Vibration
- Thread starter firehd
- Start date
oowf
Member
Vibration - Thread still open
It's been a little while since I posted. Been enjoying a lot of summer riding.
In regard to vibration I have a question. Two actually!
First: I know it's a Harley.. I really DO know it's a Harley.. Hey... I bought it!
I have a vibration that has been bothering me for some time.. Not being able to find it, I have tried to ignore it with the 'internal' comment... "It's a Harley"... but I am quite sure mine is excessive! Why? At certain speeds I can see the vibration.. not just feel it... in the bars, fork throat and such...
I have also noticed over the last month that when I double up (one of the kids or a lady on the back) the vibration is worse. I don't remember this phenomena back when I was younger.
Yesterday I went to this really long, long hill and with the engine at idle and clutch pulled in all the way, I coasted to about seventy or eighty MPH. The ride was smooth as silk. When I let the clutch out (in fifth gear of course) the vibration came back as usual.
I could be wrong but this tells me the often mentioned problems of wheel alignment, wheel balance etc. etc. can be ruled out and the vibration is simply a power train issue.
All mounts have been loosened and re torqued (according to specs with a slight bonus) several times this summer.
I have read somewhere about engine alignment. However, when I read the article I didn't pay a lot of attention to it as I wasn't headed in that direction at the time and now I don't know where I read it nor what it actually said.
Another issue that bothers me... and may or may not be related is this tin can sound... rattling sound... a very hard to describe sound that comes from somewhere on the left side... not sure if it is more at the primary area.. clutch area... and at times I have even thought it was the shift lever or clutch lever rattling... but it is a rattle / vibration/ yukky sound of some type... it happens when I turn a corner and don't down shift... (but the engine is not lugging!) It also occurs at normal highway speed with sudden acceleration (without down shifting) .. it also occurs in just normal slower 'in-town' driving if I accelerate a small bit without down shifting... and goes away as soon as little bit of speed is achieved.
This all sounds like engine lugging but in reality the engine is not lugging!
So.. if anyone can give some pointers on any of this I will be most grateful!
Thank You and have a great day!
Cheers!
It's been a little while since I posted. Been enjoying a lot of summer riding.
In regard to vibration I have a question. Two actually!
First: I know it's a Harley.. I really DO know it's a Harley.. Hey... I bought it!
I have a vibration that has been bothering me for some time.. Not being able to find it, I have tried to ignore it with the 'internal' comment... "It's a Harley"... but I am quite sure mine is excessive! Why? At certain speeds I can see the vibration.. not just feel it... in the bars, fork throat and such...
I have also noticed over the last month that when I double up (one of the kids or a lady on the back) the vibration is worse. I don't remember this phenomena back when I was younger.
Yesterday I went to this really long, long hill and with the engine at idle and clutch pulled in all the way, I coasted to about seventy or eighty MPH. The ride was smooth as silk. When I let the clutch out (in fifth gear of course) the vibration came back as usual.
I could be wrong but this tells me the often mentioned problems of wheel alignment, wheel balance etc. etc. can be ruled out and the vibration is simply a power train issue.
All mounts have been loosened and re torqued (according to specs with a slight bonus) several times this summer.
I have read somewhere about engine alignment. However, when I read the article I didn't pay a lot of attention to it as I wasn't headed in that direction at the time and now I don't know where I read it nor what it actually said.
Another issue that bothers me... and may or may not be related is this tin can sound... rattling sound... a very hard to describe sound that comes from somewhere on the left side... not sure if it is more at the primary area.. clutch area... and at times I have even thought it was the shift lever or clutch lever rattling... but it is a rattle / vibration/ yukky sound of some type... it happens when I turn a corner and don't down shift... (but the engine is not lugging!) It also occurs at normal highway speed with sudden acceleration (without down shifting) .. it also occurs in just normal slower 'in-town' driving if I accelerate a small bit without down shifting... and goes away as soon as little bit of speed is achieved.
This all sounds like engine lugging but in reality the engine is not lugging!
So.. if anyone can give some pointers on any of this I will be most grateful!
Thank You and have a great day!
Cheers!
You answered your own question about not downshifting and getting the noise. It sounds like pinging. Hope you are using high test in that bike. Don't try to motor out of a turn, downshift and drive away. You may not think you are lugging it but the motor is telling you otherwise. Do you have a tach on the bike?
oowf
Member
Hi Glider...
No, I don't have a tach on the bike. I ordered a tach some time ago and it came as is with no mounting devices at all. I often spend substantial time trying to determine where I can mount it on the bike (I will need to tool my own bracket/mounting device) but so far no luck other than on the top of the bar and I don't think that will look so good.
Back to the pinging... two things... why does it for sure come from the left of the bike? also, it's not just "motoring out fo the turn'... even after down shifting I get the sound... like I said... just for a very short time... after gaining some RPMs it goes away.
And I am using 97 octane... that's the highest I can get here.
Any comments on the vibration problem?
Thanks for your "always" helpful comments.
No, I don't have a tach on the bike. I ordered a tach some time ago and it came as is with no mounting devices at all. I often spend substantial time trying to determine where I can mount it on the bike (I will need to tool my own bracket/mounting device) but so far no luck other than on the top of the bar and I don't think that will look so good.
Back to the pinging... two things... why does it for sure come from the left of the bike? also, it's not just "motoring out fo the turn'... even after down shifting I get the sound... like I said... just for a very short time... after gaining some RPMs it goes away.
And I am using 97 octane... that's the highest I can get here.
Any comments on the vibration problem?
Thanks for your "always" helpful comments.
zyepod
Active Member
Re: Vibration - Thread still open
I saw this in another thread... Could this be the same thing as the noise your hearing?
"I would suggest installing the IDS. They make a fantastic difference in the 07 bikes. If the noise you are hearing sounds like a rattle or a can full of marbles when you are under slight acceleration , then the IDS will take care of it.
Always use a gear oil in the trans, the engine oil just will not stand up in there and Formula+ in the primary for best clutch operation.The Mobil1 has Moly in it which isn't good for wet clutches"
It's been a little while since I posted. Been enjoying a lot of summer riding.
In regard to vibration I have a question. Two actually!
First: I know it's a Harley.. I really DO know it's a Harley.. Hey... I bought it!
I have a vibration that has been bothering me for some time.. Not being able to find it, I have tried to ignore it with the 'internal' comment... "It's a Harley"... but I am quite sure mine is excessive! Why? At certain speeds I can see the vibration.. not just feel it... in the bars, fork throat and such...
I have also noticed over the last month that when I double up (one of the kids or a lady on the back) the vibration is worse. I don't remember this phenomena back when I was younger.
Yesterday I went to this really long, long hill and with the engine at idle and clutch pulled in all the way, I coasted to about seventy or eighty MPH. The ride was smooth as silk. When I let the clutch out (in fifth gear of course) the vibration came back as usual.
I could be wrong but this tells me the often mentioned problems of wheel alignment, wheel balance etc. etc. can be ruled out and the vibration is simply a power train issue.
All mounts have been loosened and re torqued (according to specs with a slight bonus) several times this summer.
I have read somewhere about engine alignment. However, when I read the article I didn't pay a lot of attention to it as I wasn't headed in that direction at the time and now I don't know where I read it nor what it actually said.
Another issue that bothers me... and may or may not be related is this tin can sound... rattling sound... a very hard to describe sound that comes from somewhere on the left side... not sure if it is more at the primary area.. clutch area... and at times I have even thought it was the shift lever or clutch lever rattling... but it is a rattle / vibration/ yukky sound of some type... it happens when I turn a corner and don't down shift... (but the engine is not lugging!) It also occurs at normal highway speed with sudden acceleration (without down shifting) .. it also occurs in just normal slower 'in-town' driving if I accelerate a small bit without down shifting... and goes away as soon as little bit of speed is achieved.
This all sounds like engine lugging but in reality the engine is not lugging!
So.. if anyone can give some pointers on any of this I will be most grateful!
Thank You and have a great day!
Cheers!
I saw this in another thread... Could this be the same thing as the noise your hearing?
"I would suggest installing the IDS. They make a fantastic difference in the 07 bikes. If the noise you are hearing sounds like a rattle or a can full of marbles when you are under slight acceleration , then the IDS will take care of it.
Always use a gear oil in the trans, the engine oil just will not stand up in there and Formula+ in the primary for best clutch operation.The Mobil1 has Moly in it which isn't good for wet clutches"
Re: Vibration - Thread still open
That IDS is for the 07 touring only. There is no retrofit for older bikes and the touring is the only line it's made for as far as fit.
That IDS is for the 07 touring only. There is no retrofit for older bikes and the touring is the only line it's made for as far as fit.
oowf
Member
Glider, (and everyone else)
You were right with suggesting something loose. This bike is ten years old.. both front controls (shifter and rear brake) brackets and levers were worn enough they wrattled. I reworked them yesterday with some thin, cork washer type shims I made and yesterday afternoon I took her out for a test ride and the noise was much less.
Zyepod gave the best description of the noise (a can full of marbles) and there is still a noise but now with it being reduced I can sort of tell where it is coming from and it actually sounds like it's from the Springer forks... I'll check on that today.
No one has yet to comment on the vibration...
Cheeers...
You were right with suggesting something loose. This bike is ten years old.. both front controls (shifter and rear brake) brackets and levers were worn enough they wrattled. I reworked them yesterday with some thin, cork washer type shims I made and yesterday afternoon I took her out for a test ride and the noise was much less.
Zyepod gave the best description of the noise (a can full of marbles) and there is still a noise but now with it being reduced I can sort of tell where it is coming from and it actually sounds like it's from the Springer forks... I'll check on that today.
No one has yet to comment on the vibration...
Cheeers...