Help! Whine noise - possibly the clutch?

[bfwilliams65]

I just bought a 2005 Bonneville T100. Runs perfect, cranks and idles fine. Pull in the clutch, drive off and there is a whine sound that gets louder and higher pitched as you go faster. Come home and drive through thick grass and pull in the clutch and as the bike bogs down a bit the whine does too. I changed the oil today but only rode it a block down the road - still whines. Please help.

 

[Qship]

Check wheel bearings. Chain tension, lube, condition?
Is the whine road speed related or engine speed related?

 

[bfwilliams65]

Check wheel bearings. Chain tension, lube, condition?
Is the whine road speed related or engine speed related?

Engine speed related.

 

[shanered6]

does the noise go when you pull the clutch in if so its a noisy gearbox if not check your generator .

 

[bfwilliams65]

does the noise go when you pull the clutch in if so its a noisy gearbox if not check your generator .

Yes, when driving, if you pull in the clutch lever and take the load off the engine, the whining tones down a LOT. Also, if in neutral you rev it a bit, you can hear it lightly. MOST of the whine is when the bike is moving and the sound gets higher pitched the faster the bike goes. Thanks for your help - is my bike in need of serious work?

 

[Qship]

Sounds like a bearing in the primary drive or transmission gear shafts may be bad, 'cause the sound only happens under load.
If you're not sure, I would take it to a reputable bike shop to be checked.
Hard to diagnose these issues over the interweb.
Could try googling it and see if anyone else has had similiar issues like your's.