high pitch whine 2008 GL1800

[camplejeune]

Hello everyone,

Getting use to this new to me 2008 GL1800 with 2014 R/S kit. The bike has 51,000 miles. Starting at about 40mph a high pitch whine starts, it stops at 60mph. At first I thought it might be rear tire noise. Nope, the whine stops as soon as I pull in the clutch. There is no vibration at all during acceleration or de-acceleration. Has anyone experienced this and what was done to fix it? This is the only thing I dislike about this rig. My local Honda service shop told me to first make sure all the IRS bolts are in place and tight before I take the trike to them to test ride it.

Thank you,

[trike tech]

Have you tried matching rpm's to make sure it's not a noise more related to rpm than speed? Pulling the clutch in & the noise stopping does seem consistent with it being rpm related & wasn't sure if you'd thought to try that avenue. "Alternator whine" is a fairly "common" thing in the GL and is fairly well documented in various forums.

Not saying it IS your issue, but sure wouldn't discount it either.

[camplejeune]

Have you tried matching rpm's to make sure it's not a noise more related to rpm than speed? Pulling the clutch in & the noise stopping does seem consistent with it being rpm related & wasn't sure if you'd thought to try that avenue. "Alternator whine" is a fairly "common" thing in the GL and is fairly well documented in various forums.

Not saying it IS your issue, but sure wouldn't discount it either.

I have not tried the rpm matching. I considered the alternator as comparing it to my truck that had an alternator whine, it was the bearings. Replacing it took care of the issue. Thanks for this info, I will give it a try.

[bikerbillone]

Yes, quite possibly the dreaded beginning ADG failure, search this forum for ADG, that will give you some 'start' information.

[EC145Pilot]

Did you have/own/ride it before the kit was added?

Did it make this noise before the kit was added?

Have you checked to see if it is a Honda genuine OEM alternator?

All the alternators make a little noise, but the aftermarket ones can get really noisy. I had the OEM one go out on a trip last year and could not find a OEM replacement, so the shop I stopped at installed an aftermarket. It lasted almost 2000 miles before I replaced it. It was still producing power but was making so much noise you could here it over everything else, with a full face helmet and ear buds. Found a shop in Utah that got me an OEM and that stopped the noise.

Yours being a 2008, it should have the improved ADG, I think they started swapping those around 2006, not sure. Check around the internet and you should find videos of ADG failures with lots of noise.

[camplejeune]

Did you have/own/ride it before the kit was added?

Did it make this noise before the kit was added?

Have you checked to see if it is a Honda genuine OEM alternator?

All the alternators make a little noise, but the aftermarket ones can get really noisy. I had the OEM one go out on a trip last year and could not find a OEM replacement, so the shop I stopped at installed an aftermarket. It lasted almost 2000 miles before I replaced it. It was still producing power but was making so much noise you could here it over everything else, with a full face helmet and ear buds. Found a shop in Utah that got me an OEM and that stopped the noise.

Yours being a 2008, it should have the improved ADG, I think they started swapping those around 2006, not sure. Check around the internet and you should find videos of ADG failures with lots of noise.

First off, Thank you sir for your service to our country.

I bought this bike already triked from a Roadsmith dealer here in NC. It was a consignment sale, the shop did not do this conversion. I did test ride it on rainy day up and down the side street the shop was located on and in parking lots. I was not able to get it out on the main street to get any speed up. Everything sounded just fine, no vibration and shifted nice getting up to about 35mph. This is my second trike, first Goldwing based.

As for the Honda OEM, I will check today.

I will search ADG, but what is ADG an acronym for?

Thank you,

[EC145Pilot]

ADG = Alternator Drive Gear

[camplejeune]

ADG = Alternator Drive Gear

yes sir, did the You Tube thing, I am glad that I can rule this out. This noise is more noticeable with a full helmet on. Matching rpm when drive-line not engaged does not produce the whine. Maybe I just need to get use to the noises a GL makes? I am going to try heavier gear lube as some of what we are hearing does appear to be coming from the rear differential. Checking the rear drive and axles with no weight on them did not show any signs of bearing noise or slop in the bearings. More investigation will take place.

[paws]

Perhaps the Shop you purchased it from would have another Gold Wing trike or bike to compare it to before you take it to a Honda dealer.

[camplejeune]

Perhaps the Shop you purchased it from would have another Gold Wing trike or bike to compare it to before you take it to a Honda dealer.

paws,

I was able to ride another GL trike this weekend, it was a 2012 with a CSC kit. Certainly not an exact comparison but was able to match the engine noise at idle. His pipes had a bit deeper tone and a little louder so it was tuff to hear any differential noise. He claims the pipes are OEM, they did sound good. My alternator does have a slight out board bearing noise at idle. It goes away at high rpm. I used a stethoscope to hear this. I am ruling out the alternator. The R/S shop I bought mine at suggested I try heavier gear lube. This will be changed this week.

Thanks,

[1dn5up]

Lucas and Wynns makes a gear lube additive . 2-3 oz added to gear oil should quiet the gears. I use it in the trans of my 91 FLH.

[MDO]

The 1st thing I do on a new to me vehicle is replacing all fluids, unless you have proof it was done.

You just don't know how old they are. It's a good starting point & great peace of mind.

[camplejeune]

The 1st thing I do on a new to me vehicle is replacing all fluids, unless you have proof it was done.

You just don't know how old they are. It's a good starting point & great peace of mind.

Yes sir, I do this and did. I just went from 80/90 gear lube to 140w. The noise is not as loud but still there. I did not notice this noise on my Lehman trike with the Ford differential. But then again, the pipes are louder. I suppose from here, we get used to it or just wait and see if it gets worst and then really start digging?

[Wind Therapy]

GL1500's have timing belts . . . GL1800's have timing chains (at least that's what I'm told).

My 07 GL1800 with a 2018 Road Smith 1800HTS kit has an assortment of noises that I have become accustomed to; one of which is what I perceive as timing chain noise. You might want to touch your stethoscope to the timing chain cover on the front of your engine and see what that sounds like.

Best of luck . . .

Wind Therapy

Dave Calahan

Fredericksburg, VA

triketalk

[camplejeune]

Yes sir, I do this and did. I just went from 80/90 gear lube to 140w. The noise is not as loud but still there. I did not notice this noise on my Lehman trike with the Ford differential. But then again, the pipes are louder. I suppose from here, we get used to it or just wait and see if it gets worst and then really start digging?

Hello everyone,

Figure I would update this post. The high pitch whine noise did get worst, it became a knocking noise sound at low speeds. It is all in the thread I started titled Differential Knocking Noise. The gears were chipped, the diff. was sent back to Roadsmith to be rebuilt. $1,700 total for my R/S dealer to remove and send it to the R/S factory, they gave me a 12 month warranty - pars and labor.

No more high pitched whine between 55 and 70 mph.

[Burnerboy]

Camp,

I just read this post this morning (1/16/22) glad to hear that R/S figured out your problem..........Now the questions is ::: What cause a chipped tooth in the gears??

Now this is just a question here only: Did you by any chance, pop your bike in gear while it was rolling back in neutral??? (I read about a gent, that pop'ed it into gear while rolling back and he did the same thing/broke a tooth gear....

Ronnie

1/16/22