Rain, I'm not sure what normal is either. I've got the factory service manual and a Clymers manual, and neither one gives a spec. Problem began last week when I accellerated or decellerated, I noticed a slight pause, then a clunk in the drivetrain. This was just after getting it back from the dealer where after having it for 3 weeks, they replaced the induction assembly. (It had a broken throttle shaft from backfiring, which took them 2 visits to correctly diagnose...then parts weren't available.) I wasn't sure what the clunk was so drove it rather easy the rest of the way to work. On the way home, while cruising at about 60 mph, a Hellish grinding noise began, I lost all forward momentum and coasted to the side of the road. Trailered it home (4th time it has stranded me) and tore it apart. Found the front belt drive sprocket inner teeth stripped clean. Kind of figured that was the problem, as the same sprocket stripped out (for no apparrent reason) about a year ago. Parts cost $300 each time to put it back together. (Sprocket was originally $55, but about a year ago, HD gave it a new part number and upped the price to $198. Thanks HD!) Anyways, after replacing the sprocket and reassembling the primary drive assembly, I readjusted the belt tension, and then decided to rotate the rear wheel to make sure it wasn't binding. Bike was still up on a center jackstand with both wheels off the ground. I started turning the back wheel and it turned a couple of inches and then it stopped as the bike was inadvertetly in gear. So I rocked it back the other way and it did the same thing. This seemed like a LOT of play to me, so I started tracking it down. Pulled the primary chain assy and inner cover (again) and found the play was between the inner and outer transmission shafts. The problem is obviously inside the transmission. From my experience, there should be very little or no play between the shafts, and most likely this slamming of the shafts back and forth is what ate the sprocket teeth away...however, I have nothing to compare it to. HD dealerships are useless for the do-it-yourselfers. They offer very little if any help or advice other than to tell me to bring it in for them to work on. And everytime they will eventually fix what I took it in for, and in the process, introduce several other problems. Its a self-fulfilling prophecy for them. When I got it back this time, the cruise control no longer works, the gas tank leaks, (they had opened it up to replace the broken fuel pressure regulator which was causing the backfiring) and it now stalls at traffic lights. So it's still sitting up on the jack with the primary completely disassembled. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it at this point. I spent yesterday searching the internet for a new/replacement transmission. Please let me know how you make out with yours.
Thanks,
George

 

Sounds like you've been through a lot with it! Unfortunately in the past I've had the same luck with the local dealership where it goes in for one thing, that gets fixed, then goes back in for something else, usually noticed on the ride home or the next few days. They have gotten a lot better so maybe more people have stated their concerns.

I'm assuming that the play in mine must be in the transmission as well as everything else seems fairly tight. As mentioned I have a month left on the warranty I purchased with it used and they seem to be more inclined to do major repairs under these warranties vs. the factory HD warranty. Guess it's because it doesn't get billed back to HD.

I will let you know how it comes out.

Mike