Thanks for the input, lads. I did go through old posts and found some references to 'whining noises' (from the bike), but this doesn't sound so much like a whine, which I usually think of as the sound something spinning very fast makes. My dad had an old combine that slipped a belt which sounded a little like this.

I'll try to pinpoint it again. It's hard to find it, really. I'll check and see if the chap I bought it from used synthetic. He also had an 04 which I rode, and it had its own sounds but much quieter and certainly not like what I have described.

Pipes are all I can think of when riding it, since my Shovelhead Harley days proved that you can make anything sound normal if it's buried under decibels.

Just had first valve check and set at 42K. Former owner never did anything but change oil and tires and ride the thing in the BC rain. It's looks just like new. Remarkable machine.

If you never hear from me again, Musky was right--I've been vapourized.