5 replies to this topic

[TitanNeil]

Hello all,

First post by a new owner of a '92 TDM850 in Canada. It was an impulse purchase, I had never seen one before and had to have it!

I've put about 500kms on it so far, and cannot track down a VERY loud and annoying noise - which sounds like road noise from misaligned tires. It sounds like an old Honda 3 wheeler I had as a kid and would ride on the paved roads, with the accompanying howl of the off-road tires. You could hear me coming from half a mile away! I cannot tell if it is like that to bystanders on my TDM, but it sounds like it while riding.

The bike has 83k kms on it, and the service history is kinda sketchy. It needs the emulsion tubes replaced, valves shimmed and the cam chain and tensioner replaced. I changed the oil twice (it was pretty black) in 500 kms, replaced the front wheel bearings to eliminate the howl (no change), and lube the speedo cable and speedo drive unit.

The 'howl' starts up at 80km/h and stays present with clutch in or out, in any gear. It will howl away and gradually reduce in noise as I decelerate down to about 30km/h or less. The tires are 2 year old Michelins.

 

Could this be a problem with the output shaft/transmission? Rear wheel bearing? Suggestions?

 

Thanks all!

 

[dapleb]

Hello dare and welcome.

Have you checked chain slack?

[Gdogg]

Welcome to the forum 

 

Michelin tyres - on road or off road bias ?

 

Tyre pressures are they correct ?

 

As dapleb asks, the chain tension is a big thing on the 850's should be at around 50mm of slack in the center, not the usual 20 - 30mm as on other machines.

Edited by Gdogg, 07 June 2018 - 05:30 pm.

[daveRapide]

Hello dare and welcome.

Have you checked chain slack?

 

I agree this is worth checking. I just got my 900 back from the local bike shop who had done an MoT for me and fitted a new rear chain. They had adjusted the chain with an average amount of slack, but TDMs like the chain slacker than average. The bike made a nasty whine/howl all the way home. I slackened the chain off to the usual setting and the noise disappeared - sounds normal again.

[Bigmatt]

Welcome to the forum!

 

As others have said I would certainly check the chain tension. It should be 50 to 60mm while on the side stand. Too tight and it will make a howling noise similar to what you described !  I would also check the condition of the chain and sprockets as they will also make noise when worn. While you are checking the front sprocket make sure it is torqued correctly. They have a tendency  to come loose.

Edited by Bigmatt, 07 June 2018 - 08:16 pm.

[TKH]

When I first got my 9'er I tightened the chain to 25mm thinking it was too slack. It made a whining noise for about 100 yards until I stopped and set it back to about 50mm.