I recently bought a 8000 mile 2010 one owner NT700V, in fact it was not actually put on the road until September 2012. My first NT and my first bike for many years and I love I. But how much noise should I expect from the drive train? I had an old CX500 years ago on this one is quiet by its standards but there is a whine in most gears and when I shut off on the over-run I get a "wuh wuh wuh" noise as if here is hard gear contact. First has a healthy hum, second quieter, third about the same and fourth little worse and 5th better. I guess that straight cut gears running in engine oil can't be expected to be quiet. At 50mph and above there is little to no noise. Also if I back off the gas and turn it on again, there's free play. No clunk, just a space, and again nothing as bad as I remember the CX. I just don't know where to look or if I need to. Many thanks
New to NTV: drive train noise
- Thread starter markezekiel
- Start date
Mark, it sounds like it's pretty normal. That's one of the reasons I wear earplugs. 
That sounds exactly like mine did when I bought it at 18,000km.
It now has 60,oookm and is still the same or slightly worse.
I was pannicking soon after i bought it but two separate dealers, as well as everyone here said it was normal.
I never get any metal out of the oils (I use a magnetic sump plug).
I am now happy to put up with the noises and I don't use earplugs as I find it really quiet when touring behind the screen at sensible speeds.
I do listen to music through my headset all the time though.
Macka
The drivetrain on my 2010 NT700 makes plenty of racket. I was worried about it for the first several months also. At some point I just stopped worrying about it and decided those noises are normal operation. Most likely what you are hearing is normal.
Many thanks: I thought so but once and engineer always an engineer I guess.
you guys are making me a whole lot better. I bought it without riding it as I had no Texas license at the time - had a UK one for best part of 30 years.
karl
Site Supporter
The final drive is very vocal especially on overrun. I change the oil there at every engine oil change and am not certain if it has actually gotten quieter or I just don't hear it as much anymore.
Bear
2
I don't think that mine has gotten quieter--I think that I have just gotten used to the sound. It's almost like a supercharger whine when you decellerate.
Alex, I love the idea re-imagining sounds to make them more exciting. I'd never thought of the final drive sounding like a supercharger, but I will now.
My old '99 Kawasaki Concourses had a tendency for the gas tank to whistle after a long ride. I always imagined that whistle was my gyros winding down.
My old '99 Kawasaki Concourses had a tendency for the gas tank to whistle after a long ride. I always imagined that whistle was my gyros winding down.
I was tempted to try full synthetic in the rear drive. It made my Miata a lot quieter. Any thoughts?
I think it would work fine. I've used it myself.
WVRider
Site Supporter
I love the winning sound when you are decelerating down a mountain. The NT is soo quiet behind the windscreen I can hear it on my Hero Cam videos and my camera is mounted on the side of my helmet. I think because the bike is so quiet all those other little noises seem to stand out. Once you get used to the sound you'll know if anything is going wrong. Mine pretty much sounds the same now, 52K miles later, as it did new.
I always remember thinking the NT was kind of loud.
I rode to a meeting this morning with my hearing aids in. I had forgotten just how loud the drivetrain is! It made me wonder if something was seriously wrong.
You fool! :redface:I rode to a meeting this morning with my hearing aids in. I had forgotten just how loud the drivetrain is! It made me wonder if something was seriously wrong.
You know that you must never use your hearing aids when riding the Honda.
It will give you an anxiety attack! LOL
Macka
Boy howdy, you are 100% right about that! I'm still quivering.
Does anyone here have any idea what the normal operating temperature is for the final drive, assuming Standard Ambient (77F) ?
Not a clue ... it's never been an issue for me. The two final drive rebuilds I've had were due to the failure of two Honda techs to lube the splines with Honda Moly-60. If those guys had done what they should have done, I'd still be on the original final drive components.
Do you think yours is running hot??
Do you think yours is running hot??
It can run hotter than you think. Most all the heat is external though. I put my hand on mine after a ride in Arkansas summertime. It was hot enough to concern me, then I backed up and looked at it. It is mounted just behind the engine, the engine traps heat with all the plastic, and then it is mounted a foot above the black asphalt which around here you can fry eggs on.
It can be too hot to leave your hand on.
Brad
It can be too hot to leave your hand on.
Brad
Bear
2
Drove a few race cars with superchargers, and that whine is a very familiar sound--although on a supercharger the whine is on acceleration and deceleration because the thing is belt driven.