HD Customer Service. 07 clatter? Please call, report, and post what they say here. I called and the person on the phone acted as if it was the first time they had heard of any such "rattle". They were aware of the whine but said the clatter was something different altogether.

I was told I would be gotten back to in 2 days or so.

Interesting.

 

calling them now.

 

I called them several months ago twice and reported the clatter, so you're not the first. I was even refered to Level 2 support (drivetrain section). In the last conversation we discussed using higher-viscosity primary and tranny oil to squelch the clatter, and was told that since there is no problem in HD's eyes there also isn't a fix. Others on this forum have said they also have called, and I don't doubt they have.

FWIW, changing to 20w50 fossil engine oil (Castrol GTX) in the primary and 85w140 gear oil (Royal Purple) in the tranny has all but eliminated the clatter in 5th, and it is gone in 6th. It still can be heard in 5th when RPM's fall below about 2300, but it isn't intrusive like it was in the past. Whine is still there, but is also not intrusive.

 

[sm=ummmmokay.gif]
no toll free number?[sm=WTFsgign.gif]

 

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/ Post your complaint here.HD has to answer these.Hds C/S is a waste of time,at best they will move your case to someone that will honestly tell you that indeed there is a noise.Or they will secretly contact you and speak of some tricks up their sleeves move to buy them more time.Several owners have been thru this late last spring and no ones bike was fix.My bikes case has been thru their legal dept for buy back.You can guess what their answer was!Call a lawyer or band together and go after them.Or do what the rest have done and trade it in on a softail or dyna.The 08s will not have this complaint or these guys will be out a job.

 

If putting in a complaint at that site, does anyone have a referencenumber of complaint they have filed so others can review it and write similar details?

 

Found them for you. The issue with the glowing pipes is because MoCo has to run them lean as hell to meet EPA emissions standards. Have Dr. Dyno or someone tweak it in for you. As for the rattling, under Complaints you'll find the following:

10171298 (FLHRS) (your bike)
Make: HARLEY DAVIDSON Model: FLHRS

Year: 2007 Complaint Number: 10171298 Summary: NEW 2007 HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLE RUNS SO HOT THAT AT NIGHT THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD GLOWS CHERRY RED. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD. TRANSMISSION CLATTERS AND WHINES. DEALER REFUSES TO ADDRESS EITHER CONCERN. *NM

10169586 (FLHR)
Summary: 2007 HARLEY DAVIDSON ROAD KING STANDARD. THE TRANSMISSION/OR DRIVETRAIN MAKES A WHIRLING AND CLATTERING SOUND IN 5TH GEAR AND SOME IN 6TH AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. I TOOK TO DEALER FOR SERVICE AND TO INVESTIGATE. I WAS TOLD IT WAS NORMAL AND THERE WAS A LETTER FROM HARLEY DAVIDSON MOTOCO THAT THE NOISE WAS NORMAL. TRANSMISSIONS SHOULD NOT SOUND LIKE THIS, IT SOUNDS LIKE THERE IS A PROBLEM IN IT AND I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT IT COULD LOCK UP AT HIGHWAY SPEED. THIS COULD POSSIBLY BE FATAL IF IT WERE TO HAPPEN. FROM THE SERVICE AND THE LETTER FROM HD IT APPEARS THEY ARE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. *JB
(2 complaints):
Complaint #1:
10175518 (FLHRC) (Classic)
Summary: DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHRC MOTORCYCLES TRANSMISSION MADE A RATTLING SOUND. THE SERVICE DEALER EXPRESSED THERE WAS NO DEFECT OR FIX AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED CONCERN OF A DEFECT.
Complaint #2:

10185266


Summary: THIS COMPLAINT IS ABOUT A SAFTEY ISSUE WITH THE 2007 HARLEY DAVIDSON ROAD KING I PURCHASED IN DEC 2006. THE BIKE HAS A VERY LOUD CLATTER EMITTING FROM THE ENGINE, SOUNDS LIKE THE VALVE TRAIN OR TRANSMISSION. IT APPEARS THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS THE ATTENTION OF MANY 2007 OWNERS WITH LATE 2006 PRODUCTION RELEASE MOTORCYCLES. THE BIKES ALSO RUN VERY HOT AND ARE NOT RIDABLE IN WEATHER OVER 70 DEGREES. IM CONCERNED THAT THERE IS POSSIBLE MECHANICAL FAILURE EMINENT WICH COULD RESULT IN FATAL CONSEQUENCES. HALREY DAVIDSON CUSTOMER SERVICE PROCLAIMS THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG AND WILL NOT TAKE RESPONCIBLITY FOR THESE PROBLEMS. THEY DID ISSUE A TOURQE SMOOTHING RECALIBRATION THAT DID NOTHING FR THE LOUD CLATTER EMITTING FROM THE ENGINE, AND ULTRA HOT TEMPS. WE NEED YOUR HELP.

 

That site is for SAFETY issues. Has any one been hurt because of the noise?

 

Not yet.
Real question is why do we have to wait for someone to get hurt (or killed)?

 

I'm sorry. I got side tracked.

I did call HD customer service. I've spoken to Steve Phillips, VP of Quality and Customer Service. He's had his top guy call me back on several occasions. Last time we talked about heavier fluids and the addition of a SERT. SERT is out for me as I bought the extended warranty and using one will void it. The heavier fluid (Bel Ray 75 - 140 gear lube in the tranny, Amsoil 20-50 in Primary and engine) didn't make any difference. I had this done at a independent shop. I asked the tech after he test rode it if 5th was still making a lot of noise, he told me he didn't notice any. So at this point I beleive that its all in my head.
HD doesn't see this as a problem and there is no fix on the way.