Unknown Sound

[xMirage2kx]

As many of us know tracking down those pesky unknown sounds can be enough to pull your hair out   (if I had any left  ). This one is driving me crazy and shy just spitballing and throwing money at it I am running out of ideas. I hear it mostly around 30-40mph (but I think that is because wind noise is lower but speeds are high enough) but have heard it at freeway speeds too. It sounds like someone ringing a bell (no, its not my gremlin bell, already eliminated that) or a loose shock cover (again not it). I think it is coming from the front of the bike but it is hard to tell at speed. It is very intermittent only lasting 1-2 seconds (or less) each time and only a few times a ride. Even if I can't stop it finding it will at least let me sleep better at night. I have gone through and tightened every bolt to spec that I can find.

Any Ideas?

[98valk]

check the short exhaust pipes to exhaust can covers.  The ones right behind the foot pegs. usually the right one, foot can hit it.

[hubcapsc]

Once the noise turned out to be that one of the chrome
balls had fallen off the bottom of one of my  air wings.

Another time the noise turned out to be the zipper handle
on my half zipped up Joe Rocket jacket (summer time).

Hope you find it...

-Mike

[falconbrother]

I had a Harley Electraglide before this bike.  It had a whine from the primary case at highway speeds.  I fooled with it and fooled with it, tried all I could think of.  Asked three HD mechanics, independant of each other they all gave the exact same response: "Get louder pipes".  So, I put 30,000 miles on that whine and it was fine.  Never changed sound.  Sold it with that whine.  I kept waiting for it to break but, never did. 

[Beardo]

I recently had a small clank sound when going over big bumps.


It was my small aluminum plate I keep in my saddlebag for a kickstand pad bouncing around in there. 

Something bouncing around in your saddlebag?  Maybe a tool in the tool bag under the seat?