Help, my Wee is making noise

[Lonesome Dave]

My Suzuki DL650 Vstrom has developed a noise.  This past fall is when I started hearing it.  I'll call it a squeak.  I checked everything I could think of on the lower bike, side and center stands, exhaust, skid plate, and anything else I could think of, but found nothing loose.  About 3 months ago I got a little more serious and parked it on the lift and started taking things a part to find the squeak.  Mainly the front and side plastic shrouds disconnected the gas tank and hung it from the ceiling.  After removing the gas tank, I saw the metal flanges that slide onto the rubber boots attached to the frame at the top of the tank.  I moved the rubber pieces around and they squeaked.  I figured I had found the  problem.  For the next 3 months it just sat there, lifted up towards the ceiling.  The weather been nice this past week or so, but I couldn't ride because it was still apart.  Yesterday I got it together.  I bent the mounting flanges on the tank to make them fit tighter on the rubber mounts.  I was sure this would fix it.  NO.  Went for a short ride and the squeaking is still there.

I've tried isolating the noise.  First it does not do it until around 55-60 mph.  It is not rpm related, it will squeak if I maintain the correct speed and pull in the clutch and let the throttle off.  I've jumped up and down, I've squeezed the tank with my knees, pulled it back and pushed it forward, but still the noise persists, again only at about 55-60 mph.  I've checked for loose plastic, but can't find anything.  Last fall I actually rode it at the correct speed without the all the plastic and it still squeaked. 

I'm out of ideas.  I think I need someone to ride it for me to see what they think of the noise.  I'm basically deaf, at least that's what the wife says, so maybe someone else could hear it better!  As I was writing this, I thought of the chain.  Could a chain squeak?  I know its lubed good, but it has probably 15k miles on it.  The squeaking is very rapid, and I'll admit, kind of like a chain bouncing.

Any ideas or anyone had similar problems?  LD

[greatbuffalo]

There's a few things to consider here, the foremost being that it may not be the bike at all:

Have you checked your ears, for mites, crickets, other vermin? 

Maybe its coming from your helmet. Seriously. I thought I had a weird noise from my Tiger last year and it turned out to be a loose visor fluttering in the breeze.

Have you checked with the voices in your head? Maybe they're playing trick on you. Maybe time for a multiple personality conference. 

Have you checked to see if you have a gas (flatus) issue? Less beans and cabbage in your diet may help. 

I could say it could be your wife squealing in your ear but I like her and wouldn't want to bring her into this.

I know none of this may be helpful in your search for a cause but I just had to.

[Hank]

GB... 

Have you checked your wheel bearings?   Hard to guess without hearing it first hand.

[Fletch]

might be the mercury...

[Lonesome Dave]

GB....that was funny!

Hank....no about the bearings, but it does sometimes seem to start when I hit a road bump.  But other times it just starts at the 55 - 60.

[Bogus Jim]

It might be brake pads, tap the brakes a bit and see if it goes away. My Tiger sometimes squeaks around 25-30mph... hard to even hear it with your helmet on but eventually I figured out it was just the rear brake pads rubbing.

[Hank]

I'm going to go with brake noise too.     

[Lonesome Dave]

might be the mercury...

I didn't get it right away........oh yea!  Must of been the mercury!

[Lonesome Dave]

Okay, tonight I test rode it again, and once again at 55-60mph it starts up.  It's not always constant, but if it's not making the squeak, a small bump in the road can get it going.  Tonight I tried riding with the noise going and trying both sets of brakes separately.  Without a doubt, while actuating one brake or the other, the noise continued.  However, at times it seemed better while actuating the front brakes.  When I parked it, all the rotors were hot.  I measured the temp and both front rotors were at 85 degrees, meaning they are braking equally.  And the rear rotor was about 100 degrees. 

Once again I started shaking things and fiddling with the front discs, but all seem normal.  There's just a little play in both calipers, but they need to be free so they can move. 

Bearings maybe, but I doubt it, the noise doesn't sound like something rotating.  It sounds like something shaking or bouncing at a very rapid rate.

[Hank]

http://www.stromtrooper.com/dl650-dl650a-2004-2011/141185-scuppering-squeaking-highway-speed.html

[loingrader]

If Hanks link doesn't reveal your solution try using better ear plugs.  It works like a charm on all the disconcerting noises my old bikes make.

[grubbie]

I've had speedo cable squeak like that, drove me nuts trying to figure that one out.

[Lonesome Dave]

I figured I had to take the front wheel off to check the bearings anyway, so that will be on the list.  Thanks.

[Fletch]

might be the mercury...

I didn't get it right away........oh yea!  Must of been the mercury!

[greatbuffalo]

Dave' I've had a chance to think about this for a bit.

Could it be suspension squeak. either from dried out seals front or rear or swing arm bushings.

Another question is: Is it a squeak, squeak, squeak...............     Or is a squeak squeak and then stops, or is it a long continuous squeeeeeeeeeak? Sounds goofy I know but in all seriousness.

Thats the best I got for now.