13 days out of warranty, and my 09 FXD has just under 12,000 miles on it. When I ride out of my driveway over a 4" curb I get a loud clunk in the front end. I can barely feel it in the handlbars. Bike handles and rides just fine (and I do drag pegs and mufflers regularly). Is it possible to have low oil in the front shocks from the factory? Would the bike ride good with a broken spring? Can I check the fork oil without removing the tubes? Service manual just says you must remove them to change oil, but doesn't say if I can check it on the bike. Are the top nuts on the forks under spring pressure if I have the front wheel off the ground? I'm no stranger to a wrench, but don't want to break anything.

 

Check your front fuel tank mounting bolts! I am on atrip right now and last wednesday I started having a loud "clunk" in my front end. It was around four thirty just east of Bloomington Ill. I found a super eight in town, unloaded the bike and looked in my tour guid for the closest H-D dealer. It was Chucks H-D in Bloomington so I gave them a call. Its now about 5:40 and they say they are open till 6. Just four miles from the hotel! Rush down there (they kept the shop open for me) and they had been making bets on what the problem was when I got there. Sure enough, it was the tank bolts being loose. Quick twist of the wrenches, and they sent me on my way at no charge! Thanks to dealers like this my trip is going smooth and worry free. I did go back the next morning and get some T's and a clear shield for my helmet. Thanks again Chucks H-D, you guys are GOLDEN!

 

My '08 Wide Glide has started doing the same. I phoned a dealer and they said that 3 out of 5 bikes that come in with the clunking sound originates from a loose fuel tank. I shook the heck out of mine and it seems tight both front and back. I'm taking it in Tuesday to a local Indy and he thinks that if there isn't a problem with the inner springs, (which it feels like when you rock it with the fnt brake applied), it could be the inner head bearing out of torque. That feels tight also. No fork oil leaking by the way. I hear the best way to assess is to elevate the bike off the ground.

 

Check gas tank bolts, top motor mount bolts and steering head nut.