Question for 08 Heritage owners
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2005
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Question for 08 Heritage owners
Before I pull the trigger on a new bike, I need to know a couple of things. I have heard that the 96" engine is very hot and can overheat if stuck in traffic. My 05 88" gets pretty hot, but has never had an overheating/cylinder shutdown condition. Is a fuel management device to richen the mixture the answer or is this engine really that much hotter?
Question 2, How about the 5th gear whine/clatter on the 08 Heritage? I know it was mainly on the touring models in 07, but there were some other softail owners that complained about it as well. Has anything been done to correct this in 08? I'm sure if I ask the dealer they will say everything is as quiet as a church mouse and the engine runs at normal temp.
Thanks in advance.
Question 2, How about the 5th gear whine/clatter on the 08 Heritage? I know it was mainly on the touring models in 07, but there were some other softail owners that complained about it as well. Has anything been done to correct this in 08? I'm sure if I ask the dealer they will say everything is as quiet as a church mouse and the engine runs at normal temp.
Thanks in advance.
Intermediate
Joined: Jan 2008
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RE: Question for 08 Heritage owners
Just bought an 08 Heritage(still stock) this last fall. That being said it means I havn't gotten very many miles on it going into winter so I really can't answer the overheat question, yet. I hope that doesn't become a problem.
Now I am a newer rider but as to the whine/clatter, I really havn't heard anything loud enough to make me think something was wrong or that would worry me. Sounds like normal engine.
I might add that it didn't take long to figure out that the shifting speeds noted by the salesman and the manual seem to low by about 5-10mph. You get the knocking sound shifting in too early if you do it like they say.
Otherwise it runs smooth and strong. I'm very happy with my choice.
[IMG]local://upfiles/51769/44C895213C6D4D22A836CE0236C0811E.jpg[/IMG]
Now I am a newer rider but as to the whine/clatter, I really havn't heard anything loud enough to make me think something was wrong or that would worry me. Sounds like normal engine.
I might add that it didn't take long to figure out that the shifting speeds noted by the salesman and the manual seem to low by about 5-10mph. You get the knocking sound shifting in too early if you do it like they say.
Otherwise it runs smooth and strong. I'm very happy with my choice.
[IMG]local://upfiles/51769/44C895213C6D4D22A836CE0236C0811E.jpg[/IMG]
Road Master
Joined: Oct 2007
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From: H Town
RE: Question for 08 Heritage owners
My pops bought an 08 heritage this last october. He has about 2k miles on it with a few put on by me. I havent heard any noise from 5th gear while riding it, at least nothing out of the ordinary. When we rode back from the lonestar rally last fall, we got stuck in traffic on the freeway, stop and go for probally 15min and neither my 08 fatty or his 08 overheated. Got a little toasty but not unbearable. There was also a guy with an 08 deluxe and he had not problems either. I say go for it, you wont be disappointed.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2007
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From: NJ
RE: Question for 08 Heritage owners
Bought mine in the fall so haven't noticed any overheating problems. As far as tranny noise, etc, yes I have alot of extra mechanical sounds I'd rather not have.Hard to describe but mostly a woot woot woot sound, clatter, orapiston slap/wristpin like sound similar to what you might hear on a cager v8. ButI believe it's all in the tranny. Sure, I'd rather hear pure engine/exhaust sound but that's life. They say it's normal so I just live with it. Once I'matcruising speed I don't notice it.
Some have said putting different fluids in the tranny can quiet it down.I plangiving that a try at 5k.
Some have said putting different fluids in the tranny can quiet it down.I plangiving that a try at 5k.
Banned
Joined: Jun 2007
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RE: Question for 08 Heritage owners
I was reading in a magazine about Harley's new 6 speed tranny, 5th gears is cut differently then the rest of the gears, i've noticed on my NT that 5th is a little louder than all of the rest of the gears, perhaps it is because of this different cut?
Intermediate
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RE: Question for 08 Heritage owners
bought mine in september did notice a small whine in 5th but its probably tranny
although maybe after some more miles it will mellow out
although maybe after some more miles it will mellow out
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Cruiser
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RE: Question for 08 Heritage owners
I have a 07 heritage with 96 and 6 speed and i have bout 6000 miles on it. it does throw off alot of heat, i have been caught in heavy stop and go traffic if 90 degree weather and never had any problems with overheating. i hear that so common upgrades such as getting more air into the motor and less restrictive exhaust help bring engine temps down. along with running synthetic fluids will help also. i have plans for some of these upgrades as soon as the snow is gone here, but havent had any problems yet.
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2nd Gear
Joined: Feb 2008
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RE: Question for 08 Heritage owners
I have an '07 Heritage, same motor and tranny as the '08. After 5k miles on the stock pipes it went away for the winter where Rineharts and a Hi Flow air filter were installed..
It did get hot, but never went into overheat protect mode, which is when one cylinder shuts down automatically. The 5th gear can sound a little different but no problems. Harley jokes that they found a fix for the 5th gear sound....EARPLUGS.
I haven't ridden it yet, but I spent time with the Dyno guy during the process. He said they can only do so much but the bikes are meant to run lean, for EPA Standards, and will run hotter than pre-'07. He mentioned that they have a longer stroke which will also make it run hotter regardless of new pipes and dyno time.
All-in-all, I am happy with my bike and can't wait to ride it with the new pipes in the next 30 to 60 days.
It did get hot, but never went into overheat protect mode, which is when one cylinder shuts down automatically. The 5th gear can sound a little different but no problems. Harley jokes that they found a fix for the 5th gear sound....EARPLUGS.
I haven't ridden it yet, but I spent time with the Dyno guy during the process. He said they can only do so much but the bikes are meant to run lean, for EPA Standards, and will run hotter than pre-'07. He mentioned that they have a longer stroke which will also make it run hotter regardless of new pipes and dyno time.
All-in-all, I am happy with my bike and can't wait to ride it with the new pipes in the next 30 to 60 days.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,881
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From: North Georgia
RE: Question for 08 Heritage owners
Your questions are not unique to a Heritage, so let me add some comments.
The 96" motor on a stock bike are a little hotter than the 88" motors. The EPA demands a leaner fuel mixture in '08 than previous years, and that is probably the biggest contributer to the additional heat.
The 6-speed transmissions sound different than the 5-speed transmissions, but nothing is broken or in need of a "fix". It sounds different, and not many of us LIKE the sound. Changing oils does make things sound different again, but not what you may be expecting if you are desiring "fixed".
Cooling off the '08 bikes is simple. Same for any other stock bike over the last couple of years.
Get your bike modified for Stage 1 and change to synthetic oils. My '08 is coming up on 8,000 miles riddenthrough a wide-spectrum of traffic conditions, but mostly all HOT weather. I have no issues, my bike never complained or went into single-cylinder mode.
You will get use to the gear noises (or won't hearit over new pipes), the added fuel computer will richen the go-vapor, and in a true Stage 1 mannor, higher efficency(with the motor breathing better) will add more horsies and torque.
If you stay stock your engine will be warmer than anything you've had before, and the tranny will make noise that you'll swearare sounds of something broken. Staying stock and changing oils to synthetic may cool you off a little, but the reason so many folks change to synthetics should be because the synthetics have a higher temp tolerance and kinder viscosity break-down curve.
No matter what, change oil & filter every 5k miles.
The 96" motor on a stock bike are a little hotter than the 88" motors. The EPA demands a leaner fuel mixture in '08 than previous years, and that is probably the biggest contributer to the additional heat.
The 6-speed transmissions sound different than the 5-speed transmissions, but nothing is broken or in need of a "fix". It sounds different, and not many of us LIKE the sound. Changing oils does make things sound different again, but not what you may be expecting if you are desiring "fixed".
Cooling off the '08 bikes is simple. Same for any other stock bike over the last couple of years.
Get your bike modified for Stage 1 and change to synthetic oils. My '08 is coming up on 8,000 miles riddenthrough a wide-spectrum of traffic conditions, but mostly all HOT weather. I have no issues, my bike never complained or went into single-cylinder mode.
You will get use to the gear noises (or won't hearit over new pipes), the added fuel computer will richen the go-vapor, and in a true Stage 1 mannor, higher efficency(with the motor breathing better) will add more horsies and torque.
If you stay stock your engine will be warmer than anything you've had before, and the tranny will make noise that you'll swearare sounds of something broken. Staying stock and changing oils to synthetic may cool you off a little, but the reason so many folks change to synthetics should be because the synthetics have a higher temp tolerance and kinder viscosity break-down curve.
No matter what, change oil & filter every 5k miles.