5th gear whine
Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 41
Likes: 0
From: Northeast Washington State
1st gear and fifth gear are straight cut gears. Stronger for starting ( 1st) and for passing ( 5th ). They are also louder. All the other gears are helical cut. Quiter. The noise is just the nature of a straight cut gear and nothing to worry about.
As others have said, there are multiple "fixes". Louder pipes, louder stereo. Run fourth longer then go straight to sixth.
I like a gear lube in the gear box. Syn three is a motor oil. Why would you put it in a gear box? Gear lube will help a little but a straight cut gear is going to make more noise than a helical gear no matter what but the noise doesn't mean anything's wrong.
Don't let that stop you from buying the bike.
As others have said, there are multiple "fixes". Louder pipes, louder stereo. Run fourth longer then go straight to sixth.
I like a gear lube in the gear box. Syn three is a motor oil. Why would you put it in a gear box? Gear lube will help a little but a straight cut gear is going to make more noise than a helical gear no matter what but the noise doesn't mean anything's wrong.
Don't let that stop you from buying the bike.
Thats what I should have said..I agree completely
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 11,471
Likes: 2,998
From: Charleston, SC
we've been reading about this horrible transmission whinning in fifth gear for way over two years. and it's just plain bull **** (I don't like Harley crap IMO.) I have 29K on my 07 FLHTCU and 12K on my 08 FLTR and this HORRIBLE whine in 5th is bull ****!! The fact is if you can hear it, you probably need to trash the OEM exhaust for something similar to that which is acceptable to your average limp wristed peter puffer. If you cn still hear it buy a metric!!
PLEASE, will someone pass the cheese and crackers to go with all of this WHINING? Please?
PLEASE, will someone pass the cheese and crackers to go with all of this WHINING? Please?
Totally disagree. People will continually come here to learn about these "problems". They didn't come here to be accused of being limp wristed peter puffers. They come for advice. What I've been reading for two years are people who bash people who actually HAVE the 5th gear whine and are trying to understand it. Thats bull ****. Take your higher than thou attitude and find a corner where people want to listen to you WHINE about people whining. Or...go find a metric forum. Point is if you are tired of hearing about it...ahh... don't enter the friggen thread smart guy.
Totally uncool and unneeded friend.
lp
Last edited by lp; Jun 17, 2009 at 09:56 PM.
Cruiser
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 100
Likes: 0
[quote=EdwardK;5151587]1st gear and fifth gear are straight cut gears. Stronger for starting ( 1st) and for passing ( 5th ). They are also louder. All the other gears are helical cut. Quiter. The noise is just the nature of a straight cut gear and nothing to worry about.
I took mine in for the 1K service day before yesterday and the 5th gear was my main concern, and this is exactly what they told me almost verbatim.
I took mine in for the 1K service day before yesterday and the 5th gear was my main concern, and this is exactly what they told me almost verbatim.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 12,578
Likes: 19,791
From: Ramona, Ca
I have an 09 RKC, never knew I had the whine until I read about it..I always thought it as my turbo kicking in....I have SYN3 , dealer said to go to 75/140 at the 5000 mile service
Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 232
Likes: 1
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Road Captain
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 666
Likes: 5
From: Bay Area, CA
Not a deal breaker compared to all the good things about my bike, but it does ruin the beautiful thumping sound of the motor I can hear in the other gears on a nice ride.
That said, I did just slap the beautifully engraved "Harley-Davidson Motor Company" aftermarket derby cover on my bike to replace the stock one, so it's still love.
Peace,
Murph