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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 30
Tampa, FL | Just read about the drive belt making a chirping sound. I was riding with my wife last week and heard what I thought were crickets in the woods along the road. My wife heard the same thing. It seemed to come and go and was not constant. But now I wonder it the sound varied because of the trees along side the road - louder when there were trees, quieter when there weren't any.
My hearing is terrible so things have to be pretty loud for me to even notice!
Mike |
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Visionary
Posts: 1324
So Cal | I have a whistling sound on accel. I always thought it was the normal soundof the fuel injection. |
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Visionary
Posts: 2027
Brighton, TN | MangoMike - I would probably say yes, it starts occassionally, then really starts to pick up. I wouldn't notice it while going down the road, with no one around. But as soon as I pulled up next to a big rig, oh let the chirping continue, then away after passing. Just drove me nuts. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 725
Reno County, KS | It's getting really bad on my bike. I'm somewhere over 2kmi from home and hoping that it will make it back. I'm going to try "knocking on dealership doors" until then. Worst case scenerio is that I drive home in a rental car. Oh well. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 208
Edmonton Alberta, Canada | I too had the chirping, started out quiet, but got louder, however I kept turning tunes up. W as worde riding 2 up. I adjusted the belt and aligned the rear wheel and noise went away. Now it is starting again, so I will just snug it up some more. I call it maintenance. Happy riding all. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 235
Evergreen, CO | It's not just a "snug it up" issue. The belt needs to be very carefully centered on the rear pulley. Pollolittle has a great set of steps on how to do this yourself.
Bigwill, I understand your concern, as I was in your shoes just before my long trip this summer. Had all sorts of things running through my head about failures along the road, etc. The chirping noise bothered me to my core whenever I rode. I used Pollolittle's method after a few trips to my dealer were unsuccessful. As hard as this will probably be for you to swallow and believe, the noise, although VERY annoying, is not going to cause you any failure on your bike. Make every attempt to tune it out, enjoy your trip, and then deal with it when you get back home. If you have a GOOD dealer, they will be able to get your rear wheel properly aligned, the chirping to disappear, and put a big smile back on your face.
I aligned my rear wheel when the dealer was unsuccessful. After my trip, I needed a new rear tire, so I removed the rear wheel myself, had the dealer install a new rear tire, and reinstalled the rear wheel. I got in a hurry when I reinstalled, and now have moderate chirping when I first start off, with the entire bike "cold". It goes away after 3-5 miles, so I think I'm not too far off on the alignment. Hopefully this weekend 'll have a chance to put it up on the MC jack and "fine tune" the alignment to make the remaining birdies go away! |
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Visionary
Posts: 2027
Brighton, TN | bigwill5150 - I agree with spacebigbootscwboy- The squeal or chirp, probably not enough out of alignment to cause you any failure. However, it would be cheaper and way more satisfying to buy the tools on the road and adjust it in the parking lot of wherever. A big crescent wrench, a smaller crescent or wrench, somebody's small jack and some boards to get the back tire off the ground. Adjust and away you go chirp free.
I just got through convincing another member on this exact procedure, even though the dealer keeps telling them it is in alignment. Most dealer techs are just tightening the belt, nothing more. To fix, you must align. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1484
LaPorte,Tx. | bigwill5150 - 2008-09-26 12:20 AM
It's getting really bad on my bike. I'm somewhere over 2kmi from home and hoping that it will make it back. I'm going to try "knocking on dealership doors" until then. Worst case scenerio is that I drive home in a rental car. Oh well.
Bigwill, halfway through my 5000 mile trip in Aug. I noticed the belt noise getting worse. Once I rode in the rain for about an hour and the next day I did not notice the noise. So I started wiping down the belt with a wet rag every evening when I stopped, that helped alot. If the belt is really loose, check into a Victory dealer for adjustment. Take care.
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 30
Tampa, FL | Update. Took my bike into Barry Motor Sports in Tampa. Chris, their head wrench called me and said that the chirping usually occurs when the belt is too tight, mine was a little loose. He rode it after adjusting the belt and didn't hear any chirping, and will ride it again tomorrow morning when it's cool to make sure everything is okay.
After dropping the bike off, I got home to find a Victory recall notice in the mail. Man they have beautiful timing. Called BMS and told them about the notice and that was taken care of also.
If you live near Tampa, do yourself a favor and drop by BMS on Hillsborough Ave. Great folks run a great dealership.
Cheers,
Mike |
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Visionary
Posts: 2027
Brighton, TN | MangofruitpunchMike - have them put it up on their stand and get down and look at the belt with the mechanic. If the belt is over to the right (most are) next to the side of the pulley and you are unable to see a gap between the two, no amount of belt tensioning or untensioning will work. I have heard the same thing. If they make sure it is aligned, the belt can be loose or tight and not squeal. Everyone I have spoken too about this, goes through the exact same thing you are. Tighten belt, noise goes away, it will reappear. Tightening the belt only temporarily pulls it away from the side just minutely enough to NOT squeal. Then when everything wears or stretches (your choice) in SQUEAL is BACK.
I feel like I have beaten this one lately pretty good. It is only because I was extremely frustrated and wound up fixing it myself. Then kicking myself for having not done it sooner.
I know for a fact if you tighten it will go away, for an undetermined amount of time. Then it will reappear, re-tighten belt, noise goes away.
This would be one of Teach's moments, where explosions and ticking mines detonate, combining for mass hysteria (Def Leppard Album) in the helmet.
there must have been something incorrect at the factory for so many bikes to have the same problem. I'm thinking Victory should be sending me a check very soon for helping them fix their bikes. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 208
Edmonton Alberta, Canada | If you know what is wrong.............FIX IT! If you do not know what is wrong................TAKE IT TO THE DEALER!!!! |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 623
| dealer orderd me a new pulley from the factory...coverd under warrentee
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Tourer
Posts: 388
Salisbury, NC | bigwill5150, buy you a can of belt dressing and spray on the belt. It will shut the chirping up til you can get the belt tight and aligned. ET
Edited by etspastimes 2009-02-26 7:46 AM
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Tourer
Posts: 374
Tucson, AZ | Had a new pulley put on mine under warranty. Worked great for a little over a month and now starting out in first i am getting just a little squeal/chirp. I aligned the belt and still just a bit. Seemed strange to me to put a new pully on and not a new belt? It doesnt worry me but is sometimes annoying. Will deal with at the next service, so for now it ride the heck outta it.
mike |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 623
| has anyone got a new pulley and fixed the issue completely? after 200 miles the chirp is almost louder than my J&M speakers. Yes i do realign but its gettin old!!! |
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Cruiser
Posts: 102
Northeast Pennsylvania | I have 9600 miles on mine. I had the belt adjusted because of the squeek once around 2500 and it hasn't returned. Some of the forums have you moving the pulley or adjusting the rear tire. My mechanic put it on the lift and tightened it to specs. Seems to work for now, but when it squeeks you will know it. Mine was loud. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1484
LaPorte,Tx. | I have worked on this issue for almost a year now. Having the service manual and the correct tools I can adjust and align the belt in my sleep as per the book. I have deviated slightly from the book, tighter, looser, set to the left side, in the center, to the right, several times to see if it makes a change......very little change. Is it a bad belt pulley, can't hardly believe that because I can make it stop......for awhile. Also, it is more pronouce when the belt is cool, after 10 miles of riding, can't hear it. But stop for a short time and let the belt cool, then the belt will sound off again when starting out until it gets warmed up.
So based on my observation last summer on a 5000 mile trip and not having the ability to check the belt tension. I observed that after running through rain storms, the belt would stop making it usual noise when cool or on acceeration.
So my experiment over the last two weeks it has been cool in the mornings, and riding to work I notice the noise for about 10 miles. When I would get home I would make a different change to the belt adjustment, next morning's ride I would see if there was any improvement, most did not help, except if the belt was really, really tight. Tighter than the specification. So after doing all of that I got the bike up on the jack, took some warm water with Dawn soap and a heavy scrub brush and scrubbed the piss out of the belt and the rear pulley. Then rubbed it down with a dry terry towel. A lot of black stain on the towel during that rub down. Last three days coming to work and going home, no sound from the belt. I don't wash my bike very much, maybe once in two months. If this works out I'm going to start washing the belt. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 623
| good info, but what a pain. I hope the newly installed pully will fix my issue. I know belts have mx associated with them and I'm all for doing it, but this chirping is outta control. will update when i get the bike back with the new pully.
If anyone has had a dealer replace the pully id like to hear if ir helped.
thanks |
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Tourer
Posts: 412
Fargo, ND | I have done with mine a lot on the order of VisionTex. There are times I have adjusted my belt three times a day to not a real good outcome. Apparently Victory keeps 'loosening up the spec' for the belt. I have had mine on spec and tried left, right and center of the pully. As most people have reported...mine makes a little noise when cool. The more you ride the quieter it seems to get. One thing VisionTex tired that I have not and that is to tighten the belt. It would be fun to know Victory's reasoning for the loose tension on the belt. I had a Kawasaki VN2000 just prior to my Vision and that belt was Heaven. I had the wheel off a couple times and adjusted the belt each time I reinstalled the wheel and it was sooo tight there was very, very little deflection compared to my Vision which you can almost see the sag in it. I never heard one peep out of the Kawasaki either. It would be great if Victory would communicate a little bit with the natives so we wouldn't get so restless! Victory...If you are reading this...my final drive on my Vision leaves me WANTING!!
Edited by Flatsix 2009-02-26 10:44 PM
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Iron Butt
Posts: 623
| 3 adjustments a day is just UNSAT. i was out on a 300 mile day before i too kthe bike in for the new pully and hit Chirpin after 299 miles, loud as can be. i get the bike back next week, it usually sounds real good after a adjustment, so we'll see what happens after another 300 + miles |
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Cruiser
Posts: 80
| My dealer replaced the rear pulley under warranty. It wasn't an adjustment thing, it was a run of pulleys that were not just right. I have not had an issue since, but that was done last fall and we haven't ridden much this winter. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 623
| good news, hope this fixes me up. my bike is a early 08, purchased in Feb 08. hopefully this pulley will fix me up. doubt the dealer would replace it for the heck of it. BTW, the Victory Dealership in Cumming Ga is awsome, I travel farther to get my bike worked on my them since the dealer close to my house seems to not be as good when it comes to working on the Visions |
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Is this the chirping sound?
