When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Battery had died in the bike and hadn't started it in a few months. Replaced the battery and it fired right up. However, it sounded like the front cylinder was tapping or knocking for about 45 seconds after starting then oil must have got to the top and now it sounds fine. No more knocking
Anything to be concerned about, that first minute after starting?
When you shut it off a few months ago, one of the lifters was holding a valve open and the valve spring pressure caused the oil in the lifter to bleed off and let the push-rod rattle a bit until the oil pressure filled it back up when you started it. Normal after sitting for awhile. Ride it as long as it stays quiet!
Probably a front cylinder lifter bled down from sitting.
I think you are fine. Might want to start it up a little more often to keep the internals lubed. If you begin to hear knocking at every startup, suspect a bad lifter.
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.