Hey Guys. I just got my vulcan 900 custom about a week ago. I logged about 200 miles, but I have noticed that while riding it, i hear a dull humming noise. It sounds like it is coming from the belt. I do not know if it is normal or not. The only time I do not hear it is when im on the highway and the wind blocks out the noise. Could anyone help me with this? Is this common?
Clip4487
It is some what normal,you might be able to tweak it out .The belt come set to tight from the factory.
+1, the belt may need tweaking. I wouldn't worry about the hum as long as the tension is correct and the belt isn't being damaged. The 900 usually makes enough other noises you can't hear the belt. Debaffle the pipes and you won't hear the little noises.
Thrumming/Cogging of the belt is usually a belt thats too tight. Squeaking is one that is mis alligned and rubbing up against the pulley flange a little too hard.
Mine is dirty, (has been for a month at least) and is squeaking a bit which it does when it's dirty. If I'd just hose it down it'd take care of that. But it's a bit too tight as well so when I get a chance I'm going to loosen it a bit and adjust it off the side some too.
But it's not hurting anything as is, so I'm not overly worried about it and lets face it, that's one noisy engine anyways.
Mine is dirty, (has been for a month at least) and is squeaking a bit which it does when it's dirty. If I'd just hose it down it'd take care of that. But it's a bit too tight as well so when I get a chance I'm going to loosen it a bit and adjust it off the side some too.
But it's not hurting anything as is, so I'm not overly worried about it and lets face it, that's one noisy engine anyways.
+1 that's one noisy engine anyways.
My LT has a windshield and amplifies all engine noises. If the noise sounds like a truck in low gear going down the road and the whining or whirring noise seems louder the faster you go, mine anyway I have tracked down to the left side of the engine. It is probably the straight cut balancer gear. There are so many straight cut gears on both sides, it could be any of them.
Straight cut gears are noisey.
Rattles, hums, whining appear to be a characteristic of the engine.
I haven't had chirps, rubbing, grinding or squeaks yet.
As Timothy Leary said, "Turn on and tune out."
My LT has a windshield and amplifies all engine noises. If the noise sounds like a truck in low gear going down the road and the whining or whirring noise seems louder the faster you go, mine anyway I have tracked down to the left side of the engine. It is probably the straight cut balancer gear. There are so many straight cut gears on both sides, it could be any of them.
Straight cut gears are noisey.
Rattles, hums, whining appear to be a characteristic of the engine.
I haven't had chirps, rubbing, grinding or squeaks yet.
As Timothy Leary said, "Turn on and tune out."
Is not normal at least in mine but many have commented on this. Take it back to the dealer and they'll fix that right away.
Just my two cents - mine was doing that too when it was new so I took it back to the dealer. They checked it, showed me the spec from Kaw, and then showed me my belt tension was right by showing the amount of travel it had when pushed down at a certain pressure. I guess the bottom line is he told me it was because it was new and it would go away after a while which it seemed to. Like everyone else says though, the engine has so many noises maybe I just forgot about the belt. 
Seriously though, mine went away after 500 miles or so.
Seriously though, mine went away after 500 miles or so.Ditto,
The 1st thing one notices on the kawi regardless of how long you've ridden anything is how noisy this thing is. At first they all seem not right. But it's right to question!
My first impression right out of the box was how strong this bike felt when I drove away from the dealership. After a while the noise of strenght became : "Is this right?". Then came clickets, whistles, etc... I started to poke around and identify all the noises. They come from everywhere. Recognizing where they came from and for what reasons helps sort out thoses sounds that shouldn't be there (e.g. - sqeaking belt/pads etc...). If the belt tension and alignment is just right, the belts are quite smooth and silent. I doesn't take much to change that though.
As with Ash, I've got the windshield which amplifies the sounds. When riding I can even drown out the normal sounds just by moving my body/head about.
At 48 mph seems to be the sweet spot for the whistle blower. Above that it fades away. The bike also is fitted with lot's of plastic. Not much drowning affect for sound.
One day I'm at the dealership and a guy pulls in beside me with his few days old VN900LT. He sees mine and the first words out of his mouth is; " I'm hear to ask the dealer about this sound I keep hearing when I start my bike. It's this clicking thing. It's there for awhile and then it goes away." He starts his bike and says, see that's it there. I tell him where to put his hand under the right side of the fuel tank. He hears and feels the unit clicking now. It's normal I say...and there are many more.
At the end of the day, I find a cheap alternative to the normal sounds...a good set of earplugs works just fine! The irregulars need to be and can be corrected.
The 1st thing one notices on the kawi regardless of how long you've ridden anything is how noisy this thing is. At first they all seem not right. But it's right to question!
My first impression right out of the box was how strong this bike felt when I drove away from the dealership. After a while the noise of strenght became : "Is this right?". Then came clickets, whistles, etc... I started to poke around and identify all the noises. They come from everywhere. Recognizing where they came from and for what reasons helps sort out thoses sounds that shouldn't be there (e.g. - sqeaking belt/pads etc...). If the belt tension and alignment is just right, the belts are quite smooth and silent. I doesn't take much to change that though.
As with Ash, I've got the windshield which amplifies the sounds. When riding I can even drown out the normal sounds just by moving my body/head about.
At 48 mph seems to be the sweet spot for the whistle blower. Above that it fades away. The bike also is fitted with lot's of plastic. Not much drowning affect for sound.
One day I'm at the dealership and a guy pulls in beside me with his few days old VN900LT. He sees mine and the first words out of his mouth is; " I'm hear to ask the dealer about this sound I keep hearing when I start my bike. It's this clicking thing. It's there for awhile and then it goes away." He starts his bike and says, see that's it there. I tell him where to put his hand under the right side of the fuel tank. He hears and feels the unit clicking now. It's normal I say...and there are many more.
At the end of the day, I find a cheap alternative to the normal sounds...a good set of earplugs works just fine! The irregulars need to be and can be corrected.
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