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[LoneCustom]

I'm having an odd issue with my '08 SE Road King and was wondering if anyone has had a similar experience or any ideas.  I never noticed any excessive noise coming from the front end of the bike until late last year when I had an HID headlight installed.  After picking up the bike, I began to notice that once I hit 20-25 MPH, there is a distinct "roaring" sound coming from somewhere in the front of the bike.  As I get up to highway speed, the sound gets louder, but does not change in pitch.  I also note that if it is very windy, the noise is louder. 
My fear was that something was wrong with the brake rotors (I've read the posts about warped rotors on SERKs) or that the wheel bearings were crapping out.  However, braking does not produce any noticeable vibration and the wheel hubs are cool to the touch after even fairly long rides.
The fact that the noise does not change in pitch makes me think it is not anything to do with the wheels (i.e. wind howling through the cross-drilled rotors or the "vanes" the rotors are bolted to).  Obviously, the windscreen was taken off and the headlamp shell opened to install the HID system, so perhaps when it was all re-assembled something is not aligned correctly and the "howl" is just wind blowing in and around the headlamp shell/bottom of the windscreen.  Nothing seems to be out of place on the front end, though. 
My next step is to remove the windscreen and ride a few miles without it to see if that makes a difference. The "howling" noise isn't particularly annoying (after all, the engine is cranking out some decibels as well).  I do want to make sure that riding it isn't harming anything. Has anyone had a similar experience or have any idea what might be going on?  It's due for state inspection shortly and when I take it in, I'll ask the tech to take it for a test ride and see if they can identify the "mystery howl".  Thanks!

[Gecko]

I didn't notice any different noise on my '07 when I put an HID on it (X-citing Lighting from Kuryachin).  But since you say it happened at the same time that's where I'd be looking.  One thing you could try is running some tape over the gap between the headlight and nacelle to see if that's where the noise is being generated.  The gap is probably different than stock.

[RBFB]

I had the front wheel bearings go out on my 08 SERK, they were noisy. If you have a jack or lift, raise it up and spin the wheel, that is how I found mine. Otherwise, I did get wind noise from the nacelle gap, which I fixed by going to lowes and getting some round foam insulation and putting it around the headlight before the factory trim ring. That was a wind noise though, not a growling type noise which was the wheel bearings.

[LoneCustom]

Otherwise, I did get wind noise from the nacelle gap, which I fixed by going to lowes and getting some round foam insulation and putting it around the headlight before the factory trim ring. That was a wind noise though, not a growling type noise which was the wheel bearings.

Bingo - that's what is going on.  Last night, I decided to really investigate the noise.  I hooked up my MetroVac motorcycle dryer (which blows a fairly strong stream of air).   I aimed it at the front wheel - nothing unusual.  When I directed the air stream at the headlight nacelle - there was the roar!  Apparently, the "guts" of the HID bulb assembly do not fill up the headlight housing as much as the original equipment halogen bulb did.  There always was about a quarter-inch gap between the headlamp and the edge of the nacelle.  Now, however, there is a bunch of empty space behind the gap and it acts as an echo chamber.  I will be visiting my local home supply store for some foam insulation.  According to their web site, it should run about $2.40.  Now that is the kind of fix that I like!  Thanks for the info!

[Gecko]

The Screamin' Eagle accessories catalog may have the same insulation for about $59.99.  Would come in a nice black and orange blister pack and include instructions that probably don't work with your bike.  Glad you found the problem.

[Hoist!]

The Screamin' Eagle accessories catalog may have the same insulation for about $59.99.  Would come in a nice black and orange blister pack and include instructions that probably don't work with your bike.  Glad you found the problem.

You need TWO packs of it to seal the entire Nacelle!

Hoist!

[skreminegul07]

I had that issue with my 07 SERK and used the round foam insulation.  My 06 FLHX actually has a rubber gasket around the trim ring for that problem.  The 07 Road King did not.  You could get the piece from a faring bike and use it.