I've never used a sewing machine so can't really say, but somehow I don"t remember grandma's Singer sounding anything like a Road King.

 

I have a 2012 ultra classic with the 103 ci and 460 miles on it and I believe I can hear the "sewing machine" sound you're talking about. On mine it happens between 2400 and 2600 RPM. I think it's valve train noise and I think I've been reading it's pretty normal.

 

Nope. Mine sounds like a Harley Road King. I never heard a sewing machine sound like a Harley :-) Be a bad sewing machine, though. I also have tinnitus from the time of my dark days and hard rockin', so I may not hear the sounds anyway. So, I ride until it breaks and then I fix it and ride some more. Sorry if I'm not very helpful, but it's been raining all day and I had to drive 300 miles to visit my son (a worhtwhile endeavour, but I wish I could of rode the King, but it was raining really hard in several areas and I don't like riding on Interstates in the rain).

 

Windshield=top end (sewing machine)
Take off the windshield and it goes away. I ride mostly without the windshield. Only use it on long rides and in cold weather.

 

Mine sounds worse in cold weather and i think it's because the plastic is harder and resonates the sound better. In warm weather i notice that the noise is less. I don't know if this helps you but it's just my observation . Harley Davidson is just noisy, comes with the air cooled motor.

 

Thank you for the replies! I wear a half helmet and headphones and usually listen to Metallica.. Feels great but the other day I took it out w/o headphones and it just sounded so loud.. The exhaust noise I love, its just that constant ticking type noise, exactly how a sewing machine sounds but on a Harley- Look im not complaining about noise , noise is fine I just want to make sure its normal.

 

Yep, it's normal. As others have mentioned the windshield deflects the sound to th rider. Windshield off and all you hear is the exhaust.

 

I concur with the rest, it is normal. I've had a few Harleys and they all have had that noise. I have an 08 Ultra and it has that noise. Don't always pay attention to it.

 

My previous bike was a 2001 Yamaha V Star 1100. Now THAT sounded like a sewing machine. When I got my RKC I thought the top end was pretty loud but it's not the same as the V Star. The V Star sounded like a toy, the RKC like a mechanical machine.

 

I have the same noise on my 08 ultra, driving me bonkers!! I've had imports and never had noise like that, hopefully i can do something to quiet it down