final drive question

[d0n]

When I'm starting out on the 83 V I notice if I'm not real smooth with the clutch and the gas, I hear and feel a brief grind noise from the rear hub area. It only happens taking off in 1st gear. If I'm completely smooth with letting the clutch out at the perfect engine speed I don't hear or feel the grind.

I'd like to try to wheelie the bike and/or take off quick in 1st gear but I'm afraid it'll do damage to the final drive. Am I being overly cautious? Or can I just launch hard and forget about that sound from the hub?

I know on a chain drive bike there are rubber cushions in the hub to help eliminate this. What's in the visions hub that would protect the drivetrain from hard launches?

Or is it all just gears to gears that have no give in them at all?

[dminor]

Don,
  You should not hear any thing from the rearend,unless some thing is not on right. If you suspect the rear gear going, just drain the oil and look at it. It should not look like metal flake. My experience with a Yamaha rear end failure was due to water getting in and diluting the gear oil. Pressure washing will do that.( It wasn't on my bike).
   I have owned and driven, shaft drive ,Yamaha's since 1982. 1200cc,920cc, and 550cc. They are all basicly the same set up.Never had a rear end fail, how ever I have blown more than 20 motors, trashed gears (mostly 2nd and 3rd), and waisted more clutches than I care to remember.
   Another note, the Vision will hang the front wheel on a fast launch. I wouldn' recommend trying to ride a wheelie on a shaft driven bike, the torque is applied directly to the rear axle, not to the chain ,as one a chain driven bike. This torque from the drive shaft make the bike too unstable for wheelies, but it is fun to use to get in and out of corners.
Don
   ;)

[d0n]

Interesting... I recently changed the gear oil in the rear end and didn't notice any metal in the old oil but didn't look at the gears.

I guess I'll just beat on her for a bit and see what happnes.

[Night Vision]

dOn, you've gone from fixing to the bike up to...
drag racing hemi's to...
mission impossible stunts..... wazzup up wid dat?
beatin up on a 25 year old is illegal in NY  >:(

;)

[dminor]

Forgot to mention . If you do try to do a wheelie, the shock will compress on your way up( until a certain point) then it will rapidly expand. The early 80's mono shocks all had this problem, it works like an ejection seat.
  Ride safe and keep the front wheel down on the ground.
Don;D

[Lucky]

the drain plug in the rear end (that just sounds wrong) has a magnet on it, it's there for a reason, so examine it closely.  fine particals are fine, spalling slivers are not.

Tip:

This plug also fits the oil drain plug, so if you can get your hands on a spare, use one there too, or perhaps a magnet in the filter housing...

--Lucky

[QBS]

You could be hearing the spring loaded drive shaft shock absorber.  It makes a clunk sound on hard accelleration.  That sound is normal.  Grinding sounds are not normal.  Pull your rear wheel and check the condition of the drive spline connection.  It should be well greased.

[d0n]

it's a clunk / grind noise. Maybe it's normal. I've never owned a shaft drive bike... cept for my 87 big red trike.

I had the rear wheel off when I changed the tires. I did lube the splines.

I'm probably being overy cautious.

I do like to wheelie and launch hard sometimes. Not always but sometimes.