil again! The T6 is magnificent. To each is definitely own, though. After running the T6 for 3k miles, I no longer have the characteristic tranny whine from 35mph-55mph. It's nearly absent.

Btw your clutch vibration problem is normal. Enjoy the ride!

okie