New to the forum and Harleys so please don't shoot me down if I ask if the 6 speed transmisson in my '07 Super Glide is supposed to really make a lot of noise when going either up or down, hot or cold especially when going from neutral to first? I have just had it in at the dealer to get the ring gear replaced and asked the same question and got the aok but we all know what dealers are like so thought I would ask the honest folks out there. I purchased extra second hand warranty when I bought it and it paid off with the ring gear so want to get anything else that might be a possible issue sorted asap. The bike has done 22,000kms.

Cheers,

JC

If all you're talking about is a clunk noise when you change gears, that's normal.  Has been the case on a three of mine.

thanks for replying. That's exactly it, there is an distinctive clunking noise that can be heard over the motor when shifting, pretty industrial to quote the dealer. I have had my partners son on the back who is an MX rider ask me if it was normal too, just not used to it after having lots of Dukes which do not emit any noise at all - especially the wt clutch models.

i have heard that Bel-Ray big twin transmission oil is the way to go in these bikes but don't really want to risk an oil thread!

yeah mate get used to it. Although changing the oil in the tranny can make a difference. Also an incorrectly adjusted clutch makes things worse. Mate in the end get used to the idiosyncrasies of Harleys. A noise here a noise there, you will worry yourself stupid in the end.

Mate the next thing will be the clunk on starting the bike. That is the compensator hitting bottom, SE Comp kits fixes that. Then you have the heat problems that started with the 07 models due to Emission regulations from the USA. A Tune will fix that, but you have to have a tuner as these bastards are EFI, so spend 300 bucks for a update at the dealer where you bought it from, or buy an after market tuner that ill cost another $300 and upwards. Or get it dynoed and when you make any changes then it requires another dyno. Oh and I forgot the bling! The dreaded bling, what you may or may not spend on that will determine you future. Forever pulling up to a another Harley and seeing something that catches your eye. Then racing home and checking on the Ebay, or many of the US sites that sell the stuff to see what it costs. After the heart fluctuations you will settle down and consider how much you can save and for how long. After a while you will realise that you are HOOKED, in a bad way and the only alternative it to sell your kids for more parts, sell your wife for more parts, sell you home for more parts and what ever you own other than your bike is expendable.

Oh by the way welcome to the forums, I'm living in a cardboard box.

OK on the piss, sorry about that. Mate all good. A lot of bloke recommend Redline shock proof. $70. last time I checked, but good for 50K... Each to his own in the end ...Oils discssu=ions on here are danger as you have already alluded to.

I hear you, I have spent +30K on my current Ducati & have already spent 1k on the Glide - I know all about addiction as I also live in a cadboard box - upgraded last week to a piece of 1200x600mm corrugated iron for a roof

Thanks for your response though, I will change all oils at next 24k service an learn to live with weird noises this thing makes including the, clunking, 5th gear whine, snatch at low rpm etc.... I also am learning to live with no brakes, handling or suspension

 

Don't want to risk an oil thread either, but for what it's worth, I've found that to reduce primary and gear box noise, make for smoother shifting, and be able to select neutral much easier, the addition of 60 ml of Nulon G70 to the gearbox, and 100 ml of Nulon E20 to the primary makes a very noticable difference.

Really? I thought that Nulon stuff was for motors and boxes that were just about rooted? Not pulling my chain are you?

Change your gear box oil to REDLINE Heavey shockproof & you will notice the difference. just about all the pro stock bikes & Top Bikes run it in there gear box's too eather light shock proof or heavy shockproof. i could not beleave the difference. in how much quicker & smoother my old & probably noisier 5 speed shifts. i think the 6 speed have  quite cut gears? my 5 speed is all straight cut so would be noisy.

also adjusting clutch ( simple job ) or lowering idle speed, would help reduce that clunk

Thanks for all the responses guys, plenty of info and help which is always appreciated!

JC - I have a 2010 Fatty and the "clunking" gearbox really shits me. I swapped to Redline Heavy, and made little difference. Dropping into 1st in the morning is a scary affair. The "clunk" is downright scary. My dealer tells me its normal!

Going from say 4th to 3rd approaching say a roundabout, I hear 2 distintive sounds when I gear down. It sounds like the gearbox bounces "Clunk-Clunk" when I gear down.

I still think it can't be good, but nothing we can do I think.