I have a noise that sounds like it is coming from the front end of my 2010 RKC that I am having problems pinpointing and would appreciate any help you guys can provide. It is sort of a "swish, swish, swish" like something is dragging slightly. It isn't loud and I don't think it is coming from the drive train because it slows down as the bike slows. If I let off the gas and pull in the clutch it gradually gets slower until I stop. I had a little pulsing in my front brakes so I replaced the front rotors with fully floated rotors and the pulsing is gone, but the sound is still there. I had the bearings replaced last year when one blew, but I thought it might have been the bearings so I pulled them, but they look fine and don't have any binding and aren't loose. I have read quite a bit about compensators going bad. I don't have more than a normal amount of metal fuzz on the drain plug of the primary, but could the noise be the compensator? My bike runs great, I just don't feel I can ignore this sound, and I would prefer to not have to take the bike to the dealer.

Thanks to all.

 

My best guess would be that the rotors are dragging slightly. No big deal. If you put the bike on a lift and get a revolution or so out of it when spun by hand, you're fine.

 

Rotors and pads. Carry on!

 

Thanks guys. I'm not so sure it is the rotors. I did replace them both after the noise started, and when I removed the wheel yesterday I lifted the bike and spun the wheel. No noise or binding. Any other suggestions?

 

See if the noise changes with a tiny bit of front brake pull. If so, may be a sticky caliper piston, not retracting and causing brake pad drag. If that isnt it, I would look at wheel bearings. When you spin the wheel in midair, no noise, but with weight on it, the bearing loads and you hear it.

 

sounds to me like it's your pads riding against the rotors; out of curiosity, did you bed in your new rotors after you installed them?