Kawasaki Concours Forum

The C-14, aka Kawasaki Concours-14, the new one :) => The Bike - C14/GTR 1400 => Topic started by: jwolffie on October 25, 2014, 11:20:17 AM

Title: High speed buzz, wind noise
Post by: jwolffie on October 25, 2014, 11:20:17 AM

I have developed a loud buzzing noise that starts at about 70MPH of air speed. It is caused by wind vibrating something on the front of the bike because it goes away if I get behind another vehicle. I can make the noise stop by folding in the right side mirror. Any ideas?

Title: Re: High speed buzz, wind noise
Post by: VirginiaJim on October 25, 2014, 11:37:41 AM

First thing I would do is check all the fasteners in the front of the bike.  Make sure that you check the fairing brace that attaches to the center steering tube.  Have you put any accessories on the bike (on the front) lately?

Title: Re: High speed buzz, wind noise
Post by: jwolffie on October 25, 2014, 11:59:01 AM

Nothing has changed lately, when I installed HID projectors I removed everything on the front of the bike and re-installed it and no change on the noise. The noise  totally goes away if I fold in the right mirror, no change if I fold in the left mirror. All fasteners have been rechecked.

Title: Re: High speed buzz, wind noise
Post by: martin_14 on October 27, 2014, 12:27:19 AM

never heard of that one before, so just trying to helpfully guess what you could experiment with in order to narrow it down:
- this noise is the same regarding of gear? 70 mph could be done in basically any gear, so you could try 4th, 5th, or 6th and see if it is related to some frequency from the engine/drive train.
- what about pressing the tip of the mirror downward with your finger? or forward?
- cold engine? warm engine?
- windshield position? does it have anything to do or changes anything from full up to full down?

Title: Re: High speed buzz, wind noise
Post by: Caffeinated on October 27, 2014, 10:45:40 AM

I had that exact thing on my 2011. It developed at around 7-10K miles. I figured it was something inside the right mirror housing that was loose. I was to lazy to take it apart to investigate. My 2012 has 25K on it and I don't get that sound at all. Of course the right side has a new mirror from when the PO dropped it, so maybe that's your fix....drop it on it's right side  :yikes:

Title: Re: High speed buzz, wind noise
Post by: VirginiaJim on October 27, 2014, 10:55:47 AM

Check the colored part of the mirror and make sure that it's tight.  That piece actually can be pried off.  You do want to make sure that the mirror is securely fastened.  There's three bolts that hold it on to the bike (08-09), not sure about gen2.

Title: Re: High speed buzz, wind noise
Post by: jwolffie on October 28, 2014, 06:33:51 AM

I found the noise with blue painters tape. It is the very front part of the mirror base where it sits against the fairing. There is a small gap and nothing to hold it down so it flutters in the wind. I will put some foam tape behind it or something.