Noticed this about a month or two ago but whenever I accelerate hard, I hear kind of a clicking/ticking/metal clanking/chirping noise from the left. Only happens during hard acceleration though. Gradual acceleration doesn't seem to cause this and when I pull in the clutch so the gears aren't engaged and open up the throttle, no noise either.

So basically, when in gear, during hard acceleration there's a chirping/clicking noise.

Any ideas on what this could be? It's kind of hard to hear it sometimes from the pipes, engine, and wind noise but it's definitely there.

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

Yep, mine does that chirping sound too, I notice it in 5th gear when I romp on it. Probably another normal Sportster noise. Hopefully someone here will know what it is so we can just add it to the list of normal clunking and clattering sounds common with most XL's.

Heck, Sportsters wouldn't be nearly as cool if they whined like most of those crotch rockets I hear. Rattling rules!

 

Primary chain need adjusted?
https://www.hdforums.com/parts-and-a...motorcycle.php
You may do a search and find a video on how to adjust it also.Im not sure what year your dealing with.

 

same sound here !

 

Same thing happened to me, stop using 87 octane and move on up to 92 premium.

 

Always using premium...

 

Mine does the same thing, hasn't broken yet

 

Just wondering, what pipes is everyone running?

I know that my short shots make a chirping sound at times.

 

stock exhaust here

 

Hmm...sounds like it may be another XL sound effect..

To answer some questions

08 Nightster per my signature
Always use premium
Stock pipes with SE slip ons..but the sound is definitely coming from the left.

May take a look at the primary chain tonight.