I live in Mobile and the wife and I took a ride over to Pensacola yesterday. Once we got into Pensacola and would come to a stop light I would apply the hand brake (only) like I always do. This was not hard braking. The sound from the rear brake was awful. Like I said above, it sounded like a loaded dump truck stopping. Not as loud though. It was like the the pads were gone. It was stopping fine, just an awful sound.

By then it was 4:30 so I went straight to P'cola HD. I told them that I was from out of town and what was going on. Even though they did not have a clue of what I was talking about, they jumped right on it. The mechanic took it for a test ride and of course it did not do this for him. Maybe because he was riding one up. He then took the bike back to his shop and checked the bike out. He took the rear brakes apart and examined and re installed. He could find nothing wrong.

They then had the wife and I ride in their huge parking lot so we could duplicate the sounds with her and I on the bike. We made 5 runs at the same speeds we were on the street. Brakes were quite and performed perfectly.

We rode home with no more problems.

Maybe no one has experienced the problem I did but I just wanted to put this out here in case someone does.

Also I would like to praise P'cola HD for their excellent customer service. I bought this bike from them in April instead of the local dealer 10 miles from where I live for this reason. The P'cola HD guys showed that they really cared and treated me with respect instead of treating me like I was clueless to how my bike should work and sound.

 

I love reading these kind of experiences with the dealer network!

 

Ours did it 1 time. The wife asked "what was that!!" I did a few hard stops with it, never did it again

 

what does a loaded dump truck stopping sound like? are we talking a loud roar or a thump or clunking or?

 

That's how mine started a few thousand miles ago (6800 miles now). Then Wednesday it did it at almost every stop light.

 

Its the low pitch screeching sound that comes from the brake shoes when the loaded truck is stopping. I know it sounds crazy, but that's the closest thing I can think to compare it too.

Maybe too, like the way your car brakes sound after running through deep water. Except it only comes from the rear brake while using the hand lever. Once bike slows below 25mph then rear brake releases and noise stops. I did not think to stop using the foot pedal only. I am used to using the hand lever. If it ever does this again I will try using the foot pedal only and see what happens.

I'll be riding it tomorrow so I'll see if it happens again.

 

My buddy said he hears a whining noise from the back of his bike every time he and his wife ride two up . We checked the brakes, belt tension, tires and whole laundry list of things and couldn't find anything wrong.. I asked him if he ever hears the noise when riding solo and he said no. I told him to get the wife and I would stand there as he rode by to see if I could pin point it.. Sure enough as he went by I could her it as plain as day.... it sounded like a woman's voice saying.. I have to pee, slow down, my butt hurts, where are we going to eat, where's my phone, are you going to cut the grass today, I have a headache... Then I had him ride by solo and....you guessed it.... no noise..we are stumped .. We decided he shouldn't ride two up till we figure out what it is to avoid damaging the bike... Some of our buddies down at the local bar may have some insight as to what is going on so we probably will be spending time down there picking their brains over this issue... It's a mystery...

 

Good sound advice. Thank you

 

Mine does the same thing. When it starts to do it, I just add a little rear brake pressure in and it stops the sound. I thought about taking it to the dealer, but figured I would just get the run around, so I haven't bothered. I think its just a light glazing between the pads and rotor causing it. Nothing to really worry about other than being a bit annoying. Will probably go about fixing it myself once winter gets here.

 

The mechanic asked if I had been driving down any dirt roads. I have not but I have ridden in the rail a dozen times. He said that there was something other than brake dust on the pads and he wiped it off before re-installing. Maybe that was it.