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Front wheel noise

Vibratinharley

Vibratinharley

Junior Member
2008 Ultra Classic with 5800 miles
I was driving yesterday at 65 mph on highway and everytime I go around a sharp turn at speed and the bike is leaning into turn I get this whirling noise from the front wheel. It does it on both left and right turns. It sounds like a wheel bearing going bad but only makes this noise in turns at speed. Any ideas? Could wheel bearing be bad at this low mileage? And yes, I am very careful in regards to washing bike and bike never sees a pressure washer.
 
Anything is a possibility, the new bearings are sealed units and not as susceptible to water as the older ones were.

You may be hearing brake noises when the pads contact the rotor on turns. I would let the dealer take a look at it to document the problem just in case.
 
When you are side loading it and it makes noise i would say its a bearing usually you wont hear a bearing in a wheel until 45 or so that how we always tested cars with sealed bearing get up to speed wiggle left if noise went away it was right bearing... off to dealer i would take it
 
Thanks for your help. I am gonna take it to dealer because I am a little concerned with it being front wheel and I do drive it hard and fast and I don't want anything bad to happen. It is under warranty but I really don't want to lose it for too many days.
 
Mine was doing the same thing (well maybe), anyway it was making noises in turns. I thought, gee, that sounds like a wheel bearing. Stopped and checked out brake pads (fine) and bearings. I have never pressure washed or directed a stream of water at the bearings during washing so I continued home.

After a good water washing the sound went away. I think it was brake dust build up on the discs and pads which caused the sound (I had ridden about 1140 miles between washing (Laughlin River Run)). Sound hasn't come back.
 
USMCCWO5 said:
Mine was doing the same thing (well maybe), anyway it was making noises in turns. I thought, gee, that sounds like a wheel bearing. Stopped and checked out brake pads (fine) and bearings. I have never pressure washed or directed a stream of water at the bearings during washing so I continued home.

After a good water washing the sound went away. I think it was brake dust build up on the discs and pads which caused the sound (I had ridden about 1140 miles between washing (Laughlin River Run)). Sound hasn't come back.
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I decided to do this and was hoping I would have the same results as a lot of black dust and dirt came out of front calipers when I washed bike. I road tested bike today on a couple of ramps of PA turnpike and noise is still there. I really want to just change them myself as even though the bike is under warranty, I just don't really want them to work on it as it is such a hassle to have to leave bike at dealer as it is a 2 hour ride home by public transportation. I wonder if dealer could do it while I waited? :(
 
Vibratinharley said:
I decided to do this and was hoping I would have the same results as a lot of black dust and dirt came out of front calipers when I washed bike. I road tested bike today on a couple of ramps of PA turnpike and noise is still there. I really want to just change them myself as even though the bike is under warranty, I just don't really want them to work on it as it is such a hassle to have to leave bike at dealer as it is a 2 hour ride home by public transportation. I wonder if dealer could do it while I waited? :(
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Ask for a loaner bike
 
I depends on the dealer, you might be able to call them and schedule a time to take the bike in to have it worked on. Then you might be able to wait.
 
My 07 road king does the same thing. If you don't feel comfortable then by all means take it to the dealer .On my bike it sounds like the little tips on the tire (the ones that look like little hairs) hitting the pavement in a turn. They are still on the side of my tires and at least on mine it doesn't sound like bearings. I was going to take a razor and shave them all off to see if the noise went away,
 
UPDATE on front wheel noise.

I took the bike to a HD dealer ( not where I bought bike) and the mechanic took my bike out for a short ride and came back and said the steering was loose. ( so , thats the clunking I hear) So, i explained again when I hear the noise and at what speed and he took it back out for 20 minutes. He came back and said that bearings seem fine and he does not hear any noise that is abnormal. SO, It must be in my head and I will just have to turn the radio up and live with it. ( but I know it's not right) It's documented...
 
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