Ok this is the second Iron ive had and they both have done this and i also bought them both brand new. The first one was a lemon bike and after 5000 miles Harley had no choice (other than court) but to replace the bike and install all my parts onto the new one giving me a new super tuner too. Well i have noticed that this one , which ive had 2yrs in July but after it has sat a month or two and i get it out and warm it up good befor ei ride the bike , but the shifter shaft seeps a little oil. The first one i had done this until the replaced the shifter shaft seal. This one done it last yr but it stopped pretty quickly. I just dont like this,. It will finally stain the u know what outta my side cover. They are gonna put me a new one in but i just wander how many of u guys have had this trouble. I have ran amsoil from break in change top and bottom. Thanks guys!

 

thats a really common oil leak... on ALL sportsters. There's a spring on the inside of the seal and you have to be extremely careful putting the new seal in or the spring stretches too much or the rubber gets gashed. good luck!

 

My 2012 seeps at the shift shaft thought it was the nature of the beast.
And was that what the first bike was replaced for?

 

Oh no they replaced the first bike because the front cylinder hqad been starved for oil and bent valves , caused them to have to rebuild the front cylinder. I let them do that and then it started giving computer problems. The speedo would just quite and the check engine lite would come on but no code. They replaced the ecm but that did not work. It was replaced because they couldnt find this problem and i was tired of sitting at the dealership on my day off when i bought the bike to ride. I told them i was hiring an attorney and they made it right. The first bike was given a chance to be repaired. I just didnt feel i got what i payed for. I love my bike now. It is night an day to the first one.

 

I have an 08, 1200. I have not had that problem. I get a little seep on the clutch cable. 22,000 miles.

 

Yes this is a common issue w/Sportsters, but how are you hitting the shifter? Make sure you're not "mashing" the peg through each gear...light tapping (up/down) is all that's needed. I've seen some riders "banging" shifter like it's a kick-starter which is way too much force. Not saying this is your scenario - just throwing out the info...

 

Nah i dont bang the gears. Sometimes i dont think i hit them hard enuff going up gears cause you know how a bike does when you dont get it into gear. Its never went between the gears or anything but i have felt it bump my foot kinda through the shifter pegg , if this makes any since. I dont know sometimes i catch my self changing gears a little fast. I have been really watching it thought. My bike has only 5600 miles on it. I take very tedious care of it! im not hard on it but i do ride it!!
No slapping gears hard though. Thank for your replys they are great!