[Den]

This is my first 4 cylinder bike and I notice an engine whine at certain RPMs. Is this common for this type of engine? Not really bothering, just different from the lug of my old V-twin.


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[sleepngbear]

Well, it's not normal for all 4-cylinder bike engines, but it's an endearing quality of this one -- a gift from it's ST heritage.

A little more chatter going on here on this very subject: http://www.ctx1300forum.com/forum/touring-ride-reports/5850-family-vacation-part-1-a.html#post51738

 

[Den]

Thanks for the info.


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[blakebird]

straight cut gears on the counterbalancer and clutch

 

[GARRY UK]

Yea normal for a v4 Honda some have a more pronounced whine than others and as the bikes so quite you may also pick-up shaft/bevel gear noise in certain gears and revs,try a set of ear plugs, i use them all the time as i find it makes the ride sweeter for me, and i use to cover silly mileage and ear plugs stop any long term wind damage...but ear plugs can be a bit weird at first, but they do stop you hearing all those small creaks/rattles etc, but you can still hear the tom tom or music etc and you are not isolated from the real world they just cut the wind and bike niggly noises..all a state of mind, anyway ride safe Garry

 

[Den]

I wear hearing aids so the ear plugs are not an option. I can turn them off when riding but I like to hear what is going on around me. The engine whine seems to be less pronounced or maybe I'm just getting use to it. Actually sounds cool sometimes especially when going down hill. Almost sounds like the whine of a jet engine. Has turned some heads.


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[V0X]

I heard a whining sound that started at around 300 miles coming from seemed to be the final f
Drive. It didn't do it all the time, but was annoying. Any ideas?


Eric

 

[Drummer]

My whining came from my wife when I rode more than two hours at a time

 

[westgl]

Most of the whining noise should reduce some as you get more miles on the bike.

It will reduce the bikes noises even more if you change to full Synthetic lube's throughout the bike, including the rear shaft drive.

 

[bob]

Just make sure you don't use any motor oil that says resource/energy conserving per Honda requirements. There is a reason they caution against it for a wet clutch. I haven't heard or read anything to convince me otherwise, other than that I did use full Synthetic in past bikes but didn't see the forbidden labeling show up on that oil until recently in my area. Honestly I just didn't look for it until I read the caution for this bike.

 

[westgl]

Yea I have been in the Goldwing community forever. \

I have had every Goldwing model that has been made except the new Valkyrie.

The Energy conserving oil causes your clutch to slip.

While there is a fix for the slipping clutch, why go there in the first place.

I either use Delo 400LE Oil non synthetic or full Synthetic Shell Rotella T6 Synthetic 5w/40 Oil

My GL1200 Goldwing only like the Delo400LE Non synthetic oil, the trans shift well with that oil

I have tried Mobil1, but most Goldwing's don't like that oil, as the transmission's don't shift well with it.

 

[Lazelod]

Mine has the whine as well, most noticeable at low RPMs. It seems much louder at idle when the engine is cold, but once it heats up, the whine isn't quite as loud. I really don't notice it too much once I get moving. I'm only a little over 200 miles right now. Question to the fortunate folks who have more saddle time on the CTX 1300 than I have: How much of the whine is would you say is due to design, and how much is due to my engine not yet broken in?

 

[bob]

I'd say most if not all is in the design. Most of it is the mechanical linkages in the front of the engine. Same with the ST1300. Most ST riders love their Jetson space car engine... or Singer sewing machine engine depending who you talk to, and some have enjoyed that sound for 12 years on their bikes. I've had ST riders tell me the CTX1300 engine keeps most of the distinctive whine of theirs but yet it is different. I think it has a deeper growl to it.

 

[sleepngbear]

Mine has the whine as well, most noticeable at low RPMs. It seems much louder at idle when the engine is cold, but once it heats up, the whine isn't quite as loud. I really don't notice it too much once I get moving. I'm only a little over 200 miles right now. Question to the fortunate folks who have more saddle time on the CTX 1300 than I have: How much of the whine is would you say is due to design, and how much is due to my engine not yet broken in?

My totally unscientific, pulled-straight-out-of-my-arse speculation: about 65% design, 35% break-in. It (thankfully) never goes away. Definitely one of this bike's endearing qualities.

 

[columbo]

Has anyone attempted to adjust the balance shafts?? Did it make any difference in the sounds?



https://motorcycleinfo.calsci.com/ST1300_b.html#Engine

 

[Gary9648]

Why would you try to adjust something the Honda engineers probably spent countless hours and a lot of yen making this engine run as smooth as it is. Also it would probably cause the engine to run rougher and could cause engine damage. Leave well enough alone is my advice. I try not to re- engineer my machines. I do however take very good care of them.
After reading the above link I see that you would do this if the engine was disassembled for some major work, but with 8,000 miles on my CTX I would not even think about doing this. I’d think the people at the factory that made the engine would be a lot better at this than me so I again would leave well enough alone. My engine is as smooth as silk and does sound just like my friends ST1300 that has 57,000 miles on the clock and runs like a Swiss watch. My exhaust note is much more bass and a little louder than his. More of a low growl. His ST does indeed sound like a jetson mobile on steroids. He also has an CTX as well.