by the sound of their bike? Has anyone adjusted theirs while on a long tirp? If so did you have tools to do the job with you?I put a winshield on my ("08" 900mls)sporty and it enabled me to hear the motor more, and thats when I noticed mine. Will I need to check it often like the oil and tires, or can I go by the recommened service schedule after this first ajusting, and listen for noise of trouble betweenservices?

 

Just go by the service schedule and you will be fine, if you don't have a manual; get one a goot investment.

 

The primary chain very rarley ever needs adjusting. I've seen some need adjusting by 20,000 miles and some have gone nearly 80,000 miles. Alot depends how the machine was ridden.

I had 69,000 miles on my 1998 Electra Glide before the primary chain needed adjusting. At that time, I also replaced the shoe as well. Again at115,000 miles, the primary chain and the shoe needed replacing. At 165,000 miles.....the primary chain and sprocket was replaced. Every 20,000 miles, I would check the chain and shoe. Change the fluid once a year with usually around 10,000 miles on it.

Never once ever needed to adjust the primary on a trip. I however did change the fluid in a parking lot at a truckers stop once, it was standstill traffic for along time and the clutch was beginning to slip. On a 1992 FXDL, I changed the primary fluid somewhere in Alaska near a railroad....ONLY because the belt snapped.

Most bikes, if not all of the current Harleys have the automatic adjuster installed. That pretty much leaves inspecting the shoe and changing primary fluid.

 

I'd adjust it once after the initial breakin period, maybe at 5k. Then you should be good for a long time.

 

As the primary chain gets loose you will feel more and more jerk when letting off the throttle and back on the throttle. A proper adjusted chain will be smooth and almost NO slack jerk. As you get experience rideing you will come to know this feel for chain slack and time to adjust.

 

install a M6 auto chain adjuster it smooths out the drivetrain as an added bonus .I have used them in many bikes trouble free and maintenance free

 

Not sure what harley recomends I adjust every oil change.then again I ****** the throttle,do spd shots and basicaly abuse the hell out of it.I can also tell becuase the bike gets a certain vibration that comes when its loose.