Engine/muffler noise/drone - awful

[Kidd]

Rode my bike 60 miles , then installed the OEM tall shield  , then later noticed  the awful awful  sound .
I am thinking the shield echos it back at me .      Maybe that's just the nature  of the beast .

It's too much for me  , at times .

I may remove the shield  and see how it is then , for comparison

Anyone else having this problem ???

Kidd

[hubcapsc]

Anyone else having this problem ???

I didn't put up with the straight up-and-down OEM shield long
enough to notice that... there's numerous ways to tilt it, the easiest
is adding a little bit to the bracket, you could search or maybe someone
will speak up... maybe tilting it will help...

I modded my OEM shield a not-so-easy way, and it is awesome now...



-Mike

[Kidd]

Are you meaning , you did notice the noise as I did ?

I have thought of adding a lower bracket   to push out forward  the bottom , allowing the top to tilt back some

[Robert]

Can you describe the awful sound, I have not noticed anything I would describe as awful. The only sound I can remotely think of is the whine at idle and a bit above. This I believe is the alternator and wings do it also. I have the OEM tall windshield and have almost 8k miles on the bike and in the beginning it made some noises but they have quieted down. Now on the highway all I hear is the hum of the engine.

[Kidd]

http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/mra-x-creen-tour-variable-windscreen-spoiler-blade?utm_source=product&kwd=&gclid=Cj0KEQjwwpm3BRDuh5awn4qJpLwBEiQAATTAQThLn6K4eVM6-nECyxfoYadgCgATqytJNEFOAUQEgNwaAi5F8P8HAQ
I had one of these on for a while , took it off today , I think it made a difference
Will know more in a few days

Describe the noise ?
Must be the hum , at certain rpms , and loads , it can be deafening
I will also try without a helmet 


One thing I really  do like are the black wheel and spokes , never have to clean them

[goldstar903]

Just to prove you wrong , I am gonna order a windshield   now , before my bike arrives

   ???

I mounted this shield, it works great.

Vario Touring Screen for Naked Bikes, Type 8905

http://www.windshield-shop.com/Windshield_Manufacturer/8909__MRA/3147__VarioTouringScreen_for_NakedBikeVTNB_smoked_grey.html

[hubcapsc]

One thing I really  do like are the black wheel and spokes , never have to clean them

You never have to clean anything...  these black wheels
get plenty nasty, and if you have saddlebags, they're real hard to clean...
hard to even get to the valve stem... painting aluminum wheels black seems
like such a bad idea to me... I had to repaint mine last time I changed the
tire...

-Mike

[dans2014]

  I prefer chrome polished wheels or aluminum anyday to black but I'm old fashioned cause black seems to be in so I put up with it!

[Kidd]

Oddly , most of the noise is from my full face helmet  , some how captures the noise inside .
Using my 3/4 face helmet with plastic shield  is much less noisy  , when I raise the plastic shield , even less .
So, that awful  whine type noise is amplified inside of my helmet

Anyone else notice this helmet oddity ?

[Jess from VA]

Oddly , most of the noise is from my full face helmet  , some how captures the noise inside .
Using my 3/4 face helmet with plastic shield  is much less noisy  , when I raise the plastic shield , even less .
So, that awful  whine type noise is amplified inside of my helmet

Anyone else notice this helmet oddity ?

Everyone with riding experience with all helmet styles has noticed this.  You should try a good DOT half without your ears covered.  You may want soft plugs to protect from wind damage, but the noise (drone) you speak of will disappear, unless you run loud pipes (on purpose).

I personally recommend the Scorpion (for those with oblong, as opposed to round heads)
http://www.motorcyclegear.com/street/helmets_and_eyewear/open_face/scorpion/exo_c110_helmet.html

[Kidd]

I have owned many bikes , never had this problem .

Thank you for your response

Half helmet  would make me feel unprotected , looks  funny too

Oddly , most of the noise is from my full face helmet  , some how captures the noise inside .
Using my 3/4 face helmet with plastic shield  is much less noisy  , when I raise the plastic shield , even less .
So, that awful  whine type noise is amplified inside of my helmet

Anyone else notice this helmet oddity ?

Everyone with riding experience with all helmet styles has noticed this.  You should try a good DOT half without your ears covered.  You may want soft plugs to protect from wind damage, but the noise (drone) you speak of will disappear, unless you run loud pipes (on purpose).

I personally recommend the Scorpion (for those with oblong, as opposed to round heads)
http://www.motorcyclegear.com/street/helmets_and_eyewear/open_face/scorpion/exo_c110_helmet.html

[hubcapsc]

Kidd... I've been thinking about what you said, and now
I notice it too, thanks 

I notice it more when gently rolling through the back
roads and less when going faster, I also noticed
this with my old Valkyrie when it had the triple
tips on it, less so with the current setup.

I think ear plugs are probably our only option...

-Mike

[goldstar903]

Seems to happen between, 2000 and 3000 rpm. Stay below or above and you should be good to go. 

[Kidd]

Kidd... I've been thinking about what you said, and now
I notice it too, thanks 

Maybe a good thing and maybe a bad thing that you now notice

10 years ago , reading a  motorcycle forum , I learned about helmet buffeting , it never bothered me before , but , the buffeting  started that day , that's when I noticed I had buffeting and then it started to bother  me . ever since  then , it was my fixation to fix it when ever I had buffeting on every new motorcycle I had purchased .


'bout the noise/whine  , around 60 , give or take , with at lease some load , it's loud .
maybe mine is broken 

[AdrianR]

I don't experience any of this until around 100+mph and then my helmet starts bouncing around...blurring my vision..sucks...

I have a much shorter windshield..the key I believe is finding a windshield that is just the right height...and this is dependent on the individual rider...

Keeps my speeds under 100mph...which in the end, is probably a good thing...

[_Sheffjs_]

I also experience a very slight drone at 60mph however it is only a small mph window and on a 1-10 bother scale it is a 2.  I have a Shoei GT Air full face.  I want to try a open helmet especially seeing it is 86° here in Florida already   but I feel funny not having a full face.  

[goldstar903]

Keeps my speeds under 100mph...which in the end, is probably a good thing... Wink

 

Just got a ticket; 78 in a 55 = $515 

[_Sheffjs_]

Keeps my speeds under 100mph...which in the end, is probably a good thing... Wink

 

Just got a ticket; 78 in a 55 = $515 

yipes!   And what would happen on those times I am pushing the honda's limiter.  I don't want to think about it. 

[Moofner]

I decided to pass my buddy off in his Challenger when we were leaving work and I was on the Valk. Left him in the dust (no surprise). He caught up to me, then wanted to do a 60+ MPH throttle stomp.

I didn't know I was doing 115 until I realized I was cold. I must have chosen the right windscreen cause it didn't feel like doing over 100.

The right windscreen makes all the difference.

[Kidd]

In Az, S man , you'd be going to jail is you were pushing the limiter . 125mph 

Keeps my speeds under 100mph...which in the end, is probably a good thing... Wink

 

Just got a ticket; 78 in a 55 = $515 

yipes!   And what would happen on those times I am pushing the honda's limiter.  I don't want to think about it. 

[Kidd]

and , what windscreen do you have ?

I decided to pass my buddy off in his Challenger when we were leaving work and I was on the Valk. Left him in the dust (no surprise). He caught up to me, then wanted to do a 60+ MPH throttle stomp.

I didn't know I was doing 115 until I realized I was cold. I must have chosen the right windscreen cause it didn't feel like doing over 100.

The right windscreen makes all the difference.

[Kidd]

wow , g man , would never have thought you'd have it in ya to go over the speed limit 

Keeps my speeds under 100mph...which in the end, is probably a good thing... Wink

 

Just got a ticket; 78 in a 55 = $515 

[goldstar903]

Where would you get that impression, K-man? I have an 87' Kawi ZX-750R (Muzzy Motor, RWHP, 125) top speed 157 (on speedometer) and a 04' Kawi ZX-10R (motor built for race, RWHP, 181), top speed 178 (GPS) They would go faster if I didn't weigh 278lb. I love to go fast! My wallet doesn't!!    Maybe I should leave my wallet home?   

[Kidd]

So , you like kawa's
My first big bike was a 1975 Mach 3 Kawa  , 3 cylinder  , 2 cycle , that was very fast  bike .
Got it from a  bike magazine  that tested and published  articles  about new bikes

[goldstar903]

Oh yeah! The H1, 500cc of craziness! Too bad they outlawed the two stroke street bikes! The 750 (H2) was crazy too!   

[Kidd]

I got to thinkin' , over the last 18 months I have received 3 speeding tickets , 2 in my car , 1 on my BMW.
Cost me about  $700 , maybe more , that's with online school  added , nothing going to insurance

[goldstar903]

Here in California you're only allowed 1 Traffic School per 18 months. Any other tickets in the 18 month period go to the DMV and your insurance. Speeds of 85 and above aren't eligible for school, and they give you the option of impounding your bike or going to jail. It's very nice of them to give you a choice!   Doesn't seem quite fair to give you a bike that goes twice as fast as the speed limit and beyond! I always test to make sure that they aren't lying about the top speed! I've been doing this for quite awhile, I'm 63.  

[Kidd]

something like that here in Az.

1 of my tickets was on I40  in Ca  , almost made it to the Az line .
other 2 were in Az , here in Verde Valley .
One was in Jerome where they    fine you  a lot ($275for going  32 in a 20mph ) and don't  send anything  to Ins , they are just collecting  revenue  for the city
Now I know it's okay to speed in Jerome knowing I will only pay a fine and nothing more 
man oh man , there's a lot of cops out today , Easter weekend

[Adirondack Bill]

Kidd- You are bringing back some great memories. My first street bike was also a kawi 2- stoke. I owned the S3A-- 400 cc triple.  That bike was super quick, I usually beat my brother on his 1973 Z-1-900 in the 1/8th mile. Usta do some great wheelies with it also.