Hi all. I've recently bought over a XVS400 Dragstar Classic. Everything's good except there is this audible whine from the drive train whenever I engine brake. Sounds like a jet engine idling before take off (imagine saying the letter E in falsetto). It's soft when accelerating, loud when I close the throttle, and not there when I freewheel with the clutch in. Any ideas on what the problem could be?

Oh another thing, I've no mechanical experience with a bike plus I don't have a garage I can tinker around. Most probably I'll be sending it down to the local workshop to get it looked at, just trying to get a few opinions before just so I don't look like an idiot and get ripped off at the shop.

Thanks!

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Roast, Sounds like a bearing in the gearbox, probably the out put side, final bearing where the drive shaft exits the gearbox, might be a selector fork rubbing but that would be a bit of a scraping noise. Just my take on it , someone else might have a bit more of an idea.

Single the sound out and listen closely. Does it change in pitch as you accelerate at all?

If it sounds a bit like a spaceship, then that is normal. Most V-twin engines do that.

Couple of threads that may be of use:

Either of them answers" or primary gear [ bolts on end of crank] maybe loose,, it drives the clutch basket,, i changed a basket once , and the gear on basket mismatched [ thru wear ] the primary, sounded like a Screw compressor at speed,,

Is it definatly from the drive train? and does it sound like this?

Thanks for the replies guys. I'm gonna conclude the sound is normal as what noise and task mentioned. Just to be safe I'm still gonna ask the mech to have a look during the next oil change in jan.

New development though. Have discovered a rattling when I cruise over 120kmph. Will have to spend time and check for loose bolts on my next day off. Bummer.

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Cruising at 120k on a 400 drag, pushing the limits of cruise I think.

She is prob full chat at 130k, ease back a bit.

Is it definatly from the drive train? and does it sound like this?

mines doesn't sound like that

maybe its because i cant hear anything but the dam exhausts lol

Same here but I can hear a slight whine.

every shaft drive i've had has got a slight whine to it

the only time i ever experience excessive whining was cos it had no oil in it lol

Same here but I can hear a slight whine.

that's the wife on pillion

that's the wife on pillion

More like the wife at home as she has no sense of adventure and doesn't want to go on the bike so that was my Que to get a solo seat