Bearing Issue?


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SynysterCT

New Member
So I bought my first bike, an '09 FZ6R, a few weeks ago. It is in great shape and has about 7,500 miles on it. I noticed it makes a "noise" coming from the front end. Everything I have been able to find online is saying its just the brake pads rubbing and its nothing to worry about. I just find that hard to believe. I have a TBR exhaust (w/ baffle but still loud) and the noise is very prevalent from the 30-upper 40 mph range. After that wind/exhaust noise begin to drown it out. I hear it all the way down to about 10mph. To me it just seems too loud to simply be brake pads rubbing. Also, if I use different brake pressures around those speeds it doesn't seem to affect the noise. Does anyone know of examples (youtube maybe?) of a front bearing noise? Do you think it could be anything else?

*Edit* I should not that the bike runs flawlessly. No noticeable vibration in the bars or anywhere else, no steering issues or wobble, nothing that would indicate an issue other than the noise.

Thanks in advance.

Obligatory picture:
http://i.imgur.com/4GXYsvj.jpg
 
Last edited:
9

98Deathmage

Member
SynysterCT said:
So I bought my first bike, an '09 FZ6R, a few weeks ago. It is in great shape and has about 7,500 miles on it. I noticed it makes a "noise" coming from the front end. Everything I have been able to find online is saying its just the brake pads rubbing and its nothing to worry about. I just find that hard to believe. I have a TBR exhaust (w/ baffle but still loud) and the noise is very prevalent from the 30-upper 40 mph range. After that wind/exhaust noise begin to drown it out. I hear it all the way down to about 10mph. To me it just seems too loud to simply be brake pads rubbing. Also, if I use different brake pressures around those speeds it doesn't seem to affect the noise. Does anyone know of examples (youtube maybe?) of a front bearing noise? Do you think it could be anything else?

*Edit* I should not that the bike runs flawlessly. No noticeable vibration in the bars or anywhere else, no steering issues or wobble, nothing that would indicate an issue other than the noise.

Thanks in advance.

Obligatory picture:
http://i.imgur.com/4GXYsvj.jpg
Click to expand...
What kind of noise is it? Is it a squeak, grind, tick, knock? Different noises mean different things in the same location. Need more info or maybe a video. Also, slowly ride the bike with a friend walking along with you listening to the bike as it moves to better locate the noise.
 
N

NMdesertracer

New Member
I can here my brake pads rubbing on the rotors but its normal. now you have an exhaust that should override any sounds. Go down a hill with the bike off!
 
S

SynysterCT

New Member
I will try to get a video or audio recording of it tomorrow. I haven't tried anything with the bike off but I'll give that a shot too. It doesn't sound like a rubbing of brake pads, more of a hollow churning type noise? I don't exactly know how to describe it.
 
xorbe

xorbe

Member
SynysterCT said:
more of a hollow churning type noise? I don't exactly know how to describe it.
Click to expand...
I have the same noise. I don't know what it is, but I assume it's normal, since my '14 is nearly brand new and only 3.2K miles. It's a lot more pronounced than my Ninja 250R, but the same type of noise. Makes sense that it is the brakes then, 2 discs vs 1 on the li'l Ninja.
 
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SynysterCT

New Member
I took this video today. It doesn't showcase the noise well but you hear the "hollow churning" type noise mostly in the 30-40 mph range here. It is more prominent during the second decelleration. I hear it pretty much 10+ when riding but the phone didn't pick it up well. While taking the video it was much louder to me than on the phone.

Youtube Video
 
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ej'sfz

New Member
Mine does the same thing but I swear it only started after I got a new front tire, could just be in my brain but I'm pretty sure I never heard it beforw. Definitely sounds like a bearing but everything is tight and there's no not cable growling through the bars or anything

Sent from my SM-T330NU using Tapatalk
 
xorbe

xorbe

Member
SynysterCT said:
I took this video today. It doesn't showcase the noise well but you hear the "hollow churning" type noise mostly in the 30-40 mph range here. It is more prominent during the second decelleration. I hear it pretty much 10+ when riding but the phone didn't pick it up well. While taking the video it was much louder to me than on the phone.

Youtube Video
Click to expand...
Yup same exact growl / grind-like noise. Take the front brakes off and double check ... ;-)
 
S

SynysterCT

New Member
It sounds like the consensus is that its a normal noise, which is reassuring. I went on a 70 mile run around southern CT today and everything ran flawless.

Has anyone tried removing the front caliper and going for a short ride around the neighborhood to see if the noise completely goes away? It would be an interesting test for sure.

Thanks for everyone's input.
 
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ej'sfz

New Member
I personally don't think it's the brakes for this particular noise. When doing about 45 I hear it the loudest because after that the wind factor kind of takes over. Pull the clutch in and you can definitely hear it, and not much of a change with light front braking or hard front braking. I think it's a bearing, but with no play in the front end i don't wanna just replace the bearing for craps and giggles lol

Sent from my SM-T330NU using Tapatalk
 
S

SynysterCT

New Member
Well I did some experimenting this afternoon.

Had the front and rear on the stands. Spun the front wheel as hard as I could. I could hear the front pads rubbing a bit but nothing like the "hollow churning" noise I normally hear.

Pulled the front calipers off and gave the wheel another hard spin... SILENCE. No wobble, no noise, nothing. Not really indicative of a bearing issue? I expected something, anything... Pulled the front pads and reinstalled the calipers. Went for a short ride around my neighborhood with no front brakes, making sure to hit 40mph where I can definitely hear the "noise" normally. I could still hear it a bit but I don't think it was as loud as it usually is.

Put the pads back in and went for another quick ride. Definitely more prominent now. Maybe I was just trying to hear it the first run without the pads?

So I am running out of ideas. Maybe I should just chalk it up to me being paranoid about my first bike and criticizing every noise that isn't the motor. It isn't out of the question that the noise escalates with speed as the vibration picks up on the pads. Maybe there was still a tiny bit of rubbing on the calipers somewhere when I took the pads off.
 

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