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[porkypig]

Well, I looked back about 8 pages and didn't see anything for this but I may have to be corrected.  My 2012 has been experiencing a considerable amount of noise when getting into the 2800 rpm range and higher since new.  Told the dealership it sounds like a popcorn popper.  Issues with taking off in 1st gear as well as considerably more decelleration popping than should be present.  Plus mileage about 40 mpg or so.....rarely any more.  So, finally they sent a mechanic (their top one; he's the guy we go to when we can't figure it out) and he brought the bike back into the shop and I didn't hear anything for about 1/2 hour.  Finally I asked about the bike and was told "the mechanic says he didn't find anything with the clutch and he couldn't hear anything out of the ordinary about the popping on decelleration.  (Maybe I got the 'wrench' that is good at what he knows and sees but can't hear anything any more....?) ok, so finally I asked what about the bike.  The service tech told me that yes, there is something seriously wrong with your bike and you can't even take the bike.  we have to keep it here and it will be about 2 weeks before we can fix it.  Have to split the case apart and it is suspected bad balance bearings in the bottom of the  engine!  Great!  I can't even take the bike?  I needed it that weekend for a couple trips.  I said it is on warranty isn't it?? He said yes, but if they tell me not to drive it and I ignore that advice and drive it, it may not be covered.  So, then a few minutes later I get another  tech that starts to ring me up and is telling me they didn't find anything wrong with the bike and that I'm good to go. I said somebody else just told me exactly the opposite.  That it was so bad I couldn't even drive the bike?  I asked him are we talking about the same bike??  He said yes, and then I asked him how there could be completely different stories and be the same bike?  He told me "well, I guess I better just stay out of it!"  (yeah, sounds good to me!)  Then a little while later the first guy comes out and says, here's the deal.....some serious issues with the bike but they can let me take it and I can just bring it in sometime and they will need it for about 2 weeks for repairs.  Now I am a little confused.........they made out a form and gave me a claim number, etc.  So it is documented.  Jump ahead to this last week...... Rode the bike to work without the fairing one day and had absolutely no noise or harsh sounds coming from the engine area.  Accellerates smooth as glass thru the 2800 rpm range and above.  One of the caps on top of the forks (right side) has a wear area where the chrome is worn clear to the brass below......So here is my observation:  The problem appears to be a serious vibration of the fairing/windshield.  It is plastic on metal and is acting like a megaphonefor the bike.  .  Amplifies everything imensely but moreover I believe something inside the fairing is vibrating as well.  So, last night my fix was to try to adjust a small (1/32nd or so) gap between the chrome fork cap and the spot under the fairing (gray plastic area just under the speaker.  it is a cutout area.)  Was able to get it where I can put a piece of paper (no more) in that gap.  Only wearing on the right side so imagine it is only touching on the one side.  I don't think it is anything with the engine at all.  Will test out my theory soon and see if the vibration goes away.  Expect it may.  And then I don't have to go thru the agony of splitting the cases, losing parts, scratching the frame up and all the other things probable while having our bikes in for "repair".  Is anybody else experiencing a little wear on top of their chrome cap or the vibration I have been describing??  Maybe it's just mine.  Pork

[grc]

None of my business Pork, but I strongly suggest you find a better dealership, even if you have to ride a hundred miles to find one.  As I read your post I started thinking this should have been posted in the Humor section, then I got to the end and realized you weren't joking.

All the who shot john, left hand/right hand, BS miscommunication doesn't engender much confidence or trust in those clowns.  Fortunately you didn't just blindly accept the leave it and we'll tear it completely apart story.  Lord only knows what you may have gotten back after all their high quality work.


Jerry

[porkypig]

Thankyou, Jerry.  I firmly believe that rarely is anything ever the same once the factory seal is broken.  I know things get put together incorrectly at factories sometimes, but after seeing how repairs have been made to a bike or 2 of mine, and the trail of carnage that can accompany that repair, I'd just as soon limp by as get the repair if it entails tearing the engine apart.  I can imagine what may have happened if I had left it there.   "Yeah, we tore apart your engine and the bearings were bad but you're in good shape now.........uh, no, we already returned the bad bearings to the factory.  sorry, dude...........just missed 'em......"  Now, Ill be working on how to troubleshoot my clutch as well as the pinging.  I know there's some smarter people out there. 

[Lever]

yea I'm with Jerry on this one as well...... find another dealer ... or better yet or seek out a good indy and get his thoughts 

[porkypig]

a better indy??

[LovemyCVOgirl]

This is scarry chit. 

[lilcoot]

Pork, do you drive all the way to Riverside to have work done on your bike?  Because it sounds exactly like the dealer in Riverside.  And Loma Linda.  And Glendale. 

I hope you find an easy and cheap solution to your problem.

Dan

[ejvette]

All I can say is......wow.

[Lever]

a better indy??

independent Harley shop ...a non dealer shop

[porkypig]

ok, Lever, gotcha!  You are probably right about that.  But the same goes for finding a good indy.  We have a local shop that has a mechanic there and his forte is telling everybody that he used to be a Harley wrench and now he is of course an authority on  Harleys.  His approach is that he can do stuff for cheaper.  So a few years ago I considered  using him to diagnose an issue with my Heritage shutting down.  He said he had some pretty good ideas.  And the Harley shop didn't seem like they could get me in before Sturgis.  In the meantime I used this guy to do a 30K service for the bike.  When it was done, I felt like I got a $175 oil change is all.  Couldn't tell me anything about my bike, and said all was well with everything.  Then I decided to use the Harley dealer when they were able to get me in.  They found the issue quickly and it was done.  So, have to look around for a good indy as well and hope you don't run onto a Harley mechanic that possibly couldn't make it at the Harley dealer.  

[FADBOY]

Hi
I was alarmed by this when I first had mine and its done 10,000 miles now and is still doing it but I now love it and would hate it to be cured.

see post from last year

http://www.cvoharley.com/smf/index.php?topic=61762.msg870809#msg870809

[porkypig]

well, y'all, headingout for Sturgis this am.  anyway's, wanted to bring you all out of the dark and let you know my findings over the last couple weeks.  ended up doing a sort of a test and took the fairing/windshield off to see if that made any difference.  Mind you, there is a little more wind noise because of that, but my overall issues with the "bearings" deep in the bowels of this internally balanced engine went promptly away!  Engine sounds much more quiet and smooth.  Really difficult to detect anything at all.  Just as our frame acts as a "megaphone" and "transmits" lots of the engine sound directly thru the bike in the form of vibration at higher speeds and sound as well, that fairing does the same thing I believe.  On the tourers, they are rubber mounted and vibrate/shake at low idling speeds but when they rev up, they smooth out like glass.  Well, here is the kicker----  the beautiful chrome knob that screws down onto the top of the fork on the right side is in direct contact with the bottom of my fairing.  So much that it has worn markings thru the chrome and into the brass cap itself..........oh, crap, it's out!  Harley chrome is not solid chrome!!!!!  Oh, well, my wife refers to it as the "other precious metal", so who am I to argue with her???  Anyways on the left side I can slide a piece of paper between the cap and the bottom of the fairing but not on the right.  So, in my infinite, self-professed wisdom, I took the fairing off, and managed to loosen screws in the body of things trying to maintain perspective of how things relate to each other; you know, when you tweak this, something else has to move or take its place; sort of the Isaac Newton theories, or Michael Angelo, or one of those otther old guys that contributed to our motorcycle physics...........so, I managed to move things around enough that I could get a piece of paper between that knob and the fairing on the right.  Makes sense, that if it is rubbing enough that you push thru chrome, it may be touching enough that it could vibrate?  And the sound has pretty much just gone away.  Bless us poor owners that would otherwise be "going under the knife" of those surgeons of the Cycles who are just too anxious to get our bikes into the operating room and remove our splines, or especially our "bearings deep in the bowels of the cases which 'must' be separated."  I have been without a bike so many times while those "knuckleheads" scratch their....................heads...................just to have them come back and say, "sorry, we ordered the wrong part for the umpteenth time but we know what it is now.  just bring it back again in a couple weeks and we'll look at it and scratch our .................heads...........again and we'll get you fixed up."  I'll take care of my own issues as best as I can and continue reading and contributing right here on the forum where there are guys willing to take time and effort for the common cause of us all riding better bikes.  No time to take pics of anything right now.  Sturgis bound, y'all.  Take care and talk to you when I return....Hi Ho Silver.....................or Happy Trails...........or Into the Western Sky comes.........................................    the Porkster.

[12cvosoftail]

Hi,

I haven't checked the fork caps, but will later on today. However, I will tell you that I normally ride with the windshield removed. However, last weekend I put it on for a 500 mile ride and noticed immediately that the CVO vibrated much more than normal. I'll post later after checked the caps.

[12cvosoftail]

I checked my fork caps on both sides and you are correct they are both worn down the the windshield touches the forks on both side.  I could not slip a piece of paper between them. This explains the vibration with the windshield installed. Oddly, the vibration appears to be engine related even though it's clearly due to the windshield since the problem only occurs with the windshield installed.

Thanks so much for finding this problem. There is a cutout in the plastic of the fairing for the forks, but they didn't make it deep enough as both sides touch. I am contacting HD tomorrow.

[porkypig]

Is  anybody else experiencing the popping and backfiring on decelleration?  I had a guy I knew had a new 2004 Road king and right after it was new, he took a small pipe and knocked out the inside of the muffler (some sort of thing like a knockout in an electrical box) that he thought restricted the breathing of the muffler system.  Guess made the bike run smoother.  Does this bike have that same construction in the muffler and has anybody knocked out the inside of the pipe?  Would it aleviate the backfiring and popping I am experiencing?  Any ideas?  thanks.  Pork.