Hey, guys,

On my '08 XL1200C with 14K, I have noticed that I am getting some noise from the primary.

It only happens when I let it decelerate. The sound gets quieter as the RPMs go down.

If I pull in the clutch the sound disappears altogether. It's only a sound. Performance is not affected.

Before I crack it open, I thought I'd get some opinions here. Is it time to adjust the primary chain?

Thanks

 

If the primary chain hasn't been adjusted, I'd say that's the first step. Seems that around 15K iles was the first time I adjusted my primary chain. Normally though, the primary chain will make a noise if it's too tight, and the tendency is for the chain to become loose over time. It's pretty easy to check that, just pull off the inspection cover, and check the amount of play in the primary chain.

 

Thanks, SportyPig.

Occam's razor and all, but I couldn't help wondering if it could be something worse. It gets LOUD.

 

Yeah, fersure adjust the chain. I can't believe you rode 15K and never adjusted it. Takes all of ten minutes and simple handtools.

If it's making nuff noise for you to notice, you should also drain the primary fluid and examine it for debris.

 

Here's a link to a post on another forum for adjusting the primary chain. I followed the adjust by sound method and found it to work. The guy mentions that method on the second page. He was right. You can adjust it, but after you ride it and listen, you will need to do a little fine tuning. I had to back off the adjuster just a bit after a test ride.

http://xlforum.net/vbportal/forums/s...ad.php?t=10084