Karou Fox
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SuzukiSavage.com Rocks!
Posts: 5
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A few weeks ago my 2006 Boulevard started squealing while I was riding (13k miles, only mods are a tach and a raptor petcock). It came on slowly and was almost impossible to hear over the wind noise at first. I've had issues with the belt making noise in the past, so I thought nothing of it and ignored it. As the days went on it got louder and louder. I happened to notice the sound goes away when I'm holding in the clutch lever, as well as during engine braking (most noticeably when I'm driving downhill). The noise becomes audible above ~2.3k rpm, increases volume when under load, and persists when the trans is in neutral (albeit barely audible when in neutral).
I realized this wasn't normal, so I checked the engine oil level, come to find out it had burned enough oil that it was below the minimum level (or leaked the oil. I think the fill cap seal is going bad because grime slowly accumulates around it). I topped the bike up with my usual oil, but the noise persisted (Mobil 1 racing 10W-40). I'd just changed the oil and filter ~1.5k miles ago, so I'm kind of surprised it disappeared that fast. 95% of my riding is stop and go (I use my bike to commute to work), but I don't ride it particularly hard. I've only been riding for 9 months, so I'm still gentle on the clutch and rarely accelerate hard.
The clutch feels like it has plenty of grab and I've never had it slip on me, so my next thought was the clutch bearing (#20 on the diagram, part number 09262-12001). I've been able to find other people online with similar problems (it's usually a bad bearing for those people), but never exactly the same issue, and never on this model of bike. I've got very little familiarity with the insides of engines, so I could be completely wrong. Does this sound like a clutch bearing, or could it be something bigger? I can replace the bearing myself, but much more than that and I'll have to take it to the shop and have them work on it. Taking the bike to the shop is a hassle since I don't have a trailer, so I'd like to avoid that if possible. I can get a video if needed, but I'm trying to stay off the bike until I can get the issue resolved.
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