DR650 gearbox whine

[Expert]

Whining in third gear is likely to be the meshing third gears losing their case hardening and getting noisy.
If a bearing was going all gears would be noisy because all bearings in the gearbox are turning when you are riding.
No modern bikes use bushes for any loaded shafts in the gearbox, bushes only being used for bushing not acting as a bearing.
Keep an eye on the filter or magnetic sump plug for shiny metal particles and budget for replacement.

[Crisis management]

Thats put the cat amongst the bloody pigeons...

Good point, it doesn't sound like a gear whine tho....more like a bearing noise but only occurs in 3rd....so I suppose you could be correct.

Seems an odd gear to break down tho, 1st is the usual suspect at hardening failure as it has the highest point loads.

I'm NOT pulling the thing apart! I'll play the politician and wait until it screws itself and blame something else

[Expert]

Third is probably starting to go because it is the gear you are using when the engine is being properly loaded and therefore transferring that load through the gearbox.
Lots of times i've seen the case hardening wearing through on the gear faces, put the gearbox back together and the box has continued to work well, if noisily.
You probably don't give the motor loads of beans in first or even second because of the risk of unwanted wheelies and the gearbox is lightly loaded.
If you can put up with the noise the gearbox will probably go on for a long time and if third fails you've still got four or five other ratios to choose from!

[paulj]

I'm wondering if it is limited to Australian models (I'm assuming that we get Ausi models given no NZ country code on page 1-9 of the manual).

Well - the 'experts' that have taken a quick look at my DR reckon it's a George Bush import - according to the VIN and MPH speedo - yes, I'm inclined to keep riding until it or me collapses - doesn't seem to be getting worse and perhaps 'avoiding' 3rd will extend my ride time - leave the repair until other things need sorting - the rest of the engine etc is real sweet.

[Crisis management]

Having slept on this, funny how your mind keeps ticking isn't it?
Another variable could be lubrication, the DR gearbox label calls for 10w40, I have recently changed the oil in the bike to Motul 15w50 semi synthetic.
Having not had the bike very long I am unsure whether the whine was there before the oil change or not but wonder whether these gearboxes are susceptible to marginal oil flows and a slightly heavier oil may be enough to make a difference???

Before I rush out and change the oil.....what is everyone else using?

I'm using the Motul oil as I use it in the GSXR which is a similar vintage technology (and is supposed to have 10w40 as well) and its always been fine.

[Expert]

Synthetic oils have a high film strength but seem to run a lot thinner than mineral oils, possibly not so good at damping down noise. Any of the older bikes i have put synthetic oil in have developed clunky gearboxes and grabby clutches but admittedly have never got more noticeably noisy.
Older bikes always seem to use more synthetic oils aswell, must be getting past the rings 'cause it's thinner.
Have you tried banana skins or sawdust in the oil? Somebody told me this works.(joke)

[Crisis management]

Aww, come on, everyone knows you only use banana skins in diffs.....These are chain final drives for christ sakes...



Now sawdust, fine or medium grind???

[sollie]

after market pipe -you won't hear the gear box

[nallac]

I am also running motul in my new to me 04 650 with 17000ks
since i changed the oil to motul(don't know what was in there?)
shes been hard to get in to neutrel. no whine as yet .
i checked the clutch plates and springs when doing the change all seem to be in spec.(too much time on my hands)
I think i'll change back to a straight mineral oil.to see if that has any effect.she'll be due for another change in a couple of months

[SDU]

Dont worry FQ has enough of those moments aye FQ He's lucky I didnt ride over him last time we all went for a ride.
cheers R

I manage to do so quite well without your good wishes thankyou very much

As I keep telling you, you guys just arn't trying hard enough. If you don't come off occasionally then your not pushing the envelope enough. Of course it could be that my envelopes a bit smaller than others.

Anyway, as you were, I'll let you all get back to your whining

Hey come on don't tease us! spit it out & don't let the truth get in the way of a good story either

As for the whining you guys are starting to make me paranoid- I'll be hearing things soon.

[Crisis management]

As for the whining you guys are starting to make me paranoid- I'll be hearing things soon.

Come on, after those tractor motors in the road bike the DR would be operatic in comparison.

[far queue]

As for the whining you guys are starting to make me paranoid- I'll be hearing things soon.

Nah, it's Lemans that'll hear it 1st, the normal female whining that is

[cooneyr]

Hey come on don't tease us! spit it out & don't let the truth get in the way of a good story either

Twas the bike planing episode that TA captured and posted. Old news from the Chch crowd - on such lines of though though - has that man of yours managed to get the 640 back together yet? (I'm probably completely out of date on this). When are we all going for another blat up the river to Oxford for coffee and back?

Cheers R

[Crisis management]

Just to continue the whining.....
I changed the oil from a semi-synthetic 10-50 to a mineral 15-40 (castrol GTX, cause it was in the shed..) and the noise has decreased. It still clearly whines, but this is now not as noticable.

Note; this was a scientific test carried out by blatting around the block at various speeds.
No measurements of humidity or wind speed were used.....


Next step some EP90?

Anyway, I will run the mineral oil and continue destruction testing the bike.

[mc4aregreat]

could it be low oil levels causing this to start with. I have heard 3rd gear is the highest mounted gear in the gear box, and is often the gear to play up from lack of oil lubrication. just a thought.?