UPDATE: So, just now I went to go take a picture to show you, and when I gave the cover a MUCH more close inspection, I found that behind the plate you remove with the two allen screws is a piece of plastic that seals the hole.

It faked me out, I though it was part of the case (same black color and texture as the case), but I was able to pry it off with a fine flat screwdriver and there is the chain!!!

False alarm guys, sorry about that.


Original post:

Just a heads up, if you want to inspect and or adjust your primary chain on a newer sporty (mine is a 2012 XL883N) you are going to need to remove the entire transmission case cover (and the left footpeg).

I pulled the metal primary inspection cover today as part of some routine maintenance to inspect the deflection on the primary chain, and to my total disappointment, is 100% for show, the case is solid metal behind that plate, you cannot see anything inside the case at all.

That means pulling the case cover entirely, replacing the fluid, and possibly replacing the primary case cover gasket, just to adjust the darn primary chain (as you have to do at 1k, 5K, 10K miles, etc...).

Rather annoying if you ask me, I figure Harley did this to inspire more guys like me to bend over at the dealer, but that ain't happening.

 

As dumb as this probably sounds, is the primary cover from an older model interchangeable?

 

Doesn't sound dumb to me, I don't know if an older cover would fit, but I'd consider swapping one on if I found one that had a functional window and fit right.

Many years ago I decided that I would be the only one to wrench on my motorcycles, unless the job was over my head. This happened after the fourth or fifth time I paid for service (not harley, metric dealerships) and got a bike back with loose fasteners, covered in oil, stuff over torqued, belt not aligned properly, etc... I had to learn the hard way that no one else was going to wrench on my bike with the respect and care that I apply when I work on my own machines. I started doing my own work and never looked back. Its intimidating at first, until you really get your hands dirty, then you realize that anyone with an iota of mechanical aptitude can do 95% of the jobs on any motorcycle.

I'm planning on letting HD techs do a 1200 upgrade in a year or two, but everything else I'll do myself.

 

If what the OP says is true, I doubt its interchangeable.

On all previous years, you have to completely loosen the chain adjuster to get the primary cover on and off, so it's impossible to adjust the chain with the primary cover off. The adjuster is bolted through the primary cover. When you remove the cover, you're removing the adjuster.

 

So, just now I went to go take a picture to show you, and when I gave the cover a MUCH more close inspection, I found that behind the plate you remove with the two allen screws is a piece of plastic that seals the hole.

It faked me out, I though it was part of the case (same black color and texture as the case), but I was able to pry it off with a fine flat screwdriver and there is the chain!!!

False alarm guys, sorry about that.

PICS:




Here is the plastic plate that I mistook for metal....



Once you pry off the plate, you see the chain as expected...

 

They have been like that for a while, my 07 model year 1200N is the same

 

LOL, that "plastic" thing is the gasket that keeps it from leaking. Although mine is a neoprene rubber.

 

This piece is hard plastic. Knock a tool against it and you hear a "click" sound, that is how I mistook it for metal, I knocked my ratchet against it and the sound made me think it was part of the metal case.

I have things here made of neoprene rubber, this is most definitely not that.

I'm just glad that they didn't close up that hole, it didn't make any sense when I saw it.

Thanks for pointing out that mistake, saved me $10 in extra 20w50 for the primary, a gasket, and an hour of swearing at myself.

 

Wanna bet it was a bean counter and not an engineer, that decided a piece of hard plastic would suffice as a gasket?
I wonder how long it will be before the "leaking inspection cover" threads become as frequent as the 07up "leaking rocker cover" threads?

.

 

LOL seriously. When I pulled it off, I looked around to see if I had dropped an O ring or a rubber backing...but nope...its just a piece of hard plastic.

And I totally agree that it must have been a bean counter that thought hard plastic would suffice for a gasket application.

Interestingly, no seepage so far. I have a tiny bit from around the shifter, but its not very much at all, maybe a few drops over about 900 miles. I drained a full quart of fluid from the case, so I know it wasn't leaking before I changed it.

Lots of nice metallic grit on the magnetic head of the drain plug, but that is typical for a brand new bike.

Next oil/primary change I'll send in my fluids to Blackstone and get a good analysis, I'll post those up for anyone who is interested. I always get regular oil analysis done for all my vehicles.