My 2017 FLSS with 1k on the clock is making a noise I'm not sure is "normal". While I owned a Crossbones, it was years and years ago.

It just came back from its 1k service and they said everything checked out. I can't recall if it made this noise before but it wasn't obvious that it did or I'd have said something to the service tech.

The circumstances that I heard this under; I pulled up to the community mailbox, put the bike in neutral, and walked over to the mailbox and got my mail and glanced through it. Standing there, I heard an occasional "clunk" from the bike. I got closer and thats where it would sound like there was loose marble sound inside the primary cover, not all the time/constant, but like a marble that would bounce around, a few times, then settle, for a bit then, bounce around again. Now I've never left my bike idling on its jiffy stand idling for any long periods. I usually sit on it just to make sure the vibration from the bike doesn't have it roll of its jiffy stand. its not a "rattle". It's not constant, but if you wait a bit, under a minute, you'll hear it several times. It never seems to be immediately after putting it in neutral and letting it idle on its jiffy stand. It takes several seconds (under a minute) before it makes that noise.

It doesn't seem to make the noise if I'm sitting on the bike with it level in neutral or maybe I can't hear it or its not obvious. Doesn't seem to make the noise under power. Sitting at a light in gear with the clutch in, I don't hear it. Sitting at a light in neutral I don't tend to hear it... And it doesn't seem to affect performance.

Was wondering if this occasional noise is normal primary drive sound? Searching the web I couldn't find how you check the primary chain tension on a 2017 as there is NO panel to remove and check the chain tension.

I'm also not sure if its anything the shop did as I didn't see "Check Primary Drive Chain" in there "checklist".

I'm planning on taking it back to the shop since its under warranty and have them listen to it, BUT I'm curious to hear opinions/thoughts from this group so I might make some suggestions...

TIA

 

Sounds like it could be a loose primary chain. Talk to the shop and see if they checked the chain tension.

 

UPDATE - Took it to the dealer/sop. Before I could finish telling him how I did all this testing he said its; "Neutral Knock". When it was making that noise, he pulled the clutch in a bit and it stopped.

Said he's seen it before, they've take motors apart, they've played with the timing chain, and tensioner, notified/contacted Harley and there is no fix. Says it won't hurt anything. He's never seen a failure because of it, hasn't seen any issues because of it. Said he would make a note in my "file"... So apparently its "normal" or not unusual....

I'm not going to worry about it unless it gets worse...

 

Could it be chain "******" when it idles down real low and adds fuel to go back up a few revs at idle ?

 

I could see that. Cause it doesn't happen immediately when I put it in neutral. It does idle down a bit then it makes the noise....

 

Sounds kind of odd, but hey, it's a Harley. I've never head anything like that on the bikes I've been around, including my own. Your bike has an automatic chain tensioner, so just for giggles you could do some power braking and see if that cures it. No matter what, that won't hurt anything.

 

Forgive my ignorance, what is "power braking"?

 

First find you a lonely stretch of road where you won't be bothered by cars. In first or second gear (I use second), accelerate hard up to about 4k rpm and then down throttle all the way and hold until the bike is at a minimum speed for the gear you are in. Repeat a few times. That's it.

When I accelerate hard, I mean pretty much full throttle. Hope that makes sense..