Broken fairing mount bracket...?

[GaryD]

Took bike out for a test ride yesterday after getting all 4 new brackets. At first it didn't seem any different. After a few miles I started to notice no vibs while idleing and when I hit bumps and potholes there's no chattering from the front end. It use to feel and sound like someone hitting the fairing with a hammer when I hit a bump.
I wonder how many people have broken brackets and don't realize it.
ESP took care of it. I know a lot of people don't think the ESP is worth it, but I have saved at least twice the cost of it so far. 

[jjbojangles]

Did any of you guys ntice vibration in the fairing when the bike is at idle or low rpm. Mine seems not bad when I ride it on the highway but if I hit a bump or slow down it sharkes the heck out of the front and rattles. Is this potentially a bracket problem??

[GaryD]

Sure sounds like it. Heard all kinds of noise when I hit a bump. Mine didn't shake too much. Just noise and vibration.

[chaos901]

I was noticing the fairing shaking while idling before I found out that on one side the bracket and strut were both broken.  I took off the outer fairing to do something with the radio when I found the breaks. 

Now I know what that shaking means. 

[GaryD]

That's how I found mine, when I took off fairing to replace radio. Otherwise I'd probably still be riding with broken brackets and thinking the bike was just old.

[jjbojangles]

I took it apart last night and the bracket that dgoes tot he speaker was broke right at the torx screw just on one side. I tried to find other breaks but couldn't. Is there any other places I should look? I only took off the outer fairing. I found it hard to beleive that one little bracket was causing all that racket!

[GaryD]

It's a Harley bracket. It's suppose to sound like  "patato-patato" not a racket. 

[bogiediver]

jjbojangles-

Mine was shaking like mad at idle; smoothed out at speed, except there was a RPM related rattle; but made a hell of a noise over medium and larger bumps...

The places to check are where the bolts go into the inner fairing - outboard sides of small brackets under the speakers and the top of the main brackets (where the angle bracket fix is shown in the pictures)

Mine was both main brackets had snapped at the 90* bend.

Will be covered under ESP (GaryD - agree with you whole heartedly), but dealer didn't have brackets in stock and I was going on an weekend ride so I did the angle bracket temp fix.  Shaking and rattle stopped.

-bogie

[GaryD]

bogie, my dealer didn't have the new brackets in stock either, had to wait 2 weeks. Luckily my vacation wasn't for 4 weeks. You would think that such a common problem they would have these in stock by the hundreds.

[jjbojangles]

Bogie,
Thanks I think i am Ok then thats all the places I checked. Its an easy fix either way so i will try the new on tonight. I just changed my front motor mount so I thought it may have somehting to do with that. They both look good. Thanks again for the inofo and pictures.

[hogpipes1]

i put up with that where the hell is that noise comming from for a long time , finally tracked it down to the inner speaker brk. it was broke but had dum dum putty on the crack. what really pissed me off  was i  bought  it new in  03 so they had to do this at the factory before shipping. after warrenty so fixed the brk myself , a-ok yet.

[bighog]

I just took mine apart after noticing the fairing shake a lot more then it did.  both main brackets are broke. right one was replaced 9,000 miles ago. I will not replace it again- going to the hardware store to get a couple repair brackets.  Oh- the right speaker bracket is shot also- guess i will have to replace that one.