KZ1000 \"Growling noise\"

I've got an '82 KZ1000 LTD and it's got less than 10k miles on it. It's stock and runs well.

When I bought it from the PO last year, I heard a real slight growl, growl, growl noise when slowing down, and I thought it was a tight spot in the chain. It is coming from either the chain, tranny or rear wheel.

I rode her to work today and it is quite a bit noisier. When I start from a traffic light it sounds like something mechanical is grabbing and slipping as I accellerate slowly through first gear, between 2-5k rpm. It's there also when I upshift into 2nd and 3rd, but I can't hear it over the wind in 4th or 5th.

The chain is adjusted correctly, engine oil is fresh, and to my knowledge the countershaft sprocket is good.

I will take her home after work and put her on the centerstand and pull the sprocket cover...

Any ideas what could be wrong?

I have a guess...

Rear wheel bearings.

With the bike on the stand with the engine freely accelerating between 2-5K RPM does it make the noise?

With the bike on the road, the clutch pulled in, traveling at low speeds (5-25mph), does it still make the noise?


How did you adjust the chain, with the tick marks or by making sure the tire is straight? I had a similar noise when I adjusted the chain according to the tick marks, so then I tried to do it just with my eye and I got the noise to go away. I think my rear alignment might be especially bad because my bike has been down several times.

I have a guess...

Rear wheel bearings.

With the bike on the stand with the engine freely accelerating between 2-5K RPM does it make the noise?

With the bike on the road, the clutch pulled in, traveling at low speeds (5-25mph), does it still make the noise?


How did you adjust the chain, with the tick marks or by making sure the tire is straight? I had a similar noise when I adjusted the chain according to the tick marks, so then I tried to do it just with my eye and I got the noise to go away. I think my rear alignment might be especially bad because my bike has been down several times.

When I pull in the clutch and coast it does not make the noise....I put it on the centerstand and the back wheel does not wiggle at all.

I did check the rear sprocket and it's really worn.. funny I don't remember it being this bad a few months ago. If the back one is shot I imagine the front one is also in rough shape and maybe that's what I'm hearing... the chain riding up on those sprocket teeth.

I tweaked the carbs the day before I heard the noise. I had the needles shimmed up too much and now it makes a he!! of a lot more power so maybe it was enough to make a bad condition noticeable.

Could be. let us know if a new chain+ sprockets fixes the problem.


Can you tell if a bearing is going bad by wiggling the back wheel? I would think it would have to be really bad to be able to tell anything is wrong with it using that method but I'm not sure.

I thought you had to remove the brake+chain and spin the wheel in a quiet place checking for noise.

But if that is a valid way to check them I'd much rather do it that way.

Peter

To align the rear wheel and adjust the chain I was taught to use a tape measure and measure from the center of the swingarm bolt to the center of the rear axle bolt on both sides.... Much more acurate than the marks on the swingarm... Even on the new sportbikes.