Pulley squeal in front end.

[ecantrell]

I have a pulley squeal type noise in the front end.  I only hear it while in gear and off of the throttle, like slowing down to a stop light.  If I pull in the clutch or shift to neutral, the noise goes away rolling or stopped.  Do not hear any noise while on the throttle. 

[Hook#3287]

Most likely a timing belt pulley is going.

Pull the front cover off and you should be able to hear it better.

[Chrisj CMA]

It would help to know the year and miles of your bike and any recent maintenance you have done or had done.

[thewoodman]

I've been experiencing a similar squeal sound too. it seems to be load-RPM related, not speed related since I hear it upon acceleration through the 1-4 gear change and sometimes during downshifting through 3-1. I was planning on taking the timing belt cover off this weekend to localize the sound and will let you guys know what I find.

 Have 90k on the clock and regular maintenance with Grumpy doing the last carb rebuild and major going over. How usual or unusual is this type of pulley failure?

[ecantrell]

Wasn't thinking.  It's a 99 Interstate with 72,000 miles.  All stock.  Belts were replaced around 50,000 miles.  The only work that I've done to it is regular maintenance and tire changes.  The few add ons that I put on would not have anything to do with the noise.

[Chrisj CMA]

With that mileage I doubt it's a tensioner pulley for the timing belts unless you think maybe the sound started right after the belt change. If the noise is Not associated with the changing of the timing belts then it seems to me it has to be clutch related. Maybe some grease on the push rod?

[thewoodman]

I find the sound definitely coming from the front of the engine, not mid point as I think a clutch sound would come from. Time will tell.

[MaverickValk]

In your original post, you say the noise is affected by whether you are on or off the throttle or in gear or in neutral. That being the case, that would eliminate the timing belt idlers as the cause.

Neither of these would/can cause the idlers to make noise or not. There's no way the idlers can know whether the bike is in gear or the throttle position or manifold pressure.

I just don't see it.