Harley blowing up
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,928
Likes: 285
From: Edmond Oklahoma
RE: Harley blowing up
Hey I'm with Yogi. I love my RKC, but it has lots of strang noices that would worry me on any other bike or car. Just last week I took it to a harley mechanic to check a shudder at about 1500 RPMs. He said it was normal and that was fine with me. I don't mind the clanks, clatters and shudders if it is normal because the bike is blast to drive. I just don't want to take it to the dealership one day and have them tell me I should have brought in 5000 miles and $5000.0 dollars ago. I like to take care of my equipment.
Still, the guy who just told me that my shudder is normal also said that all Road King front brakes can be squeezed to the grip. Hmmm, I've been reading here to long to know that isn't true.
Beary
Still, the guy who just told me that my shudder is normal also said that all Road King front brakes can be squeezed to the grip. Hmmm, I've been reading here to long to know that isn't true.
Beary
Club Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 653
Likes: 0
From: Show Me State
RE: Harley blowing up
ORIGINAL: ironhead3fan
I have enjoyed all of that wonderful clanking, banging, and overall clunkyness for the past 23 years. Wouldn't trade one minute of it for anything else![sm=coolness.gif]
I have enjoyed all of that wonderful clanking, banging, and overall clunkyness for the past 23 years. Wouldn't trade one minute of it for anything else![sm=coolness.gif]
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 13,389
Likes: 26
From: Windham,Maine
RE: Harley blowing up
Sounds to me like you have a long road to hoe.Maybe you should just throw in the towel, and trade for a motorcycleowned bybikers you can trust what they say.A Harley is a Harley, a large 2 cylinder air cooled masterpeice, highly refined over the last 100 yrs or so.They are not a watercooled sewing machine.Biased? Yup I am.Have been an awful long time.Don't get me wrong if I owned enough garage space it would be full ofall brands of motorcycles.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,661
Likes: 2
From: Monroe, Louisiana
RE: Harley blowing up
I rode 2metric water cooled cruisers before getting the SG. Theyboth madenoises. The Harley is different, but mine at least, doesn't sound likeit's blowing up. In fact, I think the valve train noise on the metrics was louder. They all clunk going into first gear, even the metrics. I don't notice any scaryshifting noise after that. JMHO.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 2,241
Likes: 7
From: Daytona, Fla.
RE: Harley blowing up
A lot of people confuse "different" with "good" or "bad". Try owning different brands at the same time & comparing 'em that way.
Yes, my Harleys have valve train noise, & one of 'em has a gear whine in the transmission. But then there's the BMW I owned that had the dreaded "K whine" & some odd shifting noises, not to mention having to be well over 6000 rpm to generate any usable power. The BMW boxer motors generate a reasonable amount of valve noise, & the low speed vibration kept me from gettin' comfortable enough with 'em to buy one. They're great bikes, but I just can't get comfortable with 'em.
On to the Triumph Sprint I owned for a few years......... A great bike! Smooth, quick, easy to ride, with an odd valve noise for an over head cam machine. Or the Yamaha 1200 with the transmission that sounded like someone droppin' a bowling ball in a garbage can. Never had a transmission problem, but it did make noise.
Then there are the MotoGuzzi's with the cow bell valve covers, or Ducati with "desmonic" valves & dry clutch rattle! Those sound really bad 'till they run away from you & you can't hear 'em anymore.
An unbiased look at any machine you've owned will find some noise. Maybe it just didn't bother you, maybe you've forgotten it, but machines make noise. It's when they stop makin' the noise that you have problems.............
I became most comfortable with bike noises when I thought about all the money I'd spent over the years, how few serious problems I've had with any of 'em, & realized that even the most disasterous failure wouldn't cost more to repair than it was worth for the enjoyment riding gives me. You'll get there!
Yes, my Harleys have valve train noise, & one of 'em has a gear whine in the transmission. But then there's the BMW I owned that had the dreaded "K whine" & some odd shifting noises, not to mention having to be well over 6000 rpm to generate any usable power. The BMW boxer motors generate a reasonable amount of valve noise, & the low speed vibration kept me from gettin' comfortable enough with 'em to buy one. They're great bikes, but I just can't get comfortable with 'em.
On to the Triumph Sprint I owned for a few years......... A great bike! Smooth, quick, easy to ride, with an odd valve noise for an over head cam machine. Or the Yamaha 1200 with the transmission that sounded like someone droppin' a bowling ball in a garbage can. Never had a transmission problem, but it did make noise.
Then there are the MotoGuzzi's with the cow bell valve covers, or Ducati with "desmonic" valves & dry clutch rattle! Those sound really bad 'till they run away from you & you can't hear 'em anymore.
An unbiased look at any machine you've owned will find some noise. Maybe it just didn't bother you, maybe you've forgotten it, but machines make noise. It's when they stop makin' the noise that you have problems.............
I became most comfortable with bike noises when I thought about all the money I'd spent over the years, how few serious problems I've had with any of 'em, & realized that even the most disasterous failure wouldn't cost more to repair than it was worth for the enjoyment riding gives me. You'll get there!
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 9,208
Likes: 374
From: Central Illinois, Between I-80 and I-74
RE: Harley blowing up
I don't hear anything that sounds wrong with my '08. Runs pretty smooth actually (compared to older bikes).
I'd be getting concerned if it starts making new sounds or looses the old ones.
Just like the metrics it'll get real quiet soon after it blows up[&o].
I'd be getting concerned if it starts making new sounds or looses the old ones.
Just like the metrics it'll get real quiet soon after it blows up[&o].
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 10,946
Likes: 822
From: Nevada
RE: Harley blowing up
Dennis,I know exactly what you mean about your mill. Every now and then,while cruising down the highway,I'll hear a strange noise coming from my motor.My bike has beenvery reliable, so I don't give it a second thought.