I have 86,000 miles on my 2007 Ultra Classic. Recently, I've noticed a clunk when I shut the engine down. The service writer says its likely that the compensator sprocket is worn out, but it is okay to run it like that if I want. Just for information, I asked for an estimate to replace it and I was stunned:

$881.00 installed. Parts; $560.75: Labor; $253.50 Shop supplies $15.00, sales tax $52.66.

I am too old to do this myself (74) and money isn't plentiful anymore. What do you guys think? Should I just live with the clunking, or bite the bullet and hit it with a credit card? This is my last motorcycle so I plan on keeping it long as I can ride.

 

Buy the new Baker comp and have a friend help install it.

 

Surely someone near you who is handy with a wrench would be happy to help you do it if you buy the beer.

 

I would buy the baker unit, the SE compensator is noisy. If you go Harley parts buy it at a discount Harley outfit online. I think I was around $300-400 for parts.

 

All good comments. My dilemma is that my dealer won't install parts not purchased from them (Baker, discounted from another resource), and the two independents here have horrible reputations and just as expensive. I guess I'm stuck with either a noisy compensator or an expensive bill. Being a high mileage bike, its value is probably around $9,000, so we're looking at a repair that must be ridden out to be worth it. Hmmm. What to do, what to do.

 

Well, if you want to put the original style comp back in your 07 and not have to change out the rotor cover do what I did, purchase the factory style comp from Dennis Kirk, 34-Tooth Compensator Sprocket - 1120-0304 Part #0203028 for $129.95 and the primary gasket Primary Cover Gasket - 34901-07 Part #264035 for $16.16 and have a buddy come over and spend about an hour changing it out. Should be good for another 40k-80k miles. $146 plus beer and grub for your buddy.. If I were in UT I'd be happy to help. Its really not a hard job.

 

A question for all those considering the Baker compensator: Is the Baker unit compatible with both the pre-'11 AND the '11 and newer rotors? If not, will the pre-'11 bikes also need a new rotor with the Baker upgrade? I have no idea and an 07 with the factory comp will need to new rotor for the new Harley compensator for certain.

 

That is correct. You will need the 09+ rotor.

 

A week ago, going down the store to get some chicken wings, I heard a "clink" accompanied by a quick slip of a gear, followed by a noisy primary chain. I continued on the store, not being more than 1/-1/2 miles from home, but when I restarted it, the sound of rotating metal against stationary metal occurred. Oh crap, says I. Thinking the damage was already done, I rode the bike home and put in the garage.

I called the Harley service manager and asked that the bike be picked up. An hour or so later, the truck and trailer arrived at my house and we loaded up the Ultra. I went back inside the house, thinking it was probably the chain tensioner that came loose, not a huge repair. About an hour later, the driver of the pickup knocked on the door. He said he couldn't get the truck started (a new Chevy Duramax diesel) and we should unload the bike. The trailer would stay in front of my place and a tow truck picked up the Chevy.

Next day, the dealer's truck returned and hauled the bike to the shop. On the following Tuesday, the service manager called and told me a piece of the compensator broke loose from the rotor, and it was that that made all the noise. The rotor part was on back order with no expected delivery date and so it would be necessary to replace the compensator with a kit which was in stock. Big repair bill.

Picked up the bike on Wednesday, and Rob showed me the offending metal piece. It had broken loose from the outside of the rotor, and was about 1/2" wide and 3" long. The rest of the compensator showed some wear but not really all that bad, considering 86,000 miles on it. Everything else in the primary case was good.

Put the bill on the American Express Card (I'll get 1% cash back) and I rode off. I'll tell you guys, the new compensator is such an improvement over the original one. No shudder starting from a dead stop on a hill, and smooth shifting, and no bucking at low rpm in higher gear. Though I spent $829 on this repair, I feel confident it will last another 86,000 miles at least, or until I'm about 80.