After washing 50 miles of dirt/sand off the bike using low pressure water rinse, I let the bike sit after putting it back in the garage on stand. About 3-4 days later I get on and hear this singing, almost like wind whistle from somewhere up around the front wheel or brake. By that time I'd gone a few miles, so I stop and feel around each side of the wheels and the brake for heat, nothing. Put it back up on the stand when I got home and hand spun the wheel to see if I could duplicate, nope. I'm going to pull the wheel and axle tomorrow morning to check close and re-grease. Any other ideas any one has are well come. Oh, and the bike was at ambient temperature when washed, so nothing was warm or hot when it got hit with the water. The sound is only noticeable around 4-15 mph.

 

Maybe some grit or something on the front pads??? When the whistle happens apply some front brake... if gets worse or better, you have your culprit...maybe. If no change, well...let the hunt continue.

 

Do you still have your damper behind the brake rotor? I removed mine and that whistling noise appeared at low speed. I put it back and noise went off.

 

Mine does it every now and then. I know a few others have heard theirs do it too. No idea what it is. I've pulled the wheel off and greased up the front end pretty good and it always comes back. Kinda like a tea kettle just starting to whistle.

 

mine did it from new, it changes with how hard you pull the front brake

 

Perfect description of sound! I just can't figure out why it just started with 5800miles on the bike. Taking the wheel off this morning before it gets too hot out. More later.......

 

Yeah, I hear this occasionally on mine too, an '06. Brake pads aren't dragging, nothing is rubbing, bearings are fully serviced...nothing I've ever been able to identify. It doesn't do it all the time, just every once in awhile. It usually occurs on deceleration, with or without braking. It's not that loud, but you do notice it. It can go for months without it, and then do it several times on one ride. I don't even pay attention to it anymore.

 

Ditto!
My 09 SF also had an intermittent whistle coming from the front end which was audible during the last 10 or 20 meters of coming to a stop.
Checked bearings & brakes without finding the source. I suspected it may have been the speedo pick-up (?).

 

I broke down and cut that stupid damper off when I installed the vapor. I always thought it was some dumb dual sport thing like the kick stand safety switch. No negative side effects. I had the whistle when the bike was newish but haven't heard it for the last couple thousand miles.

 

Not speedo drive. Even some folks, like me, with a Vapor unit...no speedo drive...get this noise. But a good guess nonetheless.