dyna with clunk - Harley Davidson Forums: Harley Davidson Motorcycle Forum

lostgringo · 09-14-2009, 01:03 PM

my 09 dyna with 200 kms makes a heavy clunk sound when i hit even a small bump on the road. sounds like the motor is about to fall off, seriously. dealer is closed today so have to wait. i took off derby but all looks kosher there, i m afraid to start it.
seems like it clunked that way when i start it up, since new, but only once and guy at the shop said was normal so i let it go. almost always did that trick
yesterday it started doing the same hard clunk while i was riding, especially with bumps, up to the point where even a crack in the road did it, natch i turned it off and parked it.
anybody got thots on that?

Hawkmann · 09-14-2009, 01:31 PM

If you mean the sound like someone hitting the engine case with a hammer when you thumb the starter button, it's the compensator sprocket.
Clunking over bumps could be low fork oil.

sirbOOm · 09-14-2009, 02:03 PM

I've heard this 4 times now, once from a friend. The guy in the forums had to fight the dealership 4 times until they ripped apart his front suspension. Not sure of the result. The big cluck when starting is normal.

lostgringo · 09-14-2009, 02:08 PM

Hawkman,
well, yes and no. The hammer would be more like a two pounder hitting on something super solid like the crankshaft.
same thing on bumps now, its really scary.
and isnt suspension related as best as i can tell, i can jump on the bars etc and no effect, but if i hit a small bump in the road, wham!
I will check the oil tho, my confidence in this dealer is wayyyy low.

compensator? whats that? if related to starter motor cant be it cause it happens while motoring.

sirbOOm · 09-14-2009, 02:14 PM

My Street Bob makes ridiculous noises... the 96" is questionable IMO. But the guy I know would go over bumps and here a crack or clunk sound. He's back and forth with the dealer trying to get them to man up. My bike makes no clunk sound going over bumps. So it ain't normal... and they wouldn't sell a bike if it clunked over bumps. Not normal. Just wonder what it is man... good luck!!

sirbOOm · 09-14-2009, 02:14 PM

Hell, know what. Take it back screaming lemon law. Make them hand over a different one. You shouldn't have to stress out about your bike when it has 200 KMs.

ReformedHippy · 09-14-2009, 02:30 PM

I have seen several cases of 'bump clunk' turn out to be as simple as a loose tank...I hope thats all it is...

lostgringo · 09-14-2009, 02:31 PM

LOL on screaming lemon law.
I HAD an 09 Buell Ulysses and it NEVER ran right, had some electrical problem and cut out at always the wrong moment. So I "traded" it in on the Dyna. cant help but wonder if someone is trying to tell me something. anyway we dont have lemon laws here, that trade cost me about two grand just to get rid of the Buell. Thanks a bunch Harley.

Lucky Chucky · 09-14-2009, 02:48 PM

The other day at a very low idle my 09 Fat Bob with less than 200 miles coasting down a hill to a stop sign and my bike felt like I ran over a boulder! Wasn't a pebble in site. I'm going to say this; just a guess please mechanics don't shoot me! I think it was the engine about to stall and it got a second gasp of fuel or air and fired back up. It bucked like a bronco. No hole in the crankcase, so I pressed on. Hasn't happened since then. Lots of compression and a heavy ass crank. That's my conclusion. No visable damage, or audible damage, so I assume all is well. I don't think CVO means balanced and blue-printed, or anything else special. Just more chrome, different paint scheme, and a screaming eagle kit. No fine tooth come stuff. That's my story

lostgringo · 09-15-2009, 12:15 PM

BOY IS MY FACE RED!
the clunk was the steering pivot loose so it slammed against the bearings when it hit bumps.
sure, lousy dealer prep etc, but something i should have seen without help..
live and learn
thanks all you guys for your comments and suggestions, at least it wasnt as serious as i feared. guess im still gunshy from my experience with the buell