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Road King makes this loud sound at start-up sporadically, sounds pretty crappy. I also compared to my street bob and there's a real loud whine from the primary.
Am I looking at a compensator issue or is it something else?
Have you checked the level of the primary fluid lately?
It was just replaced and comes to right at the bottom of the clutch, took about 34 ounces. Prior to that though, im not sure the previous owner was changing it regularly.
I would start by checking the teeth on the starter and the starter gear inside the primary, almost sounds like it is missing a tooth or 3. Could be a compensator issue but mine sounded like it was rattling when it needed replaced. I would definitely pull the primary cover and look at teeth on the gears and starter real close.
I too would be pulling the primary cover and looking at the starters teeth and the matching teeth inside the primary. Highly unlikely, but check the gear reduction in the starter motor itself too.
I just went through this with my Road King.
It turned out to be the compensator. $700 later she's all good.
Freakin' Harley and their bullsheet parts. Maybe that's not your issue, but it's a possible starting point.
OK, so we know it is a Road King.
What year bike?
What mods have been done?
Who’s bike is this?
How much of the above do you know?
What has been done to attempt to fix it?
From the videos it sounds like there is more then one problem here.
That annoying wine is not your compensator. Maybe the IPB? Or overly tight primary chain?
As for the start problems and sounds, it could be several things, including but not limited to a weak battery, worn starter, bad ground, bad compensator, or even a bad tune, or any combination of the above.
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