Softail engine sound?
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Road Master
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 751
Likes: 0
From: 'Merica
Softail engine sound?
Hi guys. got my bike plated last wednesday and have put about 400mi on it since then so havent had a chance to get on here lately.
I was just mainly wondering how a counterbalanced engine usually sounds? can you hear a difference?
It seems like there is a sound coming from up front when i get to mid-high rpm range. like if i get to 20mph in first gear, 35 in 2nd, etc. it almost sounds like a fan, or something, its hard to describe. It doesnt seem like anything is wrong with it, so i just wanted to know if the counterbalanced engines sound different than a standard engine, especially when you get higher in rpms...
thanks guys
I was just mainly wondering how a counterbalanced engine usually sounds? can you hear a difference?
It seems like there is a sound coming from up front when i get to mid-high rpm range. like if i get to 20mph in first gear, 35 in 2nd, etc. it almost sounds like a fan, or something, its hard to describe. It doesnt seem like anything is wrong with it, so i just wanted to know if the counterbalanced engines sound different than a standard engine, especially when you get higher in rpms...
thanks guys
6th Gear
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 13
Likes: 0
From: Anderson, SC
I just swapped an '09 Ultra for my '09 Heritage. It is the first counterbalanced engine I have owned, and there is a definite difference in the sound to my ears. Mine seems to be more of what I call a knocking sound, but it is not a bad sound. Actually it sounds great at idle and when I settle into 5th or 6th gear it is really sweet!
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Road Master
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 751
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From: 'Merica
yea i also hear a kind of tapping or "knocking" but i didnt want to say that bc then ppl would start giving me diagnostics on knocking sounds, but its not a knocking like you hear that is bad i dont think. i just assume it has something to do with the counterbalance, but ive only ever ridding one other softail and that was a '12 fatboy on demo day last year, and i didnt know enough at the time to notice it.
thanks for the input
thanks for the input
Club Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 145,895
Likes: 821
From: 40 miles Northeast of Indy..
Call mine the Bongo drum sound at cruise speeds..
Say 2400rpm and lite throttle...I used to hear it..
Loud pipes and ear plugs,, now I don't listen for it and I don't hear it anymore.....
/
Say 2400rpm and lite throttle...I used to hear it..
Loud pipes and ear plugs,, now I don't listen for it and I don't hear it anymore.....
/
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,272
Likes: 20
From: Shamokin, PA
yea i also hear a kind of tapping or "knocking" but i didnt want to say that bc then ppl would start giving me diagnostics on knocking sounds, but its not a knocking like you hear that is bad i dont think. i just assume it has something to do with the counterbalance, but ive only ever ridding one other softail and that was a '12 fatboy on demo day last year, and i didnt know enough at the time to notice it.
thanks for the input
thanks for the input
It's most likely your counterbalancer, you can kind of feel it when you ride.
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Tourer
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 354
Likes: 8
From: Pittsburgh , Pa.
I had a 2002 Night Train before I bought my new 2010 Heritage and I heard the same thing. Complained to the dealer thinking there was something wrong and was told that it was normal. They let me ride another new Heritage and it had the same sound. I now have 4,000 miles on it and no problems have showed up. All you have to do is put different exhausts on it and it will go away. The stock exhausts are so quiet that you hear everything. What you are hearing is totally normal and won't hurt anything..
Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,664
Likes: 99
From: P.E.I. Canada
Yeah, there's lots of noise with these motors. You seem to be able to hear a lot more valve train noise among other things. Mine's even worse now that I have high-lift cams in it. Don't start worrying about every noise or it will drive you nuts. Trust me, I know...