Interesting. Thinking back, this could have started when the bike was very hot. It was 90 in South Carolina, and then in TN & NC when I got stuck on the I-40 in avalanche traffic. I just got back from a 4700 mile ride. I now have just under 30,000 miles on the bike.

Thanks, all, for the advice.

Cannon

 

Same with mine here, at 16K primary bearings and race were shot. In neutral it sounded normal, when I engaged to 1st, the noise would start and continue true all the gears.

 

Cannon,

have them check the cam chain tensioner while they're in there...maybe even a chrome inner primary cover???

 

If it was the tensioner it will not fix itself, it ratchets up tightening the chain but will not adjust back down.

 

That makes sense. Maybe i have a bearing going.

 

Giving it more thought, here's some more info:

1) It only does it when the engine is hot
2) It does not make the noise when the engine is in gear
3) It does not make the noise when the bike is driving
4) It does not make the noise when the clutch is pulled in
5) It only does it when the bike is put into neutral from gear, and only intermittently

Cannon

 

Well, at least I know I'm not going crazy. Or, at least not for this reason, anyways.

So, it was indeed my innder primary race that was shot. New parts are in, but my Doctor won't have it together until after the weekend. Rats. Now I have to spend the entire weekend on my custom softail.

Oh well. Thanks to all for the advice. Bike has just about 30,000 miles on it - something like 29,750.

Cannon

 

Glad to hear you caught it and it's being repaired. I just hope the updated bearing will last longer than the stock bearing. Another thread said something about the bearing race being soft in spots leading to early failure.

I installed a new chain tensioner thinking that it might be smart considering it had some wear on the show. I'm also thinking that it might have had something to do with the early bearing failure. The tensioner I received was an updated version of the stock one I ordered.

Interesting that so many others are having failures at such low mileage.

Steve

 

I had a tranny mainshaft bearing replaced at 32k, which actually started whining at 19k, and while that was being fixed the primary was pulled apart. I checked everything including the primary bearing and it all looked fine, so I put it all back together with no new parts in the primary. I hope both the primary and tranny bearing problems are the result of a bad batch of bearings rather than something we can plan on fixing at some point in time.

BTW HD picked up the tab even though the bike was out of warranty by 10 months. I did report it before the 2-yr. factory warranty was up, so maybe that qualified it. I also installed the SE compensator while everything was apart since there was no additional labor charge.

 

I do have a lifetime warranty on the engine & drivetrain from where I bought it. Or, I think it may be 50/50 since they aren't doing the work. Meh. I'm going to send them the bill and see what happens.

I just wish I had thought of it when I replaced my entire clutch basket, starter & ring gear over the winter. Then I wouldn't have had to take the damned thing apart twice.

Cannon