Feel light tapping or banging on floorboards
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 92
Likes: 0
From: Ct
I've tried stock and aftermarket exhaust, heat shields on/heat shields off, bags on/ bags off, not bump dependent, only approx. 2700 through 3500 rpms under light load, pull clutch in goes away. 4 hours on lift first visit, 2 hours on second visit with factory rep present. Rep said he was stumped, was going to speak to milwaukee about what to do next.
Road Master
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,097
Likes: 2
From: USA
Could be your floor board insert touching the floor board!
As the bike ages the rubber that seperates the insert from the board itself wears out and gets even more soft on hot days.
Next time it happens push down really hard with your foot so you are smashing the two metal parts together and see if it makes it go away.
.
As the bike ages the rubber that seperates the insert from the board itself wears out and gets even more soft on hot days.
Next time it happens push down really hard with your foot so you are smashing the two metal parts together and see if it makes it go away.
.
Supporter
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 4,419
Likes: 90
From: Vermont
If that is a Cobra head pipe on your bike, it looks like it is, look at the exhast where it exits the front head and make note whether you see marks on the frame down tube right in front of the pipe as it turns downward. The Cobra head pipe does not have enough clearance, 1/4" and less, and when the bike gets warm and the mounts etc soften up, the heat shield in that front head pipe area lightly contacts the frame down tube. You feel it in the floor boards as a tapping and ocassionally you may also hear a noise like an errant lifter.
Tourer
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 338
Likes: 2
From: North Central CT
I have been having a RPM based vibe in my footboards since the day I picked it up AFTER the 1k service.
When I pulled out of the lot and wound it up and hit 3k-ish, I felt all kinds of weird vibes in the footboards. Had NEVER felt this way previous. I turned around and went back and commented on it. They've always said it feels "normal", but it was never there before the service.
The only thing I have been able to figure is that they changed all the oil to synthetic at that service and perhaps, perhaps (though it does not really make sense) somethign about the synthetic in the tranny or primary is different and allows for some kind of cavitation or something that I feel in the boards. Have yet to figure it out, but thinking of going back and pushing the issue. No other changes had been made to the bike by that time.
When I pulled out of the lot and wound it up and hit 3k-ish, I felt all kinds of weird vibes in the footboards. Had NEVER felt this way previous. I turned around and went back and commented on it. They've always said it feels "normal", but it was never there before the service.
The only thing I have been able to figure is that they changed all the oil to synthetic at that service and perhaps, perhaps (though it does not really make sense) somethign about the synthetic in the tranny or primary is different and allows for some kind of cavitation or something that I feel in the boards. Have yet to figure it out, but thinking of going back and pushing the issue. No other changes had been made to the bike by that time.
Club Member
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 5,817
Likes: 7,850
From: SE Louisiana
I've tried stock and aftermarket exhaust, heat shields on/heat shields off, bags on/ bags off, not bump dependent, only approx. 2700 through 3500 rpms under light load, pull clutch in goes away. 4 hours on lift first visit, 2 hours on second visit with factory rep present. Rep said he was stumped, was going to speak to milwaukee about what to do next.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 2,664
Likes: 184
From: Indiana, USA
I think you are on to something in the 1st service... You mentioned this started after the 1k mi Service and you requested synthetic fluids. I don't run it in mine but I have heard from some, the new 6 speed makes more noise with the synthetic oil. Could be what some hear as noise, you feel as vibration...
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 92
Likes: 0
From: Ct
Rep took it out for a couple of lengthy rides, said he had his hands all over the place trying to figure out where it was coming from. He described it the same way I did...an intermittant banging in the boards, that can also be felt to a lesser extent in the handle bars.
Cruiser
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 137
Likes: 0
Mine started doing this at 7000 miles, I now have 31,000 on it.....still there. I had % different dealers look at it, replaced all the mounts, 2 sets of tires, 2 different types of exhausts, 3 dyno tunes. Harley rep said he felt it, but can't find it.
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Verdad Gallardo
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In
Verdad Gallardo
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Verdad Gallardo
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept
Verdad Gallardo
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Verdad Gallardo
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026
Verdad Gallardo
Club Member
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 5,817
Likes: 7,850
From: SE Louisiana
I still think if they could make it show up with the bike stationary, use a stethoscope and have access to the whole bike, and find it.
He can't cover much of the bike while riding it.
They probably hope you just give up and accept what you have.
The banging in the boards would drive me crazy, it does it at the rpm's you cruise at, so that means it does it most all the time.
He can't cover much of the bike while riding it.
They probably hope you just give up and accept what you have.
The banging in the boards would drive me crazy, it does it at the rpm's you cruise at, so that means it does it most all the time.
Cruiser
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 205
Likes: 0
From: Central Virginia
Mine does this at higher RPMs as well. I have Monster Ovals with V&H True Duals. I've got a sneaking suspicion that the vibration is being transferred to the frame where the crossover mounts under the bike. It seems odd to me that the pipes should be hard mounted to the frame like that without any give when the mufflers themselves are allowed to move. Why mount the mufflers on rubber mounts under the saddle bags? I don't know, I'm not an engineer..