I recently purchased my first CBR - it's an '03 that had 7700 miles on it.
While out in Sturgis two weeks ago, a vibration started to show up and seems to be eminating from the top of the engine. The motor idles perfect with no noticeable ticking or knocking noises. However, when I rev it a high frequency vibration and noise is extremely noticeable. It's so bad that it travels throughout the entire bike, handle bars included.
If I were to try and explain it, it is almost like there is a quarter sitting on the top of the engine and making kind of a buzzing noise when it goes over about 2k rpm.
The bike now has about 8900 miles on it and runs fine otherwise.
Any ideas on what the culprit could be?

 

All bikes get a buzz at certain RPM, especially if you sitting on a certain speed (like on a highway) with faired bikes, its a sympathetic vibration that does seem to move through the entire bike, through the bars & even to the point of making your hands tingle after a decent ride, (on some bikes even your helmet visor gets involved) The noise (buzz) usually exits via the top of your fairing screen. If it's doing it at different RPM, & you think it's could be something loose, then its just a matter of sending yourself totally insane trying to track it down, usually just when you think you have found it, it pops up some place else. good luck

 

I've taken all of the fairing off and the noise/vibration is still present when I rev the bike on the kickstand in my garage.
I will keep checking all of the fasteners in search of the phantom issue.
It's driving me nuts.

 

Quite posibly it could be your Cam Chain Tensioner Lifter, also commonly referred to as CCT or CCTL. Do a search, as there are many topics posted on this subject. What's unusual about your symptoms however, is that the noise is present all the time. Usually a bad CCTL will be noticeable when the engine in under load and at higher RPM, like 5K and above. So it may well be that something else is wrong with your engine.
Just a suggestion...

 

Yup! I agree with him^

 

Ordered an APE CCT last night off of Ebay. Going to try that first. After a lot of reading on the subject, I'm betting (check that, HOPING) that's the culprit.
Fingers crossed.