Hi all.. new here and need some help. I have a 2001 bagger, 42k miles. My problem is... When bike is COLD( not run for a day or so), when I start her up and ride down my hill, I get a fairly loud, as my wife calls it.. "sleigh bell jingle sound". It only happens when I'm off throttle, clutch out and rolling, or decelerating. If I give it throttle, it goes away. If I pull the clutch in it stops. After a few miles and as the bike warms up, it goes away. My guess was a bad comp. sprocket, so I took the primary cover off and looked around in there. Everything LOOKED ok, but obviously something ain't right in there. Primary chain was properly tightened... everything looked good. Sounds like the noise is coming from the primary...or am I chasing the wrong area? How would I know if the comp. sprocket was bad ? Its been doing this for a while, but it seems to be getting louder, and winter is a good time to see what's going on. Any help would be greatly appreciated !!!!

 

Hi Rayban-

First before opening the primary ALWAYS disconnect the battery.
manipulating the primary drive may activate the starter motor...and pluck off fingers.

This can occur with your keys in the next State.

For the noise- try a stethoscope or a long rod/screwdriver handle to your ear-bone and contact the other end to various parts of the motor...try to track down the location.

my first guess would be in the clutch


welcome to the forums

Mike

 

Could be your drive belt. I'd have sworn my problem noise was coming from the primary, but it was originating from the belt drive sprocket. Lubed the belt and the noise is gone.

 

What did you use to lube belt ? Mine sounds more mettalic but I'll look into anything!

 

I had same problem with an evo softail. Use water from a hose
to soak the belt/pulley b4 taking off for your test ride.
If it is the belt/pulleys the noise will be gone.
Also had a chrome primary cover (kurryakn)on a bagger rubbing an exhaust heat shield clamp, same thing when hot it went away.

 

I had a similar problem turned out to be a headbolt cover

 

Mine sounded like a metallic chirping - under precisely the circumstances you've described. Thought for sure it was coming from much higher up on the bike, and more forward. Like under the tank, even.

Tried silicon spray on the exhaust hangers, engine mounts, etc. After reading here, tried it on the belt - noise gone. But it didn't last long. So I used a LITTLE bit of lithium all-purpose grease. Noise gone permanently.

I understand Harley, as you would expect, makes a proprietary lube for this application, but I'm fine with the nice clean, white lithium grease.

PS: as coincidence would have it, mine's a 2001 also.