"09" 1700 Nomad, Nothing should sound this bad!

[deathwalker]

I picked up my new 09 1700 last Saturday and my heart was filled with joy. Now 150 miles later I am almost embarrassed to even be seen on it, or should I say heard on it. I has an ungodly screaming whine to it, mostly when decelerating. It's worse decelerating when down shifting(even at low and moderately low speeds). Not quite as bad if you decelerate with the clutch disengaged just free wheeling but still very noticeable. To go along with this is a positive hard clunk when change gears regardless of if you quick shift or do a slow shift. I am going back to the dealer on Saturday to have them take a look at it, but I fear that I am on going to the the casual "it ain't broken in good yet" story. This is disappointing, I traded a perfectly good 2008 Vulcan 1600 classic.

[motley]

I'd put a little money on a too tight belt and I suspect that factory specs on it still give ya' "too tight." It doesn't have to be backed off much tho'.
And the sound effect from it is enough to make you shut her down and push her past any bikers standing around.
The shifting clunk? OK, I just looked that up in the manual and it says "they all do that." Mine too.

[coachrgraves]

[quote=deathwalker;1645134]I picked up my new 09 1700 last Saturday and my heart was filled with joy. Now 150 miles later I am almost embarrassed to even be seen on it, or should I say heard on it. I has an ungodly screaming whine to it, mostly when decelerating. It's worse decelerating when down shifting(even at low and moderately low speeds). Not quite as bad if you decelerate with the clutch disengaged just free wheeling but still very noticeable. To go along with this is a positive hard clunk when change gears regardless of if you quick shift or do a slow shift. I am going back to the dealer on Saturday to have them take a look at it, but I fear that I am on going to the the casual "it ain't broken in good yet" story. This is disappointing, I traded a perfectly good 2008 Vulcan 1600 classic.
__________________________________________________ ______________Hello deathwalker,
Welcome to the forum, I have the 2T 1700 nomad, just about 2,000 miles today. Hate to say this but, "it ain't broke in good yet"!! I had all of the pre-break-in symptoms you have mentioned and they didn't get better until I changed to the synthetic Amsoil at 500 mile mark. Pipes, shift "clunk"and belt whine is all better now.

Many here with the 1700 have loosened the belt, I have left mine to factory specs and it still has some whine mostly on deceleration, dealer tech told me today it would continue to get better the more I ride it. Shift problem is only noticeable between 1st and 2nd, I figure i'll have to live with it. As far as the sound of the pipes, that too will change. They will never be as loud as aftermarket, but will develop a deeper sound. Did you have aftermarket pipes on the 1600?

Need some pictures!!!!!!!!!! Congrats, on the new bike.............

[coachrgraves]

Motley,

How many miles you have on your 1700? Still have shift "clunk" in all gears?

[motley]

Hey coach, yeah, still have the clunk, but all the gears? Hmmmm, I don't really notice it anymore so I couldn't tell ya'. Tomorrow I'll try and pay attention when I run through the gears and post my thoughts here. Every HD I ever had clunked to one degree or another, sitting at a light and dropping them in first sounded like somebody just fired a 12 gauge at me so I've lost my sensitivity to that sound long ago. My Vic clunks into first too. Miles? Over 3000. I really doubt that belt stretches much if any, but I've gotta' pay sharp attention now to pick up a whisper from it. Had it loosened a hair from the git go and its not a problem now.
I am a little puzzled by Kawasaki techs saying that "it just needs breaking in" when they have so little experience with 1700 Nomads, let alone any "broken in " , whatever amount of miles they've decided constitutes a "broken in" belt. Kawasaki said "this is a brand new design/material belt" so I've gotta' question that statement.
I guess I'll never get over my dealer telling me that my original complaint about belt noise was wrong because the 1700 was shaft drive.

[TejasDevil]

Man, I'm really struggling reading this. I've got my heart seat on a Voyager or maybe 1700LT. But the thing is, my 900LT has the smoothest shifting ever, it's like shifting through butter, smooth as silk. Rode a 2008 Nomad and noticed the relative clunkiness of the shifting compared to the 900LT, I was told it's the hydraulic shifting.

There's lots of reasons I want an upgrade to a 1700: power, smoothness at higher speed, more stability, cruise control, overall better for longer rides. But is all that worth putting up with clunkiness every time I shift? Probably, but not all that sure. The test-ride at this year's Houston moto show will be the final validation for me.

[coachrgraves]

I think "wear in" is the words the tech used when I asked him about the belt. I asked if the whine noise would go away if the belt was loosened, and he told me he could do that, but kawasaki recommends the belt at those specs b/c of the way the teeth in the pulley's match up, and that new belts would take a while to wear in with the pulleys, after a time the whine would be improved.

Anyway, my nomad has improved greatly the past 1,000 miles or so. Don't mind the "Clunk" from 1st to 2nd. I do find it harder to hit neutral sometimes.

[coachrgraves]

There's lots of reasons I want an upgrade to a 1700: power, smoothness at higher speed, more stability, cruise control, overall better for longer rides. But is all that worth putting up with clunkiness every time I shift? Probably, but not all that sure. The test-ride at this year's Houston moto show will be the final validation for me.
__________________________________________________ ______________Tejasdevil,

you should not think that the 1700 isn't smooth. It's just that compared to the 900 classic I had 1st and 2nd gear engage with a "thud" sound. I have no problem shifting through gears and the power is unreal. I seldom use 6th gear, unless your driving over 60 mph you don't need it. The thing cruises (Put/Put) at 75 mph. I don't know how many times with the 900 I found my self looking for a higher gear.

The tech which looked at my bike today test rode it, when he got off he came in the dealership and looked me up, he explained about the belt and told me he had rode many bikes (he owns a harley) and in his opinion, the 1700 was the nicest he'd been on. I remember thinking the same thing when I got off my test ride!

[motley]

Originally Posted by TejasDevil

There's lots of reasons I want an upgrade to a 1700: power, smoothness at higher speed, more stability, cruise control, overall better for longer rides.

And thats what you get! You won't regret the upgrade.

[coachrgraves]

Motley,

Not to change the thread, but how's the weather down there? Can you ride during the day, w/o sun stroke?

[deathwalker]

I think it only fair to add to my original post..That this bike rides like a dream, 75 mph on cruise control, simply awesome.

[deathwalker]

Originally Posted by coachrgraves

Motley,

Not to change the thread, but how's the weather down there? Can you ride during the day, w/o sun stroke?

I can tell ya what it's like in San Antonio..hot, hot hot, 103 today. Simply miserable, actually too hot to ride.

[coachrgraves]

yea,
I'm not far from you, Northeast oklahoma, yesterday at my house, 102.8 in the shade!!!!!!!!!!!

Ride early, or ride late............................. Hope for a break, low 90's even sound good!!!!!!!

[motley]

Arrrggghhh, riding in the heat. It brings you back to reality tho,forget the GPS, the light bar,extra chrome, (ooooohhh, did someone say extra chrome?) the only add on worthwhile becomes your cup holder.
Drink up, chug a lug that water, think about 72 degrees in January and February and stop often. (all that water dontcha' know)
I'm outta' here soon, gonna' listen to my gear changes and then report back in.

[Centex Nomad]

Originally Posted by motley

Arrrggghhh, riding in the heat. It brings you back to reality tho,forget the GPS, the light bar,extra chrome, (ooooohhh, did someone say extra chrome?) the only add on worthwhile becomes your cup holder.
Drink up, chug a lug that water, think about 72 degrees in January and February and stop often. (all that water dontcha' know)
I'm outta' here soon, gonna' listen to my gear changes and then report back in.

**Weather is the same 120 miles north of you in Central Texas - to deal with the heat I carry a gallon jug of icewater or tea in an insulated thermos like thing I found at Walmart for a few bucks. I take an occasional smoke break under shade when I can find it, and just grab a cool drink while I set and cool off. The humidity is the kicker - I was in Iraq a year and I didn't sweat this bad!

[motley]

Nice lookin' Nomad Centex. And by the way, haven't set it up on my Nomad yet but I did the same thing with the cooler/water thing on my Wing. A cheap Walmart cooler, filled with ice, etc. Used to leave a little trail of water dribbling out of my saddle bag where ever I stopped. I'd tell people who mentioned it that it was from the air conditioner. Some believed me!

Back to Nomad noises. Paid attention to my shifting clunks riding yesterday and I still can't get excited about it, every bike I've ever ridden had shifting noises. This one clunks going into first and then to second but they're not alarming. Or uncommon. They sure aren't a deal breaker for me. If the Good Fairy appeared (looked a lot like Barney Frank) and said "I'll give you one wish on your Nomad" I'd say,"Barny, I'd like an after market shield of some sort to block the heat on my lily white inner right thigh, no hurry, I can solve it to a great degree by just spreading my legs a little and its the only complaint I have." Well, little Barney, after asking me for a demo of the leg spreading technique, (don't know why) flew off in a cloud of fairy dust (talcum powder I think) and promised to look into it.
So I'm happy.

[coachrgraves]

Motley,

I think my nomad is getting smoother every time I ride it. I was on the hi-way yesterday (65 speed limit), I was third back and the front car slowed and stopped to make a right turn. The car in front of me was kinda slow to get back to speed so I decided to pass. We were traveling about 55 - 60 mph and I was in 5th gear, pulled to pass and the lady speeds up so now were nearly traveling the same speed, kinda made me mad, anyway were probably running 65 or better now. Pull the clutch shift into 6, pop the clutch and the wife and I accelerate (sling shot) around her. She is rapidly getting smaller in the mirror and I'm feeling great till the wife says "sloooooooow doooooooown!!!!!!!!!! I realize then were approaching 90 and smooth as silk, I really love this bike....................

[cruiserV]

I ride an 08 Nomad. I had all the same symptoms when it was new. Whiny tranny, a bit clunky going into gear, etc. I switched to synthetic oil at 200 mi., and it hasn't whimpered a bit since (now at 14,300 mi). Also, I rode a 09 Voyager yesterday, and all I can say is wow! What a machine!. Although the shifting was a bit noisy, I think syn oil will stop a lot of that, but it is brand new. I was impressed...I think this will be my next bike...

[deathwalker]

Originally Posted by motley

Hey coach, yeah, still have the clunk, but all the gears? Hmmmm, I don't really notice it anymore so I couldn't tell ya'. Tomorrow I'll try and pay attention when I run through the gears and post my thoughts here. Every HD I ever had clunked to one degree or another, sitting at a light and dropping them in first sounded like somebody just fired a 12 gauge at me so I've lost my sensitivity to that sound long ago. My Vic clunks into first too. Miles? Over 3000. I really doubt that belt stretches much if any, but I've gotta' pay sharp attention now to pick up a whisper from it. Had it loosened a hair from the git go and its not a problem now.
I am a little puzzled by Kawasaki techs saying that "it just needs breaking in" when they have so little experience with 1700 Nomads, let alone any "broken in " , whatever amount of miles they've decided constitutes a "broken in" belt. Kawasaki said "this is a brand new design/material belt" so I've gotta' question that statement.
I guess I'll never get over my dealer telling me that my original complaint about belt noise was wrong because the 1700 was shaft drive.

Motely,

When you loosened your belt tension, did you do it yourself or did you take it to the dealer and have them do it? I really want to get to the root of this noise issue and based upon what I am seeing in this post the belt tension could very well be the culprit. I am a bit nervous about taking the mechanics word for all of this at the dealership since they really do not have any experience with this new drive and belt assembly. If you loosened the belt yourself, what would you consider easing off the tension on the adjusters to be? I have looked at the IPB of the adjuster assembly and it does not look that complicated just 2 nuts to adjust and lock down, providing I can get to the with the bike on its stand in my driveway.

[DrNo]

Mine whined too and I feel your pain. Mine would whine like a ?!@$#@$! at 47km. My dealer said the Kawi spec is 3-5mm and set mine to 8mm. No more whine at all and they are confident that the tension is still very much inline. Also the rear wheel had a small missalignment. I was, as you, embarrased to "cruise" but now it is sweet sweet sweet. Trans is a loud one to shift. I find that when I shift if I only pull in the clutch enough to relax it, the shift noise of more of a click than a clunk. The worst is the 1-2 shift. But, the bike will start out in 4th gear lol as I found out yesterday.........ooops and I didnt even have to fan the clutch that much.