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23K, hard bangs, and winter projects

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Old Nov 8, 2011 | 03:21 PM
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mastery
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Default 23K, hard bangs, and winter projects

I've turned 23K miles on the '08 Ultra today, 7K the first two years together, 16K this year. It's been maintained with fluids, bolt tightening, and other minor things. Just put new brakes on two months ago. I got 16K on the E3s, and even though I think I can get a couple K more out of them, I'll have them replaced while the bike is sitting during the coldest months. It also got new handlebars, clutch cable, and battery over the summer months.

Got enough chrome on it, figured it's time to put some money into the maintenance of it and make sure it's good to go for another summer coming, with two different cross country trips being planned right now.

Anyways, it's always started with a BANG!, much louder than most of the other bikes around me in groups, coming from the bike deep in the engine area. I mean, as soon as I hit the ignition switch, it starts, immediately BAM!...sounds like the engine blew up...but then idles down quickly and runs fine. It's gotten worse, and I figure this winter it will get a new S/E compensator installed from the local Indy since everybody keeps telling me what's causing it. While he has it, anything else that I ought to have him check while in the engine? The local Indy is sure to give it a look over, but he's not the type to bloat a bill, so figured I may specifically name some things to really eyeball. Cam tensioners are something to give a good eye to while in there, right? Anything I should have replaced in there while he's in it, that's a good worthwhile investment in the bike? Not interested in a 110 upgrade kit or anything...but if something fairly cheap will extend the life of the bike, I'll have the Indy do it while in there.

Anyways, open to ideas to keep an eye out for at 23K miles on the bike. Still rides great and runs like the day I rode it off the lot for the first time (other than the ever increasing loud bangs). Thanks!
 

Last edited by mastery; Nov 8, 2011 at 04:11 PM.
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Old Nov 8, 2011 | 03:56 PM
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Bill03E
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Shouldn't have to open the cam chest on an 08 for about 30,000 more miles.
 
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Old Nov 8, 2011 | 04:13 PM
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Originally Posted by Bill03E
Shouldn't have to open the cam chest on an 08 for about 30,000 more miles.
Well, the loud bam as it starts is 3-5x louder than any other 08 I've listened to...something ain't right in there. Of course, it does it every start for 3 years...it's just getting much louder now, to where others with the start-up bang tell me to go get it looked at soon...
 
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