I bought my F3 at the end of January and have been slowly trying to update the normal parts before going crazy on other things. I started by changing the oil (Amsoil), Plugs, Air Filter (K&N) and most recently the tires. After replacing the front and back tires (Shinkos) with the Bridgestone Battlax BT-021's I have noticed a roaring noise coming from the front tire. I have checked for the correct tire rotation (Good) and all of the brakes and such! Nothing seems wrong, the tires ride great but I was just wondering if this increase in road noise with these tires are normal? When installing the new rubber before lowering it back onto the ground I spun the wheels by hand and they rotated very freely and made no noises, so I have ran out of answers. I just want to make sure nothing is wrong somewhere. Thanks for the help!

 

How bad is the noise?
Is it subtle?
Loud?
Any vibrations though the handlebars?

I wouldnt think the tires would cause any noise issues, as those are more of a touring tire, and should be very quiet. I would re-inspect to make sure you got everything back together correctly. Make sure you put the correct spacers back in, they are different from left to right on most bikes. Make sure you didn't over torque the bolts. Certain road conditions, such as rough chip and tar roads, can create some odd howling noises from the tires, but you should notice the noise disappears once your back on a smooth road.

My first thought would be a wheel bearing. With the bike elevated, you won't hear anything, but with a load on it, the bearing will make noise as its on its way out. It could have been just a coincidence that you noticed it after the tire change.

If you have the ability, lift the front of the bike again, with the wheel off the ground, try to tilt it side to side. If it moves at all, your wheel bearings are probably shot. Even if it doesn't move, they could still be bad. The bearings are spaced so far apart, its very hard to get the wheel to move if they are bad. You may have to remove the wheel again, and inspect them by hand. You should be able to spin the bearing by hand and feel if it catches at all while your spinning it.

All this is just a guess though. Without actually hearing the noise, it would be very difficult to suggest an accurate diagnosis.

 

Well I haven't had a chance to look at it yet but I will try to when I get home! Do u think it would hurt to go ahead and change them it has 34000 miles on it? If not where is the best place to get them? Thanks for the great info!