Rattley, Tinkley Sound

[HD2Rocket3]

I developed a noise recently and I describe it as if you were running over some gravel and the noise it makes traveling around the fender well....Is that what it sounds like?

That's a pretty good way to describe it. It's perplexing because it's a new noise. I can't get it to do it unless I'm riding

 

[tsmith]

2nd Uncle Jesse. Had my bike for about 1000 miles and lost a bolt holding one of the heat shields on the manifold. It made an awful rattle. Pulled all the shield bolts one at a time and applied locktite after that. Can't believe they put bolts on dry with nothing on them.

 

[HD2Rocket3]

I talked to the dealer in Frederick, MD and he couldn't tell me anything based on my description, not that I expected him to be able to. I don' t have any way to trailer it, so I guess I'm going to ride it up there to troubleshoot. About 60 miles. Maybe I'll come back with a Roadster I would be a bachelor about 10 minutes after I got home.

 

[TheKid]

It's not bad gas pre-igniting is it? Maybe run different gas, higher octane?
JMTCW.

 

[rocket3jjd]

I know exactly what your talking about it sounds like a childs triangle in band
I know its not my keys cuz i just use the one key and no fob its not my angel bell its not the clutch lever rattaling
But i hear it all the time since i got the bike new in 08
My 05 didnt do it for me it happens about 30 miles an hour riding thru town
Ive searched felt and finally said f it if its something loose it will fall off but everything is tight ive checked
It sound like the left hand side up high

I guess what iam saying is if you figure is out let me know cuz everything suggested on this thread ive tried years ago its none of thee above
I just live with it

 

[CanberraR3]

You don't have triple filters do you?

 

[HD2Rocket3]

You don't have triple filters do you?

No, it's pretty much stock other than some bling and an air horn. The trip to the dealer was pretty much a waste of time. Seems as though the tech was having some sort of conflict determining his a$$ from a hole in the ground. He started talking about harmonics and at that point I figured it was going to be a bust.

 

[gwilliams290]

Do you have a windscreen? I mention this because you will get quite a bit of sound "directed" at you from the windscreen and a lot of it will be reflective in nature. It will make it harder to determine the actual source. I had a "rattly, tinny" noise that I found was coming from the radiator screen. Once I was able to determine that, and knew what it was, I adjusted things and got it quieter. It hasn't gone away but I know what it is now and know I don't have to worry about that particular noise.

 

[HD2Rocket3]

Do you have a windscreen? I mention this because you will get quite a bit of sound "directed" at you from the windscreen and a lot of it will be reflective in nature. It will make it harder to determine the actual source. I had a "rattly, tinny" noise that I found was coming from the radiator screen. Once I was able to determine that, and knew what it was, I adjusted things and got it quieter. It hasn't gone away but I know what it is now and know I don't have to worry about that particular noise.

I do have a windscreen, I had it cut down when I first got the bike since it was enormous. I could try taking it off and see if that helps. It bugs me mostly because it's a new noise and I'm not going to feel comfortable riding it until at least I know what it is.

 

[gwilliams290]

I know exactly how you feel. I'm one of those guys who hates rattles and squeeks and noises that "aren't supposed to be happening"!! I guess it's a hangover from my days as an aircraft mechanic. My bike is a reflection of me and my personality and I like things to be where they're supposed to be and do what they're supposed to do. Sometimes I just have to realize that the noise is the loose nut behind he handlebars. Sometimes, after a good run at WFO, I notice a pretty serious cackle coming from that same loose nut area.