New RKC Questions
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,182
Likes: 0
From: Phoenix
Hey all,
Just bought a 2010 RKC, and I have been riding a 98 Fatboy for a number of years and got used to it's sounds and just want to check that some of what I hear on my RKC is normal.
I hear a lot more valve noise than I am used to. It doesn't sound bad, just loud. In first gear the tranny whines a bit, especially on accel and decel. The shifter makes a noticeable "clunk" when I shift. I'm not stomping on the shift lever, but I am surprised at how loud it is.
Are these sounds normal, or do I have an issue that needs to be addressed?
Thanks,
Just bought a 2010 RKC, and I have been riding a 98 Fatboy for a number of years and got used to it's sounds and just want to check that some of what I hear on my RKC is normal.
I hear a lot more valve noise than I am used to. It doesn't sound bad, just loud. In first gear the tranny whines a bit, especially on accel and decel. The shifter makes a noticeable "clunk" when I shift. I'm not stomping on the shift lever, but I am surprised at how loud it is.
Are these sounds normal, or do I have an issue that needs to be addressed?
Thanks,
Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 604
Likes: 0
From: STATE OF JEFFERSON
hey all,
just bought a 2010 rkc, and i have been riding a 98 fatboy for a number of years and got used to it's sounds and just want to check that some of what i hear on my rkc is normal.
I hear a lot more valve noise than i am used to. It doesn't sound bad, just loud. In first gear the tranny whines a bit, especially on accel and decel. The shifter makes a noticeable "clunk" when i shift. I'm not stomping on the shift lever, but i am surprised at how loud it is.
Are these sounds normal, or do i have an issue that needs to be addressed?
Thanks,
just bought a 2010 rkc, and i have been riding a 98 fatboy for a number of years and got used to it's sounds and just want to check that some of what i hear on my rkc is normal.
I hear a lot more valve noise than i am used to. It doesn't sound bad, just loud. In first gear the tranny whines a bit, especially on accel and decel. The shifter makes a noticeable "clunk" when i shift. I'm not stomping on the shift lever, but i am surprised at how loud it is.
Are these sounds normal, or do i have an issue that needs to be addressed?
Thanks,
Road Warrior
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,570
Likes: 2
From: East Tennessee
Geez, I put 240 miles on mine in the first three hours I owned it.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,570
Likes: 2
From: East Tennessee
That clunk everyone hears on their bikes is actually a good sound. It lets you know that everything is where it is supposed to be. Some folks put in their favorite heavy weight oil to quieten that sound but I want to hear it. I want to know that the gears engaged like they are supposed to.
I race boats and if I don't hear that clunk when I put it in gear, I dont race. A lot of the guys I have raced with over the years used to use Redline gear oil to reduce or eliminate that clunk sound. If you have ever been zinging down the lake and heard a drive come out of gear and watched that 700-1000 hp motor blow all to hell, you will understand the importance of that clunk sound. A bike is no different.
I am not knocking Redline lube. It is ok stuff but the fact that it is cushions the engagement of gears and eliminates that clunk sound is not as great as some would have you think. If you cant hear the clunk, you dont know if it your lube that is preventing it or if you have a problem in your gearing. Learn to live with the noises, they sound better than your mechanic when he tells you how much you are going to have to pay to get them back.
I race boats and if I don't hear that clunk when I put it in gear, I dont race. A lot of the guys I have raced with over the years used to use Redline gear oil to reduce or eliminate that clunk sound. If you have ever been zinging down the lake and heard a drive come out of gear and watched that 700-1000 hp motor blow all to hell, you will understand the importance of that clunk sound. A bike is no different.
I am not knocking Redline lube. It is ok stuff but the fact that it is cushions the engagement of gears and eliminates that clunk sound is not as great as some would have you think. If you cant hear the clunk, you dont know if it your lube that is preventing it or if you have a problem in your gearing. Learn to live with the noises, they sound better than your mechanic when he tells you how much you are going to have to pay to get them back.
Last edited by HalfFast; Feb 19, 2010 at 06:36 PM.
Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 604
Likes: 0
From: STATE OF JEFFERSON
mine clunks a lil from nutural to 1st after that if i do a lot of shifting well i sometimes go for 6th gear the only problem with that is i don't have a 6th gear to go to LOL ya i forget what gear im in SOMETIMES .wish i had gear ind on my dash pannel my sport bike had a shift light on the tach . my 06 R K SHIFTS REAL SMOOTH ALMOST TO GOOD .
Last edited by BLACK BAGGER; Feb 19, 2010 at 06:57 PM.