What is the damn chirping/squealing George Jettson mobile noise.
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Road Master
Joined: Mar 2024
Posts: 1,156
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From: Colorado
What is the damn chirping/squealing George Jettson mobile noise.
23 LRST. Recently a couple threads about a noise... It's the belt. I went on a trip, thought I should check my belt. I tensioned it per service manual at 1K. Now it has 4K miles. We'll, I charge my belt tension... It goes away... But replaced with a... IDK... It's almost like air sucking in filter, but it's not. Scratchy. Not good.
Then I check more, make another adjustment... Now it's right... Chirpy sound is back... But now, I play. It's not the belt. It's engine RPMs. Pull the clutch in, I can Rev sound with engine. Below around 2500 RPMs, no noise... Above, yes. Driving me nuts. I hate it. Is it valve train?
I changed my exhaust which sounds much better, thought it was gone, but no. Can't really tell if it's a hot/cold thing. Short or long rides are the same. What the hell?
Then I check more, make another adjustment... Now it's right... Chirpy sound is back... But now, I play. It's not the belt. It's engine RPMs. Pull the clutch in, I can Rev sound with engine. Below around 2500 RPMs, no noise... Above, yes. Driving me nuts. I hate it. Is it valve train?
I changed my exhaust which sounds much better, thought it was gone, but no. Can't really tell if it's a hot/cold thing. Short or long rides are the same. What the hell?
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2017
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Probably the counter balancers you are hearing. Some are louder than others. The old softail’s had chain driven c- balancers the m8 has gear driven cb’s. Gear whine is what you are hearing.The cure is an aftermarket cam and full exhaust. Could also be something in the primary.
Last edited by Durham man; May 23, 2024 at 01:56 AM.
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Road Master
Joined: Mar 2024
Posts: 1,156
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From: Colorado
Probably the counter balancers you are hearing. Some are louder than others. The old softails had chain driven c- balancers the m8 has gear driven cbs. Gear whine is what you are hearing.The cure is an aftermarket cam and full exhaust. Could also be something in the primary.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2017
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I described the m8 exactly the same way (George Jetson) a while back. The stage 2 will turn your bike into a real Harley. If not for the stage 2 I would be back on a tc or Evo. Counter balancers still whine but the exhaust note of stage 2 over rides it.
6th Gear
Joined: Aug 2024
Posts: 14
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From: CO
Probably the counter balancers you are hearing. Some are louder than others. The old softails had chain driven c- balancers the m8 has gear driven cbs. Gear whine is what you are hearing.The cure is an aftermarket cam and full exhaust. Could also be something in the primary.
HDF Community Team
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 4,345
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From: Seattle
M8 Softail engines are very whiney. It's apparently got a lot to do with the dual counter balancers and maybe something about the 4 valve heads and the noise it lets through the airbox and emits from the rockerboxes and engine case.
There's no real fix for this. A good exhaust and cam helps.
You get used to it.
There's no real fix for this. A good exhaust and cam helps.
You get used to it.
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Road Master
Joined: Mar 2024
Posts: 1,156
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From: Colorado
Well since this thread... I have looked at various things... And it's still annoying. Just recently I looked again... I might have to look at belt again. It has been loose and still no difference. There is definitely a squeal... But it's attached to RPM. I read someone talk about compensator gear whine... I actually think I just heard what they are talking about... But it's not the squeal.
On a side note... Pipes will be here Friday so I'll see if they fix the noise. 🤣
On a side note... Pipes will be here Friday so I'll see if they fix the noise. 🤣
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HDF Community Team
Joined: Oct 2018
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From: Seattle
This thread needs a video. It's basically impossible to diagnose a sound without hearing the sound. Descriptions of the sound can only do so much.
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From: Philippines
Probably the counter balancers you are hearing. Some are louder than others. The old softails had chain driven c- balancers the m8 has gear driven cbs. Gear whine is what you are hearing.The cure is an aftermarket cam and full exhaust. Could also be something in the primary.
Then when I went to the HD dealership and heard my 2019 FXLR was the same, I realized that it was normal. Lol. It's a very disconcerting sound to the novice who doesn't know much about the M8 - that's for sure. I'm used to it now, can't say that I like it, but I'm used to it.
HDF Community Team
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FWIW, mine sometimes whistles and chirps at low rpms with light throttle, and frequently does the dying whistle when I turn it off. It seems to do this more when it's only partially warmed up than when it's fully cold or fully heated up.
Comes from the right hand side, and seems very much to be tied to the intake. My hypothesis is that some thing or things are such that it's simply air whistling.
Comes from the right hand side, and seems very much to be tied to the intake. My hypothesis is that some thing or things are such that it's simply air whistling.