Hey Hub, quick question for you, my ZX-6R has made a high pitched whine from day one, seems to be getting louder of late, used to drown out by about 70 mph in 6th but now I can hear it at freeway cruising speed. Does it in all gears under load, back off the gas and it goes away, sounds like a supercharger gear whine or a tea kettle whistle when you really get up into the higher rpms. Normal straight cut primary gear noise or incorrect gear backlash? Should I worry about it?

My first thought is worn engine sprocket. Does it have the rubber dampers like the 14 OEM output sprocket?

That day one action says the huge clutch outer gear off the basket that meshes in with the crank seems like the common kawi gear noise off the basket. Upon lift, the gears are not under load. Yep, normal clutch gear noise. Nothing to be concerned about.

1. Oil clean? Not much wear, right?
2. Noise was there first day, yes?
3. Low oil level? Getting noisier may not be, but you are more conscious of it? So low oil is a louder bellowing noise.
4. Pull the clutch in and it goes away some, yes? Normal.

* Last updated by: Hub on 12/6/2014 @ 7:37 PM *

Straight cut gears will get louder as they break into each other.

The small irregularities from manufacturing polish away leaving a full and square tooth engagement. This makes noise the same way an air raid siren does.

My Ninjees primary has gotten slightly more pronounced. To my delight.

You know shit is getting done when that whine is getting really happy.

http://www.kawasakipartsnation.com/oemparts/a/kaw/500b7860f8700223e4798b74/clutch

13095 has straight cuts so this is the old Z1 style whine if all the 6R's use the same gear angle.
13095 shows the back of the clutch outer. Note the 3 fat rivets, then the springs around the basket.

Here is the lift and load on those rivets, the ring gear load causes the holes to elongate, then moves the gap along as it lifts and loads, i.e., moves back and forth in the rivet slots of the basket housing and the rivet shafts are being eaten away too. That's one variable about the whine starting to sound louder.

On lift you don't hear it so much, but then something has to climb or arch on that slot kind of move. Did it eat something and we could look at 92046A and if the needles collapsed, this could walk the gears and they would whine under load, stop singing on lift.

It goes something like this. Wet your finger, rub the top of an empty wine glass rim with that finger and wait for the ring to sing. Notice how the father out the gears are, they sing more at their tips. Look at the gear walk or the push-away of the ring gear. That crank tooth is cast into the crankshaft so no way is that moving.

The gear is sure not about to move into the crank's teeth, correct? The singing or the whine is beginning to walk out?

Without going out to the bike and testing this myself:
1. I'm going to kill 2 birds by moving the clutch outer with the clutch lever pulled in and bungee corded to the grip.
2. I want to rock the basket thru the oil cap. I protect the threads, because if I slip while pushing on the clutch outer, my first move is to see if the needles are keeping that basket tight, so that is an up and down move. I may need to rest the flat screwdriver onto the threaded hole and lift with the blade of the screwdriver. I'm talking about a subtle lift, not snap a fork tang off the basket.
3. I now want to see if the rivets elongated and that is now a push forward and back to see if those rivets are tight and no basket walk. I'm trying to avoid removing the crankshaft cover and make sure the crank does not move doing this. I find these 2 angles to show integrity, nothing obvious, I may call it normal, unless you can video the sound and it makes noise when it stops or makes noise when it starts.

* Last updated by: Hub on 12/6/2014 @ 8:41 PM *

OK Hub, thanks, I'll try to get an audio clip of the whistle and post it, maybe my iPhone will record the high frequency?

Also, I'm due for an oil change, I'll see if that has any effect on the gear whine.

That clutch hub gear looks like it's straight cut, helical gears would mesh quieter but KHI was looking for efficiency on this little engine and straight cuts are always noisier.

* Last updated by: Kruz on 12/7/2014 @ 6:37 AM *

Also, I'm due for an oil change

You are welcome. Before you dump the oil, see where the level is? You can also run straight 50w racing oil and see if the noise quiets down?

You are welcome for my small contribution as well, Mr. Caruso.

I'm sure you suffered a keyboard malfunction after thanking Hub.

Kruz has a way of focussing in too much. LOL he did mention to me on the phone that hagrid spoke of the straight cut gears.

Oh, BTW if it ends up being sprocket whine, you can thank me later.

Lol!

I love fucking with Mr. Caruso. He's always so serious.

It's the shades.

* Last updated by: hagrid on 12/7/2014 @ 5:34 PM *

If you have a musician's ear (which I do) each ratio in the transmission has its own song as well.

my ZX-6R has made a high pitched whine from day one

Since day one the wheel sprockets were how worn out... Thank me later?

Funking keyboard functions!!! He's in between Carl Upmanns.

Upmann's?!

And I'm happy with Kuba Kubas and Swisher Sweet Perfectos.

Obviously I'm out of my depth.

Not meaning to leave you out Hagrid, Hub just went into such detail on the subject that I felt compelled to show my gratitude, your efforts and commentary are greatly appreciated as well! As for fine cigars, I have developed a taste of late for Shaq Diesels.

Shaq Diesel.

A rare breed, this off-centered handmade is the cigar equivalent of a thick, juicy porterhouse. Crafted with fillers from Nicaragua’s black fertile soil, Diesel’s geographical terroir is evident but its luscious PA Broadleaf wrapper brings an indescribably satisfying element that yields a layered, spicy-sweet, intense smoke.

* Last updated by: Kruz on 12/7/2014 @ 6:22 PM *

Booya!

That's right! It's the Stiller's broadleaf that made this stogie possible!

My apologies, David. We just had a stunning win over the Bengals and I'm still a little verklempt.

In all actuality, it's probably Amish (pronounced Ay-mish, not Ahh-mish) that grew the broadleaf.