Touring Models Road King, Road King Custom, Road King Classic, Road Glide, Street Glide, Electra Glide, Electra Glide Classic, and Electra Glide Ultra Classic bikes.
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

Chirping sound when I downshift

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Feb 27, 2008 | 06:04 AM
  #1  
DaveMK's Avatar
DaveMK
Thread Starter
|
Road Master
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,082
Likes: 338
From: Upstate, SC
Default Chirping sound when I downshift

No, I didn't run over a bird. When I let the clutch out it makes a quik chirp sound. Sounds like something needs to be adjusted. I'd like an idea of what it could be before I take it to the shop.
 
Reply
Old Feb 27, 2008 | 06:30 AM
  #2  
tanq's Avatar
tanq
Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 163
Likes: 0
From:
Default RE: Chirping sound when I downshift

Are you sure that it's not your rear tire skidding a little bit? How about belt tension? Just a couple of thoughts.
 
Reply
Old Feb 27, 2008 | 06:51 AM
  #3  
gottahavvitt's Avatar
gottahavvitt
Cruiser
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 141
Likes: 0
From:
Default RE: Chirping sound when I downshift

I had a similar problem once and it turned out to be a loose baffle in the exhaust. Tightened it up and the birds flew south.
 
Reply
Old Feb 27, 2008 | 07:06 AM
  #4  
stro1965's Avatar
stro1965
Seasoned HDF Member
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 10,602
Likes: 721
From: Bellevue, NE
Default RE: Chirping sound when I downshift

Take your clutch perch apart and clean it up, lube it with some silicone spray. Also hit the shifter assembly with some spray too. Worked for me.
 
Reply
Old Feb 27, 2008 | 07:35 AM
  #5  
Uncle Scrooge's Avatar
Uncle Scrooge
Road Warrior
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,785
Likes: 4
From: Oklahoma
Default RE: Chirping sound when I downshift

Probably the belt. If the tension is OK, try dragging a block of paraffin along the edges to lubricate it.
 
Reply
Old Feb 27, 2008 | 07:40 AM
  #6  
hrhawg's Avatar
hrhawg
Cruiser
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 116
Likes: 0
From: Kalamazoo, MI
Default RE: Chirping sound when I downshift

Had that sound show up on a trip. Stopped at the next dealer they adjusted the belt. Chirping sound is typically just a loose belt. Check that first.
 
Reply
Old Feb 27, 2008 | 08:36 AM
  #7  
choochoo's Avatar
choochoo
Banned
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 2,301
Likes: 4
From:
Default RE: Chirping sound when I downshift

It can be numerous things.
Among others above, check your belt tension.
Not the one around your waist, but rather the drive belt.
If in doubt adjust it slightly tighter.
The chirping normally sounds like it is coming from engine.
 
Reply
Old Feb 27, 2008 | 08:47 AM
  #8  
Geoff's Avatar
Geoff
Seasoned HDF Member
15 Year Member
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Shutterbug
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 10,946
Likes: 817
From: Nevada
Default RE: Chirping sound when I downshift

The sound is the belt. In many cases it goes away over time.
 
Reply
HD Forum Stories

The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders

story-0

7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-2

10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-3

Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

 Verdad Gallardo
story-4

Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

 Verdad Gallardo
story-5

Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

 Joe Kucinski
story-8

10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

 Verdad Gallardo
story-9

Southpaw Super Glide: A Left-Hand-Drive 1979 Harley FXE Built to Fit the Rider

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Feb 27, 2008 | 08:50 AM
  #9  
FLHT's Avatar
FLHT
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 2,340
Likes: 2
From: Omaha Nebraska
Default RE: Chirping sound when I downshift

An overly dirty belt will do it too.
 
Reply
Old Feb 27, 2008 | 08:56 AM
  #10  
BigGeorge's Avatar
BigGeorge
Road Captain
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 688
Likes: 0
From:
Default RE: Chirping sound when I downshift

No one has mentioned motor mounts. My sons Dyna was chirping and it was the motor mounts. Sprayed them withWD 40 and the chirping stopped................BG
 
Reply



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:06 PM.

story-0
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.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-29 16:50:35


VIEW MORE
story-1
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: Not every Harley gets it right, but these are the ones that genuinely earned their reputation.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-15 14:23:21


VIEW MORE
story-2
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-01 20:01:09


VIEW MORE
story-3
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

Slideshow: Killer Custom's "Jail Breaker" build focuses more on stance and visual aggression than mechanical overhaul.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-18 19:20:32


VIEW MORE
story-4
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.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-07 16:15:30


VIEW MORE
story-5
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's new RMCR concept revives the café racer formula with modern hardware-and it may be exactly the reset the company needs.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-04 12:23:37


VIEW MORE
story-6
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.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-02-24 18:19:44


VIEW MORE
story-7
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There is no shortage of great motorcycles to buy, but we would avoid these ten.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-02-19 14:50:51


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

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.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-13 18:33:17


VIEW MORE
story-9
Southpaw Super Glide: A Left-Hand-Drive 1979 Harley FXE Built to Fit the Rider

Slideshow: Graeme Billington's left-hand-drive Shovelhead is as much about problem-solving as it is about classic Harley form.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2025-12-30 11:27:08


VIEW MORE