VFR Discussion Group -> Rear hub 'toc' and front whistle

Hi all. Great forum BTW. Very informative.

Have a couple of minor questions regarding my '02 VFR:
There's an odd (but not concerning) 'tocking' sound in the rear wheel hub (or so it seems) a couple of times for each wheel rotation. I can only hear this sound when pushing the bike around or rotating the wheel whilst on the c-stand.

I can also hear a faint and low whistle at 100kph (60mph) coming from the front somewhere.

I'm wondering if these things are normal and if anyone has any idea about them?

Cheers,
Bas

Yes. You should be wearing earplugs when you ride. Not only will little things like this no longer bother you, but you'll protect your hearing as well...

Ciao,

Cheers JZH. I've read through some of the other posts regarding ear plugs (I used to wear them on my SV650) and will probably start wearing them again once I'm familiar with the bike and satisfied that my recent purchase is problem free. :blink:

i would suggest you forget the ear plugs and diagnose the problem. a ticking sound in the rear hub area? isolate the chain to make sure its not a tight link on the sprocket creating the noise. also make sure the rear rotor is not slightly warped and creating a slight brushing of the pads during rotation....either of those issues is no big deal. but... if you have a rear hub going bad and the noise is in there you have more trouble. as far as a whistle up front? need more info to diagnose or suggest trouble shooting tips

basdewaard, Apr 6 2005, 05:48 AM 
 
 
I'm wondering if these things are normal and if anyone has any idea about them? 
 
Cheers, 
Bas 
 

A "toc" sound in a customers bike proved to just rocks that work their way up into the cush drive and rolled around as the wheel rotated...

Whistling sounds usually come from non standard additions introduced into the air stream or panels that have gapped over age...

Thanks for the replies. The tocking sound appears to be the chain and only occurs when the bike (chain) is warm. I just came back from a long ride and rotated the wheel whilst putting pressure on the chain at different angles and the sound changes....it's kinda weird but not really a concern. I think somehow the hollowness of the hub amplifies the sound.

Next time I ride without pillion :goofy: I plan to experiment a bit with the whistle by placing my hand at different locations around the front of the bike.

basdewaard, Apr 9 2005, 01:00 PMThe tocking sound appears to be the chain and only occurs when the bike (chain) is warm.

Next time I ride without pillion :goofy: I plan to experiment a bit with the whistle by placing my hand at different locations around the front of the bike.

I suppose my uncharacteristically flip comment deserved fixer's reply, but while there may be an actual mechanical problem associated with the noises you have identified, you are definitely damaging your hearing if you continue to ride (at any sane speed) without earplugs. Irreversibly damaging, I should say.

The whistle is almost certainly not a problem and if you wore earplugs you would better be able to concentrate on your riding... The "tocking" could be a number of things, however, and may be worthwhile investigating. I doubt it's the rear bearings on a 2-3 year-old bike, but it could be a "tight spot" in the chain. Happy hunting.

Ciao,