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Makes And Models => Zero Motorcycles Forum | 2013+ => Topic started by: dukecola on August 23, 2018, 02:11:14 AM

Title: Wheel bearing failure symptoms?
Post by: dukecola on August 23, 2018, 02:11:14 AM

On the Zero, is this a pending Wheel bearing failure?  I hear a different sound when bike is leaned? When I'm riding straight bike sounds normal, when I lean either way, a different hum appears then goes away when I'm back upright.  I checked the wheel, no play in it at all.  Could it be the new tires? They have 2000 miles on them. My stock tires didn't make a different sound when leaning. Anything else i should look at? Thanks

Title: Re: Wheel bearing failure symptoms?
Post by: skoleskibe on August 23, 2018, 02:14:59 AM

This is probably (might be) heel toe on your tires, meaning that the tire tread is worn uneven, and leads to tire humming when leaning.


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Title: Re: Wheel bearing failure symptoms?
Post by: BrianTRice@gmail.com on August 23, 2018, 03:03:05 AM

I'll take this opportunity to plug a new troubleshooting triage system I'm attempting with the manual:

At the top, a Symptom category tree: https://zeromanual.com/wiki/Category:Symptom
With sounds: https://zeromanual.com/wiki/Category:Sound
And wheel sounds in particular: https://zeromanual.com/wiki/Category:Wheel_Sound

I'd like to revise this based on what is learned here.

Title: Re: Wheel bearing failure symptoms?
Post by: togo on August 23, 2018, 03:43:42 AM

Are you running knobbies?

Title: Re: Wheel bearing failure symptoms?
Post by: dukecola on August 23, 2018, 03:50:05 AM

Thanks guys.  Nice plug brian, I'll check it out.  Not running knobbies.  The tires do not look worn at all, unlike the stock tires where the cupping was obvious. But they never changed sound.  I've had this sound for last 100o miles, at first I thought it was just because I changed to a different model tire.

Title: Re: Wheel bearing failure symptoms?
Post by: Richard230 on August 23, 2018, 04:01:38 AM

I hear the same sort of thing when cornering next to a concrete center-lane barrier. I think the sound may be a reflection of noise from the barrier. 

Wheel bearings tend to make a low rumbling noise that can't be heard over wind noise. Also, sometimes your windscreen or helmet configuration might make a high pitched whistle noise.

The best way to check for failing wheel bearings is to pull your wheel and turn the bearing with your fingers, feeling for any roughness.  You can also try putting your wheels on a wheel stand so that they are off the ground and turn them by hand while placing the end of a mechanic's stethoscope against the wheel hub and listen for a clicking or rumbling noise.

Title: Re: Wheel bearing failure symptoms?
Post by: domingo3 on August 23, 2018, 04:02:08 AM

As always, I appreciate the continued contributions from Mr. Trice :) 

  I'd suggest to at least consider the possibility that nothing is amiss. I noticed something similar on my 2016 FXS - slightly more noise when leaned over to either side. At first, I suspected something may have been wrong, but then I thought that with the Zero being so quiet, I could simply hear so much more. While I certainly could have come to the wrong conclusion, I figured that a reasonable explanation was that I was hearing more noise from the tread pattern when leaned over since it is deeper; I do a lot of straight line riding and the center tread wore more quickly.   The issue never progressed. I traded my bike in after only about 9K miles, so can neither confirm nor deny if there was a problem or not.