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[grc]

Longer spigot flanges on the cylinders would probably help support those "short" piston skirts at BDC just a little better.  Ask the folks who replaced the H-D jugs with Axtell's how the noise is on their engines.  The Axtell jugs have a longer flange (by more than 1/2") and a thicker liner, both of which would provide more support for those pistons.

The story H-D is throwing around may be technically correct (piston slap), but that doesn't mean it's acceptable.  I don't see them retooling the parts, however, to correct this design flaw.  Get used to it, and expect piston life to suffer.

Jerry

[32Lager]

I have a test for you to do. with the bike hot after riding at least 30 miles , put bike in neutral and put the jiffy stand down and leave the bike running , get off the bike and listen to the primary, near the derby cover see if you hear it rapping or clattering. Thats what mine does and sounds like the top end when riding.   Doc 

I'll try this tomorrow Doc, thanks...

If the dealer's open and if the weather's decent next saturday, I'm going in for my first service. I'll let everyone know what they think and are willing or able to do about it. This will be a good test for them.

[Rooster]

I have the same noise in the same rpm range. After the 0905 fix it is still there but not as bad as before.

[Dan_Lockwood]

I started a thread about this on my '08 SERK late in '07.  Mine has this rattle, ticking, sewing machine noise between 2500 to 3300 rpms.

I now have 6700 miles, the recall completed and the Syn-3 replaced with Amsoil.  The noise is still there.

If it were any type of metal to metal clicking, like rocker boxes, the noise would not be so rpm specific and would not drop off at certain rpms above the mid 3000 range.

While in Sturgis last summer I talked to the Harley tech and we were discussing the noise.  I saw pistons on the board behind him and I asked if they had been cut off for display purposes.  He said those were the 110" pistons and they were as used in the motors.  These skirts are SO short I can't see how they don't flip over in the bores.

When all was said and done, his idea on this was harmonics.  Certain things resonate at different frequencies.  This is how Vibratach works, different reed ground in different thicknesses and when certain rpms are hit certain reeds vibrate to let you know what rpms a motor is turning etc.

I too believe the short skirts are an issue that we cannot overlook as probably the majority contributor to our noise.  But harmonics does make some sense to me as this noise is ONLY there during that narrow rpm range.

I will say that my noise has gotten to a more clanky sound rather than a clicking sound.  In fact it almost sounds like a high school hall buzzer, maybe even a bit of chirping thrown in too.  None the less, it's still there.

So for right now I'm really wondering how many miles I'm going to get on this motor.  I'm not concerned as I'm probably not going to ride it all that many miles, probably never got over 30k on it.  But for those that do ride a lot, I can't see this motor ever lasting much more than that without a rebuild on the upper end.

These are just my thoughts.  My thoughts and 50¢ will get you a pop out of pop machine.  For you southern guys, thats a soda from the soda machine.  Old Michigan habits are hard to break living here in St. Louis where there are no pop machines, only soda machines.

    

[DavidG]

It changes when you move farther south. I lived in Michigan and it was pop. Going south its soda. Deep south its Coke though. You also have to specify the type of Coke, i.e. Sprite, Dr Pepper, etc.....

[Dan_Lockwood]

It changes when you move farther south. I lived in Michigan and it was pop. Going south its soda. Deep south its Coke though. You also have to specify the type of Coke, i.e. Sprite, Dr Pepper, etc.....

In my very early days, late teens, we had a marina in Michigan and sold Polaris snowmobiles, Johnson outboards and snowmobiles and the list goes on.

But people would say, let's go Ski Doo'ing to night and they would be riding their Rupps or Arctic Cats.  Some brand names just become generic for general products.

Some times when I'm working for a customer in Louisiana they say soda pop.  Go figure...

[DavidG]

They must be originally from St Louis   

[ragrep]

How many miles do you have on your bike now? Do you notice that the noise gets louder on or after accel or decel?  I have had high compression hot running bikes, used used Redline 20-60 in my bikes for about 3 years and swear by it. It will quiet down the top end if valvetrain noise your problem. With summer approaching, its a good choice for your 110. The only downside with Redline is that its expensive, and not so easy to find, so you have to order it online, buy more than you need to keep an extra bottle or two on hand for top ups. I dont like Mobil 1 oils, but thats a personal preference. Amsoil- seems to be the benchmark premium oil, and can be found in more indi shops or some HD dealers.

Good luck- I havent noticed the noise on my 110 yet, hoping that I got one....

[32Lager]

I'm up to around 1100 miles now. Because of the holiday weekend and weather, I couldn't get it in for it's first service so I changed all the oils on Friday at 1025 miles. Nobody around here sells Redline so I put Amsoil 20-50 in the engine and primary and Lucas 75/140 in the transmission. During my ride yesterday, I heard constant (light) valve chatter and less clacking. I may be crazy but I'm thinking about draining one quart of Amsoil so I can add a quart of Lucas engine additive.

[LarryB]

I just passed 7k on my 09 SERG, all I hear is tunes and pipes, runs smooth once I switched out the fluids

[sblair]

I ha ve an 09 SERG with 8800 miles.  I have always had the valve clatter.  Went to Vegas a week ago and Sat morning started it up and had a very loud valve ping.  Took it to a local dealer and they said it was sick so...what breaks in Vegas, stays in Vegas!
   Cam bearing let loose, so they replaced the bearings, cam, lifters, rods and oil pump.  Flying there today to pick it up.

[RayG]

I just turned 15K on my 08 SERk and the noise continues to get louder. I didn't think it could but it has. I told my the service manager that at times it gets so loud and sound so bad it's going to blow, his exact reply was well if it blows it blows it's warranteed! Oh that's just great, didn't I suffer enough with through the AMF days. When the noise first started I thought something was wrong and denying it just put off the inevitable. I have every confidence that these 110's are temporary motors at best. My bike sounds so bad I wear ear plugs or the sound annoys the hell out of me and ruins my ride. There is much more to this unacceptable noise and I believe the problem will surface in extremely large numbers some day. This could get real ugly when bikes start to get past 50k. God I hope I'm wrong. I don't know if I will ever be able to afford making it into a 117 but that is my goal anyway. The honest truth is I plan to get a part time job that I can physically handle and try to earn enough to get her built to a dependable 117. It will take me at least 2 years to get enough. Did you ever just know without any doubt that something is going to happen. Well that is exactly how I feel, and the more I ride it the more I'm convinced that it is only a matter of time. In the meantime I plan to ride it and try to enjoy it as much as possible, I'm not going to let it get to me.

It sounds like most of us are aware of the issue, we are concerned but lets try to enjoy what we have while we can.

 Ray G.

[Gecko]

Between the valve train banging, pistons that rock in the cylinders, cranks that wobble, cylinders liners that move, and the heat the 110 is a very temporary engine.  I think they they haven't dumped it yet because they can't admit it was a mistake, and they don't have anything else to fill in until the water-cooled engine comes out.

[32Lager]

If the noise is that bad and the service manager won't do anything, keep in mind that he doesn't have the final say. I'd go talk to the owner or store manager and if they still want to screw you around, take your bike and business elsewhere and make sure to tell him you're doing it.

A local dealer/owner offered their warranty service to me knowing that I was buying from someone else. I thought it was nice of him to offer. Harley pays them to do the work and it keeps their shop busy.

[Highwaystar]

I have all of the noises described exactly! When it's cold it's more pronounced...like a chirping bird being hit over the head by a 2 year old with a rattle!    I'm told this is absolutely normal by my dealer. Oh well, I warm it up good and ignore it for the rest of the ride. This is definitely a big bore issue with harmonics.