I lately noticed an intermittent buzzing noise that sounds like it’s coming from under the seat near the rear of my 2014 Spyder RT (17,000 miles) when it is in 1st gear at idle at stoplights, etc. The noise disappears when I engage the park brake or put the machine in neutral and returns when I take the parking brake off put it back in gear? Nothing else appears affected. I’m not sure if the noise exists after I’m off and running because I couldn’t hear it over the engine. I can only hear it at idle. It sounds like an angry bee in a jar when it happens? Any ideas on what it might be?
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2014 RT with intermittent buzzing noise - any ideas on what it might be?
- Thread starter Flying V
- Start date
Snowbelt Spyder
Well-known member
So, let’s try this. Go back out to the machine to start it. BUT FIRST, flip the kill switch to STOP. Then, turn on the key, acknowledge the safety card screen with the MODE button. Do everything to get ready to start it. Then flip the kill switch to RUN. If you hear the same noise for about the next 3 seconds, it’s your fuel pump.
If not, then the component that operates based on being in gear or not, is your air pump for the rear suspension air bag. Thinking about it more, I think it’s more likely that.
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I went through the steps with the kill switch, and I got the same whistling type noise that I was even told at the dealer is the fuel pump. That’s not the buzz noise I was hearing.. I had the compressor replaced not long ago so as someone posted on here I wonder if there’s some issue there and it could be the compressor or something install installed incorrectly?
Does it happen ALL the time you're stopped at idle & in gear with the Park Brake off? Or just intermittently if/when you're stopped like that in gear with the Park Brake off?? 
If it's the latter, then it REALLY sounds like it's just the normal operation of the air compressor for the air bag doing its thing, and it'll probably make a noise every time you move enough to change the height of the suspension &/or bounce on the seat. The compressor won't operate until you start the engine running, release the Park Brake, and put it in gear... but then it will adjust the air pressure in the bag in response to any change in the ride height, possibly even a change as small as you shifting on the seat, &/or just coming to a stop and the bike settling at idle. This is normal, and not an issue. There are ways of testing for correct air compressor &/or air bag operation already discussed here on the Forum at length, which should be readily found if you search 'Air Compressor' most likely with the 'Search titles only' box checked, and I've added a link to one thread down a bit, so I won't go into it any further, but if it's your air compressor work occasionally and not continuously, then you're good to go! Here's that link (look at post #7, I think):
https://www.spyderlovers.com/threads/how-do-you-tell-the-rear-air-compressor-is-working.155418/
However, if your 'noise' is happening ALL the time, ie, the first thing I mentioned in the first para above, then it's probably not the compressor, at least not unless the air bag or air lines are leaking &/or the height sensor isn't linked or is set incorrectly. For more on that possibility, search on 'ACS' or 'Air Bag', 'Air Compressor' in thread titles and look for titles mentioning/suggesting the thread might be discussing the Air Compressor operating all the time, but since you tell us you've already had the air compressor replaced, I'd hope that whoever did that checked that the ACS was working correctly then and that it's not that again!?!
That's not to say that it couldn't possibly be that, but more sorta hoping for you that it's not! 
So if it's not that, then maybe this is a bit out of left field here, but could it possibly be a leaky exhaust??
To check for this, can you get someone to sit on it with their foot on the brake while it's idling? If you can, then get them sitting there with the RT running, just like you would at a stop light when you can hear this noise; then you get down on the ground and both listen carefully and pass your hand close to but without touching around/near all of the exhaust pipe alongside & under the RT, feeling for the blow-by caused by any leaks. It's probably best to do this just after starting it and before you ride to far, just to minimise the chances of burning yourself - or maybe YOU should sit on the bike & get your helper to check for leaks?!
Like I said, the exhaust leak thing is a bit out of left field, but if it's not the air compressor doing its normal thing (and I'm sorta inclined to think it is...) then there's not really all that much else it can be without starting to look at the clutch, transmission, &/or engine. I do hope, for your sake, that it's not one if them...
Good Luck!
If it's the latter, then it REALLY sounds like it's just the normal operation of the air compressor for the air bag doing its thing, and it'll probably make a noise every time you move enough to change the height of the suspension &/or bounce on the seat. The compressor won't operate until you start the engine running, release the Park Brake, and put it in gear... but then it will adjust the air pressure in the bag in response to any change in the ride height, possibly even a change as small as you shifting on the seat, &/or just coming to a stop and the bike settling at idle. This is normal, and not an issue. There are ways of testing for correct air compressor &/or air bag operation already discussed here on the Forum at length, which should be readily found if you search 'Air Compressor' most likely with the 'Search titles only' box checked, and I've added a link to one thread down a bit, so I won't go into it any further, but if it's your air compressor work occasionally and not continuously, then you're good to go! Here's that link (look at post #7, I think):
https://www.spyderlovers.com/threads/how-do-you-tell-the-rear-air-compressor-is-working.155418/
However, if your 'noise' is happening ALL the time, ie, the first thing I mentioned in the first para above, then it's probably not the compressor, at least not unless the air bag or air lines are leaking &/or the height sensor isn't linked or is set incorrectly. For more on that possibility, search on 'ACS' or 'Air Bag', 'Air Compressor' in thread titles and look for titles mentioning/suggesting the thread might be discussing the Air Compressor operating all the time, but since you tell us you've already had the air compressor replaced, I'd hope that whoever did that checked that the ACS was working correctly then and that it's not that again!?!
That's not to say that it couldn't possibly be that, but more sorta hoping for you that it's not! So if it's not that, then maybe this is a bit out of left field here, but could it possibly be a leaky exhaust??
To check for this, can you get someone to sit on it with their foot on the brake while it's idling? If you can, then get them sitting there with the RT running, just like you would at a stop light when you can hear this noise; then you get down on the ground and both listen carefully and pass your hand close to but without touching around/near all of the exhaust pipe alongside & under the RT, feeling for the blow-by caused by any leaks. It's probably best to do this just after starting it and before you ride to far, just to minimise the chances of burning yourself - or maybe YOU should sit on the bike & get your helper to check for leaks?!
Like I said, the exhaust leak thing is a bit out of left field, but if it's not the air compressor doing its normal thing (and I'm sorta inclined to think it is...) then there's not really all that much else it can be without starting to look at the clutch, transmission, &/or engine. I do hope, for your sake, that it's not one if them...
Good Luck!
Mikey
Well-known member
Have someone get on the bike with the side panels off and have them put it gear, maybe have a second person get on with them and see if you can get the pump to activate and see if it's the problem!
Snowbelt Spyder
Well-known member
With a 2014, Flying, do what Mikey says, but you can pump up and vent down the system with that Hard/Soft switch on your console. That will demand the air pump to run. In gear, parking brake off. If you still have the original air pump, they weren’t known to be quiet, nor known to last long.
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