I have a 2005 Wide Glide, bought it new. For awhile I've noticed that when I'm sitting on the bike if I turn the front forks to the right or the left all the way, there is a sharp metallic type cracking sound.

Kind of sounds like someone wacks the frame near the steering neck with a thin piece of metal.

I don't feel any friction in the steering and can't see anything rubbing or banging into the frame.

My best guess is a bearing but I'm not sure. Bike has a couple more months left on warranty so I'm going to talk to the dealer.

Anyone have or had a similar problem?

Thanks.

 

You are not talking about the fork stops are you?

If not, how close are you to the fork stops are you when you feel it?

Kevin

 

Not the fork stops.

It sounds like it's coming from inside the frame somewhere but nothing is hitting anywhere.

It makes the noise before I get all the way to the stops.

Seems like a bearing would be the problem but I would expect some friction with a bad bearing.

 

I know if I'm making a u-turn with my forks all the way over to one side and I'm coming off uneven ground, there's enough flex in my forks to allow my detach windshield brackets to clatter against the tank, but thats only under the right circumstances.

Doesn't sound symptomatic of a bearing. Not much else it could be though. Lace wheels? Maybe at that angle the weight is shifting on an un-trued wheel causing a spoke to ping?

Alos check the fender - are there signs of cracking? Some DWG owners have gotten fender cracks and I would think that the forks at full turn would put the most pressure on that area.

Other than that, I am no help at all. Sorry.[&:]

 

I don't see any signs of any cracks in the fender. It doesn't really sound like a spoke pinging either.

It's really weird, the best description I can give is if someone were to take a regular steel table knife and smack it with it's edge against the frame near the bearing collar.

It happens when I turn the front end right or left at a slow rate. If I turn it real fast it doesn't seem to do it as much.

I would tend to think it's something banging against the frame but I can't find anything.

I'll stop by the local dealer and see if they can figure it out.

Thanks for the replies.

 

Just read the posts about the clunk in the front end. I'm going to check and see, maybe this is the problem. I notice that clunk when I go over bumps.

If it is too loose I could be getting a weird noise from the bearings inside there.

 

also check your cable routing, I just did my mini-apes and the f/brake line was a bit off and hit the key when I turned sharp right all the way. Just repositioned the brake line and now no more probs. If that aint it, check out the bearing. Good luck

 

I'm gonna look for it, but if its not any prob. can someone show me where the post for front end clunk is? My SB is doing something similiar and I figured its steering head bearings. It makes a slight pop kind of noise when coming to stops and when going over uneven pavement just as you mentioned maicorider.
I had a shop (highly recommended) check the steering/forks to see if it was loose and he said its just break in. I'd like to think that, but I'm not too sure about it. I'll prob. buy the special wrench and shop manual, and check out the steering bearings myself.
Chase

 

Nevermind.....I found the info. I'm gonna spies it right now and see if it helps. Thanks anyways.
Chase

 

I stopped by the dealer today, didn't have the bike with me and asked them if they knew of this noise. I was told that it could be the bearings loose and that they need to adjust the fall away. Supposedly the bearing was to be adjusted at the 1k service.

I don't know if this was done or not, the bike was serviced by an independent bike shop.

Guess I will have to look into it.