Something With Bearings is Going Bad

[pc shaun]

I have a 98 standard with around 38,000 miles on it.  Lately I have noticed what sounds like bearings chirping and once in a while (very seldom) what feels like something grinding.  I replaced the wheel bearings a little over a year ago around 28,000 miles.

From what I can tell it takes the bike around 4-5 miles of warming up before the chirping starts.  It doesn't chirp when it is in neutral or when I engage the clutch only when the bike is in gear.  Also it doesn't seem to occur when I apply throttle, but I notice it as soon as I let off.

Hopefully somebody can help diagnose what is going on.

[Valker]

Sounds more like a cracked or split vacuum hose from one of the carbs.

[sandy]

If you're quiet with power on and noisy when you let off, it might be a U joint. I changed a blown U joint for a friend at 43K. I changed mine at 92K just for grins and it was still good.

[Mr.BubblesVRCCDS0008]

Also   check the  driveshaft and coupler at the final drive. It's not a good thing to lose one of this miles from home.

[Chrisj CMA]

I have a 98 standard with around 38,000 miles on it.  Lately I have noticed what sounds like bearings chirping and once in a while (very seldom) what feels like something grinding.  I replaced the wheel bearings a little over a year ago around 28,000 miles.

From what I can tell it takes the bike around 4-5 miles of warming up before the chirping starts.  It doesn't chirp when it is in neutral or when I engage the clutch only when the bike is in gear.  Also it doesn't seem to occur when I apply throttle, but I notice it as soon as I let off.

Hopefully somebody can help diagnose what is going on.

Just to clarrify.......are you saying it does this chirping while moving and NOT moving.  Or is it only while moving? 

Wheel bearings can be bad very quickly if they were installed improperly or if after they were changed at some point the axle was over torqued.

A quick check of the wheel bearings is to put the bike up on a lift and try to move the wheel side to side (laterally) listen and feel very carefully...if there is even a tiny tic left to right, you probably have a bad bearing

[RP#62]

While its chirping, if you pull in the clutch and it immediately goes away, its the clutch pushrod chirping.  If thats the case, sometimes the chirping will go away by it self, sometimes it will persist until you lube the pushrod.
-RP

[Ricky-D]

Listen to Valker!  It's that and the whole smog stuff that you need to trash can.  Always a problem.

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[pc shaun]

Thanks for all of the replies.  I will start checking down the list until hopefully one of these suggestions works.

[F6MoRider]

I'd suggest checking the u-joint first.  Mine went out at 31000 and the process of it dying was remarkably similar.  

For those searching with similar issues, can you update the thread with what you found?

Thanks,
Greg