High pitched transmission howl

10282 Views 10 Replies 5 Participants Last post by FASTEDDY438, Nov 9, 2019

Ezgoin

Discussion Starter · Sep 30, 2019

So I put the first 125 miles on my new Talon X this weekend. The riding was mostly tight trails and rough slow speed exposed rock roads (I’ll make a separate post about my overall impressions a little later). To get to the trails, there was typically 10-12 miles of twisty gravel roads allowing for some higher speed driving. The Talon was great fun on these roads, except for the ridiculously loud high pitched howl from the trans/gear box! It was uncomfortably loud at anything over 30 mph or so. I was running in High range and it was almost unbearable in either acceleration or deceleration, as well as most of the time at a steady cruise. It was so loud my wife let go of the grab bar to plug yer ears. Is this normal? I have a hard time believing Honda Put out a machine with a drivetrain that makes that kind of noise! I checked all the fluids and all looked fine. The howl is present at lower speeds/rpm also, but not nearly as bad as at higher speeds.
Anyone else experience this? I’ve read and watched all the reviews where they talk about how quiet the Talon is when compared to other brand SXS!

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DRKnight

· #2 · Oct 3, 2019

Yes they are very noisy. When you watch the videos on them you hear it in the back ground..

I have the Rugged VHF radio and intercom installed in mine with the headsets. I wear them all the time and it drowns out all the noise and makes it more enjoyable.
If you did not want or need the VHF radio or intercom system. You could just use the noise concealing head sets or wear some good ear plugs.
I agree I think Honda could have done a much better job addressing that issue...DRK

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Ezgoin

Discussion Starter · #3 · Oct 3, 2019

I checked the sub-trans oil level and found the level not registering on the dip stick. Others have said they found the same situation when their transmissions were screaming. Most say once they topped off the sub-trans oil levels the noise disappeared. Unfortunately after filling mine to the appropriate level the screeching transmission noise is still present. Maybe I did enough damage in the 100 miles I drove it while low in oil that it’s going to scream until it fails...who knows! Guess I’ll just drive the wheels off it.... with ear plugs in, and see how it goes.

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Ezgoin

Discussion Starter · #4 · Oct 6, 2019

Ezgoin said:
I checked the sub-trans oil level and found the level not registering on the dip stick. Others have said they found the same situation when their transmissions were screaming. Most say once they topped off the sub-trans oil levels the noise disappeared. Unfortunately after filling mine to the appropriate level the screeching transmission noise is still present. Maybe I did enough damage in the 100 miles I drove it while low in oil that it’s going to scream until it fails...who knows! Guess I’ll just drive the wheels off it.... with ear plugs in, and see how it goes.

Added the oil to the sub-tans to bring it up to the Full level and the trans still howls! Either damage has been done, or it's just the way Honda designed these transmissions. I'm hard pressed to think the Goldwing or Africa Twin that share this transmission have this obnoxious non-stop screeching howl! Has me contemplating getting rid of the Talon and going with a new RZR XP 1000, or a Pro XP. I did run over the weekend with good ear plugs and it made a huge difference, but then mama and I can hardly communicate... as if it wasn't bad enough just trying to talk over the transmission noise.

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DRKnight

· #5 · Oct 7, 2019

Ezgoin said:
Added the oil to the sub-tans to bring it up to the Full level and the trans still howls! Either damage has been done, or it's just the way Honda designed these transmissions. I'm hard pressed to think the Goldwing or Africa Twin that share this transmission have this obnoxious non-stop screeching howl! Has me contemplating getting rid of the Talon and going with a new RZR XP 1000, or a Pro XP. I did run over the weekend with good ear plugs and it made a huge difference, but then mama and I can hardly communicate... as if it wasn't bad enough just trying to talk over the transmission noise.

I hear what you are saying and completely agree, But dam I like the DC transmission.
I suggest you get the Rugged radio intercom system. You can talk back and forth in a normal tone and do not have to push a button like on a hand set to talk.
A good set is not cheap, but it more than pays for it' self in a more quiet ride, and you will not be hoarse from yelling at the end of the day. https://www.ruggedradios.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=4_571_1117&products_id=1574

This the set that I use. But I also have the VHF radio for car to car communications.

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Ezgoin

Discussion Starter · #6 · Oct 7, 2019

DRKnight said:
I hear what you are saying and completely agree, But dam I like the DC transmission.
I suggest you get the Rugged radio intercom system. You can talk back and forth in a normal tone and do not have to push a button like on a hand set to talk.
A good set is not cheap, but it more than pays for it' self in a more quiet ride, and you will not be hoarse from yelling at the end of the day. https://www.ruggedradios.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=4_571_1117&products_id=1574

This the set that I use. But I also have the VHF radio for car to car communications.

Which VHF radio do you use?

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mikegriffin84

· #7 · Oct 7, 2019

Ezgoin said:
Added the oil to the sub-tans to bring it up to the Full level and the trans still howls! Either damage has been done, or it's just the way Honda designed these transmissions. I'm hard pressed to think the Goldwing or Africa Twin that share this transmission have this obnoxious non-stop screeching howl! Has me contemplating getting rid of the Talon and going with a new RZR XP 1000, or a Pro XP. I did run over the weekend with good earplugs and it made a huge difference, but then mama and I can hardly communicate... as if it wasn't bad enough just trying to talk over the transmission noise.

I ride with my one-year-old daughter and wife and we carry on conversations without issue. It is a moderately noisy machine but nothing we have ever considered a problem and we have not had trouble talking while going down the trails at sane speeds.

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nm6r

· #8 · Oct 12, 2019

I have just over $450 into my entire intercom and 2-way radio including headsets.
TYT TH-8600 - VHF/UHF 2-way radio - $109
FlightCom 403mc - aviation intercom - $149
Rugged Air RA-200 headsets (2) - $166/pair
Antenna, cable, bracket - $37

About $300 for just intercom without 2-way radio communications.

Auto part Audio equipment Technology Electronic device Wheel

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Ezgoin

Discussion Starter · #9 · Oct 12, 2019

Nice! Thanks for the info! That’s a sweet setup and reasonably priced! All works good?

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nm6r

· #10 · Oct 12, 2019

Ezgoin said:
Nice! Thanks for the info! That’s a sweet setup and reasonably priced! All works good?

It works great.

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FASTEDDY438

· #11 · Nov 9, 2019

Ezgoin said:
Added the oil to the sub-tans to bring it up to the Full level and the trans still howls! Either damage has been done, or it's just the way Honda designed these transmissions. I'm hard pressed to think the Goldwing or Africa Twin that share this transmission have this obnoxious non-stop screeching howl! Has me contemplating getting rid of the Talon and going with a new RZR XP 1000, or a Pro XP. I did run over the weekend with good ear plugs and it made a huge difference, but then mama and I can hardly communicate... as if it wasn't bad enough just trying to talk over the transmission noise.

I put 27 miles on my one and only ride so far, over a week ago. I stopped back into the dealership and asked about the sub-trans oil level low being an issue. They said hadn't heard of it before so I checked mine and it didn't register on the stick. I'm going back in there in the morning to see what the service mgr says about it. I have some time next week to put on some aftermarket stuff and get another ride in. I'll let you know what the service mgr says, but I'm not a happy camper right now. I will say I noticed the sound but I wasn't alarmed by it, and was running at higher speeds than you talk about. I also let it warm up on the trailer for 10 min, while I got dressed for the blizzard I was about to ride into.

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