How many of you 800 riders have taken the time to check your Damper's on the rear hub. Part number 92160-1697. Cost of these puppies is about $19.00 ea and you need four of them. So less than $100.00 for something your never pay attention to. For 2 summers I was plagued with a noise from the rear end and I could not find it, I changed the chain, not once but twice, I cleaned the chain a couple of times. Then one day I was talking to the local mechanic, and I was telling him about the noise, and I spent some time describing it. He then told me it was the damper in the rear hub.......ok so I decided to check it out. I was going to be taking the bike inside for the winter so what better time. I have added a couple of pictures.
You can see from the pictures that the movement was very small, it was hard to measure it, you could feel it with your hands on the hub. That small movement was impressive as I tried a test. If you have the rear wheel off then lean it over and if the hub falls out it is needing to have new dampers. Mine it slid out really easy. I bought the new damper's and I could not get the hub back on......it was really tight, so now I am hoping no more noise and now when I twist the throttle it should be instant response rather than a lag of oh time to go.....
I did a visual on mine when I did the tire last summer. everything looked like new (only like 11k on her at the time), even the chain and sprockets, though she is now 11 years old.