Squeaking like an aviary By salsashark (Read 1,552 times)

[salsashark]

When I first heard it I thought I was being buzzed by robins. It sounds like a bird is trapped somewhere near the rear wheel. When I take off from a full start there is a heavy rubbing-like vibration which makes me think the kevlar belt is loose. Ever since the tire shop replaced my rear tire it sometimes squeaks at a start. Now it sounds like there's a damned magpie nesting under my fender? mates?

[cyborg]

clutch plates glazed ,,,my guess is the clutch is the noise culprit,,,

[jct842]

See that all the spacers are in place. "Ever since the tire shop replaced my rear tire it sometimes squeaks at a start."
What does it do on the centerstand with engine off and you spin wheel?

If it started suddenly you have to go back to when it was right and then what did it do when some thing was messed with or changed. A noise that came on gradually probably is wear.

[salsashark]

When I put it up on the center stand and rev it up there's no noise. It just sounds sweet and delicious like usual. But when I get on it, that's when the birds start chirping. I don't want to be Rockin' Robin!

[salsashark]

I took off the belt box & cleaned it as well as I could. Some tubes leading to the filter were leaking gas &/or oil into it. So I wiped everything down and cinched up the hoses. But the scooter still makes that weird chirping sound intermittently. It's a Chinese scooter and prone to rust. So, meh.

[Bashan]

If the bike was off the center stand with engine off and you sat on it and bounced up and down would it make that sound?

[salsashark]

No it only does it while running and riding. It's really strange. It doesn't do it when rolling while off, while running on the center stand or while idling at a stop. It only does it when running en-route. If I hadn't dug into it I'd think there was a bird's nest in there. The noise actually sounds like dry metal rubbing and making a high pitched sound. But it doesn't coincide with a specific event except running under power. There's no rhythm or pattern to it.

[Bashan]

Is it a rear disc brake? Does the sound change when you apply the rear brake?

[salsashark]

That was going to be my next guess. I'm not sure if it is. How do I investigate that possibility?

[Bashan]

There's a couple things you can do. If it's a disc go to a dollar store or Wally World and get some roach powder....I'm not kidding. Sprinkle it on the rotor and if your chirp chirp changes it's the rotor or glazed pads. They also sell no squeak spray at auto parts stores but it's kind of expensive for just an experiment and that's what this is. If it's a drum it's less likely but they can chirp. In either disc or drum if a little pressure on the brake changes the sound or eliminates it...it's the brake. Rich

[salsashark]

Thank you. I'll try those things as soon as I can. There's a good chance it is the rotor. The front rotor used to act up and I'm told that it's just common on Chinese scooters. The front squeak went away after a little while. There's only 1440 miles on this thing though. I'm just hoping it will make it through to winter storage time.

[Bashan]

I had a Vulcan 1500FI. I put 55K miles on it and the brakes squeeked the whole time. Three rotors, imagine the sounds! It's characteristic of disc brakes. They probably changed the alignment some when messing with the wheel as the guys said. They may have popped the rotor too which would change the angle. But let us know, there's lots of things that make bird sounds. Um, you're not trying that whacky tabacky are you?

[Alleyoop]

Since the shop changed the rear tire I would also suspect they torqued it down to much and put to much pressure on the bearing which would only do it with a load on it.
Alleyoop

[jct842]

X2 on the shop

[richardv]

X3 Did they use an impact wrench to install the wheel.