Ok here's my best description of the noise I hear. I am a car mechanic and am fairly new to the whole harley fixin thing. While in gear at speed, there is a higher pitched noise that seems to go up with rpms but when letting off the throttle, goes away. For any of you car guys, kinda like a pinion bearing that is noisy during load but goes away when your foot is off gas. I suspect something in either the clutch or trans. When I pull in the clutch, it goes away somewhat. Any thoughts? Rides and shifts fine, clutch feels ok.

 

Just my opinion but when a Harley bearing goes, its more of a rough coarse noise. I would dare say any Harley with 20 K taken apart would have some marks on a lot of the bearings but far from worn out. Put a stereoscopic on it. Bet it all sounds fine.

 

Check your primary chain tension. It may be too tight.

 

If its consistent with speed, regardless of which gear you are in it will be the trans output bearing.

 

Transmission output bearing?
Which bearing are you talking about?

 

It may be quality of the gears are and how the teeth mesh under load. Backing off the throttle or disengaging the clutch switches the load to the opposite side of the gear teeth....You might reduce/eliminate the noise by using a different trans lube...

There are piles of posts on what brand "is best"!!!! I best leave the lid on that pot for you to open!!!

 

Cygnus, what model and year bike?

 

The one the output gear pokes through...behind the sprocket in layman's terms.

 

Are you using gear lube in the tranny, if not go back to it. Also check to see if the tranny sprocket is loose, this is a problem that can do what you have going on there.

 

It's a 1997 dyna wide glide. I am using what it called for in the manual. Looks like I am trans bound huh? Thanks so far for the input guys. Bob.