Am I losing my mind?

[Aerodawg]

Yesterday on the way home from work on my 2010 fatboy lo, I heard a loud sound like breaking glass from under my bike, i did not see anything or feel anything. So I pulled over parked the bike to see if i could see any damage, bike looked ok. I then walked up and down that street 2 times looking for a broken bottle/glass to ease my mind, could not find any broken glass on the road. Went back to the bike took another walk around and rode home slow till a few miles away then cranked it up and let her rip and everything sounded fine. Today washed the bike checked her all out and did not notice anything unusual. So still nervous decided to do a brake test. Road the bike 1 mile using only the front brake. When I got home the front disc was cool and rear disc was cool to touch. So this time took off for 2 mile ride using both brakes and when i got home front disc was cool to touch and rear disc burned my fingers as it was extremely hot. When I look at the rear brakes and press the brake pedal i cannot see any movement it looks like the pads are resting on the disc and has always had a small amount of friction. So some questions If the pads somehow broke would they sound like breaking glass? If it was engine or transmission would it make that sound. Bike rode fine today on the test ride and sounds the same no problems shifting. I have 8700 miles and was going to wait till 10000 to have the next checkup but that sound really got me worried. Wife thinks I hit something and it ricocheted out of sight. Any suggestions would be helpful. Just a note Ive already once had to replace the whole rear braking system on the bike due to a factory defect as the brake pad pin was not installed properly and the brakes dropped down locking up my rear tire on my first day riding the bike. Thanks!

 

[Hoople]

The strange part for me is you rode the bike using only the front brake and the rotor was cool. You must have not used the brake very much because that is strange.
When I ride using just the rear brake, I can't touch the rear rotor also.

I agree with the Wife. Sounds like the item took off like a rocket. I can't come up with a reason for the sound of breaking glass..

 

[R_W_B]

Sounds like you did everything you could to find the culprit. Just keep doing a pre-ride inspection just in case. It might of been a dryed out cracking plastic bottle and they will fly away even farther and look like they are permanent party where they land.

 

[Jeff Klarich]

Your back break pads should not be dragging on the disc unless you are useing the breaks. Not that's the sound you heard but i'd fix that. Imo.

 

[Jack Klarich]

Brakes will make all kinds of noises, the front brake is out in the air stream so it will not get as hot, the rear is covered up by the rest of the bike and the rear wheel is the power wheel expect more heat, that said to be sure I would remove the pads and check them for cracking and hard spots, remember these brakes run with zero clearance so expect the pads to be close to the rotors and you may not see much move ment with dual action calipers, to verify they are working you can jack up the wheel give it a spin and apply the brake see if it locks and un locks the wheel, you may also crack open the bleeder to make sure there is not a build up of residual pressure in the caliper this could lock the brake on

 

[turnerbend]

Your back break pads should not be dragging on the disc unless you are useing the breaks. Not that's the sound you heard but i'd fix that. Imo.

All brakes pads will have a slight drag on the rotor at all times if they a functioning correctly.

 

[Aerodawg]

Thanks for the replies. Bike is riding normal so maybe it was a plastic bottle or something that richocheted away, today noticed a storm drain when I rode by the same spot.. maybe I got a hole in one shot.. lol. Thanks!!!

 

[man in black]

What type of area were you riding through? If it was an industrial area , it could be that they just dropped something as you were passing through or just something in the normal manufacturing process that makes that kind of noise. That would be something that sounds like what you described.

 

[rhino 2]

Step on a plastic bottle and listen to the sound it makes, I haven't run over one with a bike but i have with my truck, And it does sound like glass.