Bought it with 4 miles on the clock. Since the very first time a rode it, it has had an incredibly irritating squeak/rattle coming from what seems to be the inner faring area or perhaps the tree area.
What makes it worse it that is doesn't do it 100% of the time. It is hard to tell if it is plastic on plastic, metal on plastic, or metal/metal. It is also really hard to pin point the exact area. If you get off the idling bike when its doing it and walk around to the front or stand by the side it cannot be heard. Grrrrr.. Sit in the saddle and its like a focused satellite sweet spot.
With the bike running I have pushed really hard on all parts of the fairing inside and out and cannot make it stop or change. There have been no mods to which have caused this.
At first i wondered if it was valve train noise but that was quickly dispelled because the frequency (sound pitch) of the noise does not change with rpm. That confirms it is not motor related.
It can be heard anywhere from idle, to a slow-roll in first, and Ive heard it up in the gears over 45 mph on roads with allot of texture. Often it takes roads with texture and/or expansion joints to set it off.
I hate taking my scoots to the dealership but I did recently for the clutch recall. I had tech take a look inside the faring which he did and found nothing. He rode it (with his full coverage helmet) and said he didn't hear it, (imagine that) but I heard it leaving the dealership. Perfect.
I owned a 2000 Electra Glide for 10 years and I have rented numerous other batwing EGs over the years and have never encountered this.
Pouch moving against the windshield would have been my first guess. But you seem to have ruled that out.
As suggested by Misinlink. Check all clamping points of the exhaust. Headers to mufflers. Pipes to head studs. Muffler clamp to pipes.
And all mounting points between system and frame.
Checking for proper alignment and that all fasteners are tight. I know you stated it did it pre 2 to 1 install. But check it to rule it out.
Thanks to all that have chimed in. Yeah I guess i need to remove the outer fairing and get the bike up on my PitBull. Then start a front to rear campaign checking every nut and bolt. What a load of crap. I seriously dont think its the exhaust because it did it brand new in stock form, and I did a very anal install of the D and D Fatcat exhaust making sure nothing binding or touching.
I had a similar rattle/squeak on the RK. I finally figured out the noise was coming from my new Corbin seat. The problem went away when I put the old HD seat back on the bike or would sit off center on the bike. Check your seat mounts or anything to do with your seat.
The fairing can rear noises sound like front noise. A couple ideas, could it be the fairing air vent, hold the top of the windshield, a speaker or instrument loose, a speaker baffle touching the outer fairing, is part of the new exhaust touching the frame or footboard anywhere, push down/in/out on each saddlebag. Damn rattles can drive ya nutz.
The dealer will probably tell you one of two things. "We can't hear it" or "they all do that".
I had a squeak that was driving me insane on my CVO SG. Turned out to be the right side mount for the turn signal. The top one was cross threaded and not screwed in all the way. I had to carefully spray it with penetrating oil and gently back it out. Went back in ok.
I notice a sound coming from my inner fairing (around right side) when I get the RPMs up near 3000. Sounds tinty.... like tin metal almost.
Does yours occur around 3000 RPM? I took my fairing apart and could find nothing loose.
This will be the last bike I own with a fairing....
I cant say I am 100% sure it is from the fairing but that is where it shows up to human ears the most. Other than possibly the exhaust I cant really pinpoint another squeak point on the motor somewhere. Ive re-inspected my exhaust and do not see any contact points.
I finally found my squeak, its only been driving me nuts for 3 years. Left side pipe hanger had play in it. Shoved some house wire where ya can't see it, wrapped it squeak gone. Didn't do it all the time. But when it was doing it, when I put my boot on my left pipe, it quit.
That did sound a bit goofy.. the rubber grommet had too much space, so the only thing I could think of was to stick some wire in the hanger making the rubber grommet grab around the hanger. Better??
I have the same thing, kept thinking it was the fuel lid rattling but popped it open and still there..I know what you mean, mine is low rpm probably under 30 mph when it is the worst
If you can get your hands on a stethoscope that may help you find it, if not try a plastic funnel with a rubber tube stuck in the end so it works like an old style hearing aid. Makes it easier to pin point the area where the noise is coming from.
If you're certain its coming from the front, you may want to take the outer fairing off and check the fairing mounts and radio mounts....along with everything else in there that could rattle!!
Check your belt guard. My Softail hand a loose nut and it use to drive me crazy withe squeak. I kept checking everything up front and found the squeak once the nut fell off.
Update: over the weekend I had time to remove the outer fairing. I was able to find a ziptie wrap buckle that was up against one of the plastic speaker covers. It would give off a squeak as I moved cables and wires around with my hand. Stupid sounding I know but that was all I could come up with. I went ahead and cut it off and installed another so it wouldn't touch anything. I wanted to ride it with fairing off but I didn't have a chance with rainy conditions.
So....I went ahead and installed the HD LED Daylighter main headlamp while I was fussing around. When I ride it next I will report on my opinion. First impressions may not be so hot.
HiJinx, if you still have the clam shell off, check the routing of the antenna cable to make sure it's not pinched anywhere inside the fairing. That coating on the cable will make it squeal like a stuck pig if it gets pinched and moves.
i have a 2015... the fuel door button vibrates and took me 2 months to figure out
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