I am familiar with most of the TC noises but the other day I think I heard a new one. I rode out to Galveston from Spring Texas taking the long way through the country. I ride with a full helmet and ear plugs so I still hear the engine and valve clatter but not as clearly as without. I rode to and around the city of Galveston a bit then turned around towards the freeway to get home the short way. I was running between 70-90 most of the way home with no issues or weird noises, the bike had plenty of power and no loud ping or knocks (BTW, I didn't stop in Galveston except for stop signs and lights). I had already been riding for over 200 miles when I stopped to get gas. After that I rode to a nearby parking lot in the shade for a short break and to check my phone and had the bike shut off for about 15 min. Got back on and forgot to put my ear plugs in, while cruising down a side road at about 2000RPM, maybe 25-30 MPH I noticed what seemed to be a low end knock in the engine. This could just be the knock of the internal combustion happening but I don't remember hearing this before. I stopped, checked the oil and it's fine so I put my ear plugs back and jumped on the beltway where I ride about another hour to get home at mostly 70+ speeds and never had any noticeable knocks, I only heard it when I was going slow on a side street. I have started up and rode my bike since then and it doesn't seem to have any problems but I am perplexed and what the noise was that I heard during that short stint when I took my ear plugs out.


I have a 2014 Street Glide with a FP3 Tuner and slip-ons, no other mods. The engine now has about 35K on it. There is no smoke coming out of the pipe and no black residue, the bike starts right up and idles fine. No EITMS enabled.


I have always worried about the noise that this motor makes even though I know there is little between the working parts of the motor, internal cumbustion and my ears. I am probably being paranoid, if there was an issue it would have presented itself in a major way by now...most likely.

 

I am thinking it may just have been the sound of the exhaust stroke through the front pipe since it didn't get louder with acceleration. Who knows...guess I just ride it and if it starts making noise at speed then worry about it.

 

Twinkies generally do have noisy valve trains that can get pretty loud at times when left stock. Maybe that's what you're hearing?

A set of S&S premium lifters and adj. push rods, plus a set of Rockout! rocker shaft locking shims silenced mine.

Good luck,

JP

 

Dang Harley noises sure can be hard to pin point. I had a very similar issue on my 2015 Road Glide last year. I couldn't pin point the noise and it started to get louder so I took it into the shop. The shop mgr. comes out gives it a listen and tells me it's coming from the bottom end............. crap I'm thinking the worse.

I leave the bike and ask him to call me with a repair estimate. The next day he calls and I'm puckering. He tells me that two of my exhaust clamps were loose, as was the crossover clamp that attaches to the back of the tranny under the bike. I'm thinking he's crazy because he tells me my bill is $99. I'm thinking there is no way my knock was related to some loose components in the exhaust system. I did that thing myself and know that all of the mounting torques were properly applied and I checked them again after several heat soak cycles and 250 miles after the installation. I road my bike another 11K miles before the noises started.

Believe it or not, the shop wasn't kidding about the source. Picked my bike up and it sounded as normal as normal gets for a fairly stock Harley.

Moral of the story, before freaking out double check the fastener torque on all of your exhaust components, starting at the header flanges and working your way to the mufflers.

 

Thought i had a problem , put my foot, with a little pressure ,on the shifting levers, went away, it was the small bolt on the lever , going to the tranny, was worn, replaced, and now quiet, just one thing you can check, good luck

 

I did the Rockout mod, this isn't valve noise.

 

I just lubed up the shaft for the shifting lever and put Loctite on the bolt that holds the shifter lever to the shaft so that is good but I am about to do a service and will be looking for loose bolts including the exhaust bolts. It could have been a small leak causing the noise. I was just worried about the crank or something else inside the engine making a knock but considering how hard I was pushing it and for how long, I seriously doubt there is a bottom end problem.

 

Well, I got nothin', then.

Hopefully you'll be able find the issue and get it fixed for not too much $$$.

Best wishes and good luck,

JP

 

It can be real hard to evaluate a noise form any Harley, especially like us readers, when we can't actually hear it.......

My gut is telling me that with forgetting to put in your ear plugs, it was just a sound your bike makes that you never heard before. Or, it's an intermittent noise caused by something loose, that at that moment the specific heat/wind/speed/ vibrations/ etc, caused it to sound off...

Since you are going to do a service and plan on checking all the fasteners, I think you have a good plan.... One thing I learned about Harleys, the noises can come from where you least expect it... as well as the normal stuff, think outside the box looking for a cause for the noise...

The good news... if the knock was something serious (the crank or serious engine knock), it would still be there and getting worse.... and probably wouldn't go away with increased rpm..

Good luck and let us know what you find.....

 

Get you a two ear mechanic's stethoscope. Rev it to about 1500 or so till it smooths out and prob all over the engine. If it sounds OK, it's probably just that odd combustion sound in the pipes just as the exhaust valve opens.

Here in VA, it's against the law wearing ear plugs. Is it legal in TX