I've been noticing a strange noise (kind of like a clunk from time to time) from my bike when I get up above 60mph. My first thought was that it may be a bearing going bad or something working itself loose. I had a thought that maybe it was the center stand catching air and hitting the bike, but I don't think that that's it. I'm convinced that it's not coming from the front wheel. I checked the swingarm connection and all is well. Looked at the rear shocks and all bolts are secure. I turned the back wheel and there didn't seem to be any unusual noises, but I don't notice anything on the bike until I reach highway speeds so I didn't expect to hear anything, but still worth a check. I did notice that there was quiet a bit of oil on the bottom side of the final drive and the drive shaft housing. It looks like it may be leaking from where the final drive connects to the drive shaft housing?

I haven't had it apart yet and am not sure how everything goes together, but I don't think that this should be a location where the FD should leak gear oil from unless there's an inner seal that's leaking. Am I thinking right here or is this a common occurance with our bikes? I haven't noticed any evidence of a leak where I park so it's either a slow leak or it's leaked to the point where there's not enough oil left to leak on the ground. I didn't get a chance to remove the bolt and check the oil level, but I'll check that when I get home from work today. The previous owner did tell me that he checked the level before I bought the bike (about two months ago) and it was fine then, so I'm stumped as to where to look and what to look for.

Any ideas? I am going to take this opportunity and do a re-lube of the splines since it's been ~ 11k miles since they were touched.

If you have some tools with you, you can check the level of your final drive oil in your parking lot. I don't REM what size that bolt is - maybe a 14 or 17mm? - but you can pull that off the drive side of the rear wheel and see if you see any fluid in there at all (I believe the fill level is to the bottom of the bolt hole). You may well have a leak, but you'll want to get some fluid in there before your ride home.

I took the cage to work today. I didn't want to chance something happening to the bike while I was on the road and if there's something happening I don't want to make the problem worse by continuing to ride.

I talked to the previous owner today (it's nice to work with the PO when you have issues) and he confirmed that the level was good when he brought the bike to me (early May). I'm thinking that the oil I saw may have been "not so fresh" oil, but I'll check the level to be sure when I get home.

I'm still concerned about the noise that I'm hearing, or more like feeling at highway speeds.

I took the cage to work today. I didn't want to chance something happening to the bike while I was on the road and if there's something happening I don't want to make the problem worse by continuing to ride.

I talked to the previous owner today (it's nice to work with the PO when you have issues) and he confirmed that the level was good when he brought the bike to me (early May). I'm thinking that the oil I saw may have been "not so fresh" oil, but I'll check the level to be sure when I get home.

I'm still concerned about the noise that I'm hearing, or more like feeling at highway speeds.

Yeah, "thunk" isn't exactly in the "good bike" vocabulary. When I was in grad school, I inherited my grandfather's old Renault Somethingorother POS. It was always having "little issues," like the bright switch for the headlights breaking (to the repair tune of several hundred dollars, so I would just hold the switch), always overheating in the summer (so I had to pull the thermostat as soon as the weather warmed up), etc. One day I was driving down I-76 into Philly, and I heard this "Snap! Ping! Thunk." Then I heard something sort of fall away, as if it had come off my car. Turned out to be the clamp that held the stabilizer bar in place for the steering. I think that car threw other parts from time to time. I know it was a "gift horse," but, still...

Yeah, "thunk" isn't exactly in the "good bike" vocabulary. When I was in grad school, I inherited my grandfather's old Renault Somethingorother POS. It was always having "little issues," like the bright switch for the headlights breaking (to the repair tune of several hundred dollars, so I would just hold the switch), always overheating in the summer (so I had to pull the thermostat as soon as the weather warmed up), etc. One day I was driving down I-76 into Philly, and I heard this "Snap! Ping! Thunk." Then I heard something sort of fall away, as if it had come off my car. Turned out to be the clamp that held the stabilizer bar in place for the steering. I think that car threw other parts from time to time. I know it was a "gift horse," but, still...


So going by your sig - orleans is your tribute to that old car?

Thunks are really scary on bikes - I'll allways remember when I'd gotten my first bike and the chain was shot. Like the dipsh.. I sometimes am I tried to save a buck by using a tractor chain (it fit) - didn't get the quick link on as well as I shoulda, pulling onto the interstate *thunk* *thunk* *thunk* - I'd thrown a chain. Luckily it didn't catch, but it definitely convinced me to get a proper chain!

And Big T - anything changed shortly before the noise started? From gear to accessories...?

It's a 27mm head on that gear oil filler cap. Big crescent wrench will do. Oil level should be right to the bottom lip of the threads that cap screws into. Don't overtighten it. It has an o-ring to seal.

It's a 27mm head on that gear oil filler cap. Big crescent wrench will do. Oil level should be right to the bottom lip of the threads that cap screws into. Don't overtighten it. It has an o-ring to seal.

Dag, that big? Oh, well, at least now I know I bought the 27mm socket for more than just removing the nut off the rear axle! :beerchug:

So going by your sig - orleans is your tribute to that old car?

Thunks are really scary on bikes - I'll allways remember when I'd gotten my first bike and the chain was shot. Like the dipsh.. I sometimes am I tried to save a buck by using a tractor chain (it fit) - didn't get the quick link on as well as I shoulda, pulling onto the interstate *thunk* *thunk* *thunk* - I'd thrown a chain. Luckily it didn't catch, but it definitely convinced me to get a proper chain!

And Big T - anything changed shortly before the noise started? From gear to accessories...?

No major changes, other than cleaning some of the surface rust from the chrome parts. Maybe it liked being dirty??? I was having trouble with the gauges rattling against the windshield (more of an annoyance than a problem).

After several attempts to adjust the windshield, I gave up and bought two PCV grommets and some 3/16" radiator overflow tubing to make a ghetto "bumper" for the gauges where I wouldn't be hearing the constant rattling. It actually doesn't look as bad as I thought, no more rattle though. I'm sure that none of this had anything to do with the noise issue that I'm feeling/hearing.

I would check the rear shocks since you already are sure the swingarm is tight. (Side to side play?) Check the shock bushings and the shock spring preload adjustments. They may be set too light for your riding style or they may need a little air presssure added if your year bike has that option. If that all seems OK I would put the bike up on the centerstand and check the steering head bearings. If you hold the bars and rock the bike from the back wheel to the front wheel on the centerstand you should not feel any clunck or play in the bearings. If all else fails try to find an experienced Kawi wrench to check it out.

I wanted to tell everyone thanks for the suggestions and update everyone on my mysterious noise.

I checked everything known to man on the bike and everything's tight and in good working order. The only thing that it could be is the center stand, and it only happens at higher speeds so it's something that I can live with.

The o-ring on the rear spline looked a little flat (the source of the oil leakage on the final drive) so I replaced it and did the spline re-lube with the moly grease. This was much easier than I thought it'd be (thanks Fergy for the great write up). It took a little less than 2 hours even with me looking for a mystery noise. Anyone who is thinking about doing the spline lube yourself, it's a very do-able job for someone with even a little mechanical ability.

Don't let the job scare you, check those splines!!!

Good going! Glad you found the apparent source of the leak, too. It certainly can't hurt to have replaced that o-ring.

BTW, I ordered my HOK paint for Orleans on Saturday. You get three guesses as to what color I got.

Good going! Glad you found the apparent source of the leak, too. It certainly can't hurt to have replaced that o-ring.

BTW, I ordered my HOK paint for Orleans on Saturday. You get three guesses as to what color I got.

Silver and Blue?

Silver and Blue?

Dag! You oughta quit your day job and become a psychic!

Actually, midnight blue , but I'm thinking of silver "accents" somewhere along the way. HOK's midnight green just wasn't doing it for me.

Good choice.

I had to go to the Kaw. dealer on Sat. to get the o-ring for the spline lube job and sat on a silver and blue Vulcan 900 Classic with all of the bells and whistles. I know they've got mixed reviews here, but I really liked it.

If I can just figure out a way to convince the wife that I need three bikes....;)

Good choice.

I had to go to the Kaw. dealer on Sat. to get the o-ring for the spline lube job and sat on a silver and blue Vulcan 900 Classic with all of the bells and whistles. I know they've got mixed reviews here, but I really liked it.

If I can just figure out a way to convince the wife that I need three bikes....;)

I managed to do it but only because two of 'em are broken (although, that doesn't sound very convincing either, does it? "Honey, I want three bikes now - and two of them don't run."). But a friend of mine says everyone should have at least two (while one's down for repairs, you've still got a steed). And if two, heck, why not three??:beerchug:

If I can just figure out a way to convince the wife that I need three bikes....;)

You can do it!!