When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Dyna Glide ModelsSuper Glide, Super Glide Sport, Super Glide Custom, Dyna Glide Convertible, Super Glide T-Sport, Dyna Glide Police, Dyna Switchback, Low Rider, Street Bob, Fat Bob and Wide Glide.
not to muddy the water and i still cant prove it but, i'm pretty sure a busted clutch cable let out my sportster primary fluid.
there's no other explanation for it disappearing.
I can't prove it either but after cleaning everything up the fluid still seems to be coming form the clutch cable. Just dropped the bike at the shop this morning, they'll install a longer cable and confirm or deny if the oil coming from the trans.
With the positioning of the oil on the clutch cable, and right after the 1k service, I'd have bet a 6-pack that it was oil weeping out of the front mount.
I can't prove it either but after cleaning everything up the fluid still seems to be coming form the clutch cable. Just dropped the bike at the shop this morning, they'll install a longer cable and confirm or deny if the oil coming from the trans.
I had this exact same problem and it turned out to be a small cut in the outer sheath of the clutch cable.
I don't over fill and my vents are not blocked. The oil level in your tranny is definitely above where the cable enters the release cover.
Have a look at your service manual, CLUTCH RELEASE COVER. Mine is pages 6.6 through 6.9.
You should also see where it bolts up to called the "Side Door". Note openings directly into the main transmission housing. There is nothing stopping oil getting into the clutch cable at least to the point where it rises above the level of oil in the transmission.
WRAP SOME ELECTRICAL TAPE AROUND THE DAMAGE ON YOUR CABLE AND SEE IF THAT STOPS THE LEAK.
I did that 3K miles ago and haven't seen a drop since. Waiting for a good excuse to change out the cable but not willing to invent one ... :-).
I had this happen to me this summer. It ended up being that my clutch cable had rubbed against front engine mount and wore a hole through the outer exposing the actual cable threads.
I took it off from the handlebar housing and put marine grade shrink wrap around the cable and rerouted it, no problems ever since.
The clutch cable was too short and rubbed against the isolator causing the leak.
The dealer ordered and install a new and longer cable. They honored the 1 year warranty and didn't charge me a dime. That's was cool.
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.