Wife and I took a trip to Asheville for a week. 525 miles to the city my 12 King had developed a nice rattle at around 4500miles. Met up with friends and planned the next few days rides in the mountains. After 2 days of the parkway, the dragon, little river road, and 421 from cherokee to Gatlinburg, the rattle sounded more like a knock. I went to Swananoa Hd tech said sounds normal. Great...lets ride come get me when she blows. 2 more days of mountain riding in my home states best country and I litterally was suprised this motor was still running...and like a scalded dog. Finally Friday went back to HD now that she was making the rattle and knock at idle rolled up to the service door and yelled in can you hear it now?
I may add I changed the oil after the first shop stop and it was full of metal and black as coal.

She sits now tore down to the chassis with wiped oil pump, end of crank scored, cams not to bad, front piston skirt bad and front rod bearing wasted. Waiting and a new motor.

We got a rental car and came home last night.

Even though she blew a motor I had the best ride in a long time with 1500 or so on the triplog and she held together till the end. I would have run her home blown but was afraid of being stranded in a less than par spot. Looks like I will be breakin in a new mill when I go back to Ashville to pick her up.

And no... at this point know one can pinpoint cause of failure. No detonation, I don't lug so your guess is as good as mine.

 

out of curiosity, did you get the bike new?
Did you do the break-in period ?
I know a guy recently bought a brand new 13 the day before Laconia and beat the crap out of it getting up there and back all the while in the rain, lol.
He is having some issues now too.
Just a thought as I said.
glad you didnt get stranded.
Lump

 

Too bad. At least you didn't have to get towed.

 

In any case would be warranty... 2 years on a 12.

 

Yeah warranty.

Yes I did a proper break in.

3rd new bike.

I am wanting ro say the motor had a weird sound in the bottom end since day one.

Its mechanical and **** happens. I havnt put the miles many on here do but 4 bikes, over 50k miles since I started riding in 99 and this is the first issue I have ever had.

 

A testament to really the strength of the motor. At least 6/700miles of pullin some nasty hills she was still running strong.

Also as a side note the mechanic asked me about theoil light. I only saw it flicker for a second after a start up the morning I took it back to the shop.

Lead mechanic also said now after this...anyone who comes in about a noise they are gonna pull the crank sensor and look for metal on it.

 

You did exactly like you are supposed to do in that you were concerned that something did not sound right and you gave them an opportunity to fix/analyze/or correct it before it destroyed itself. They chose not to do anything and now the MOCO gets to foot the bill and the dealer gets to charge them for their labor.

 

They should all investigate frakin motor noise instead of the usual responses, rediculous.

 

I agree. I specifically told the tech it was not valves and the motor was hammering. My exact words were this is not my first, this just happened at 4500miles and I could hear it over and above the valves. Naturally after 600miles of a rod knocking it was pretty evident.

 

So you changed the oil, saw it was "full of metal" and made the decision to keep riding it.

Sounds good to me.........