I have a 2003 Road Glide, I was riding in the city one day in traffic, going between 1st and 2nd at slow speed obviously pulling in the clutch and coasting then creeping ahead etc. (not using the breaks so that can be ruled out). There was noticeable grinding that I could hear and feel. Sounded terrible! Instantly thought I was gunna be stranded as I was an hour and a half from home. Kept going and it went away and then slowing down to turn heard and felt it again. Shut the bike off, Went into where I was going. When I left it did it again rolling up to the stop sign. So made it home and it stoped doing it. Rode only close to home the next couple times and never heard it again. And since then have put hundreds of miles on without the noise. It’s still bugging me tho that it happened and going to pull the primary apart this week. Anything I should look for in there specifically or has this happened to anyone?
thanks

 

It may be an inner primary bearing.

You will hear the sound when the bike is moving, it does not matter what gear, or if clutch lever is in or out.

You will hear it with bike stopped, in neutral (clutch lever in or out does not matter), but when you pull the clutch lever in and drop it into gear the noise will stop (until you start moving).

 

When my clutch was old I got stuck in neutral and grinding when down shifting early when coasting down. For me my rpms were to high when I shifted.

When my primary bearings fail it is not gear specific. Other noises might be cam chest,but that would not be gear specific.

I would adjust clutch maybe replace clutch plates. But I wasn't there to hear it

 

Being an 03, mileage dependent, I’d pull down the primary and freshen up the bearing and seals and check the clutch plates, etc.

 

You where likely slightly between gears, like a false neutral. You likely babied the shift between 1 -2, as you have to go through neutral. HD's don't like to be babied when you shift,

I've had bikes where I babied the shift and would grind gears, entirely my fault not the bikes. You should be fine and I would keep riding the bike. If it was something going out you'll hear it again.

 

I am not sure about the babied part being true. But what I have experienced on higher mileage clutches, is if I am coasting to stop. and shift before the rpms are right, as in just shift down to first, I would get the grinding. Would be stick in neutral. Sounded like gears. Once I got closer to correct speed and rpm, I could shift. rebuilt cluth and went away.