| Author | Message | ||
     Sinjhin |
So, is it normal for the bike to make a nice clank when I shift into first gear approaching a stopsign? I get down to about 10mph before I shift into first. It does this with the clutch lever completely pulled in. | ||
| Fresnobuell |
No you better take the bike to the dealer immediately. | ||
| Crazyhawk99 |
Try bleeding the clutch. My bike with only 144 miles on it started shifting hard (clunk), particularly at low speeds and at a stop from neutral to 1st. Neutral was also hard to find. Somehow air had gotten in the line. I bled the clutch and all is well. | ||
| Sinjhin |
Thanks Crazyhawk, I will try that. It seems like the same problem exactly. | ||
| Kicka666 |
Who uses a clutch for up or down shifts.. I dont, the clutch is there to take off & thats about it. | ||
| Cherry_bomb |
@kicka666: you're so cool! have fun with the transmission and clutch repair... | ||
| Kicka666 |
C Bomb,thats what they are made to do, Ive raced bike for years in Australia, twins & 4's never had a prob with my boxes or trans. Harley extended the warranty so if I break it they will fix it.. | ||
| Jules |
IMHO clutchless upshifts are fine, for downshifts I always use the clutch to let the engine/transmissions speeds match and to ease the transition (less wear/strain on the shift mechanism). My gearbox is "clunky" but I don't think it's a particular problem, it just feels properly "mechanical", it's not as smooth or quiet as my IL4 but it's leaps and bounds ahead of my old X-1, I like the positive engagement it gives  | ||
| Kaotikevo |
Take my sportsters for a ride, and they'll redefine "clunk" in 10 sec. | ||
| Drawkward |
That's interesting Kicka666. I can see how clutchless up shifts would help on the track for sure. I suppose you let the throttle off, then upshift? As Jules said, I always pull the clutch in when I downshift, whether it's to match revs (still learning and practicing that) or to feather. | ||
| Pattio |
Sinjhin this is your first motorcycle ever,right? Motorcycles of all kinds usually go into first gear with more of a 'clunk' than the other gears. It's completely normal and nothing to worry about. | ||
| Sinjhin |
Yeah, this is my first bike. I think I was just freakin out because in my nice cage of a car I never actually heard the gears engage. Not used to that gearbox being right below me. I had my Boss ride it around the parking lot today (he has ridden for years) and he said it was smooth and didn't sound bad at all. Thanks for the help. I think I am still gonna bleed the clutch and brakes when I get time though.  | ||
| Syonyk |
Motorcycle transmissions and car transmissions are totally different beasts. Car transmissions are synchronized, and fairly heavy. Motorcycle transmissions are MUCH lighter, not synchronized, and far closer to a "dogbox" style transmission than a typical car tranny. In other words, they don't match speeds perfectly, they just have large gaps for things to engage, and they engage hard. If you try to gently slide your transmission into 1st from neutral, since the wet clutch has some drag, you'll hear it clatter a bit as the dog (blocks) bounce along the engagement area. Slam it firmly into 1st, and it just goes "clunk" and engages. You're not hurting it by shifting firmly. With an unsynchronized sequential transmission like a motorcycle gearbox, you're far more likely to damage it shifting gently - you don't need to dropkick it into gears, but definitely be firm with it. | ||
| Cherry_bomb |
"Harley extended the warranty so if I break it they will fix it.." yeah, dream on, dreamer...  "This warranty will not apply to any motorcycle/sidecar as follows: Which has not been operated or maintained as specified in the Owner's Manual. Which has been abused, misused, improperly stored, used "off the highway," or used for racing or competition of any kind. Which is not manufactured to comply with the laws of the market in which it is registered. Installing off-road or competition parts to enhance performance may void all or part of your new motorcycle warranty. See a Buell dealer for details." source: warranty policy buell.com (exclusions) (Message edited by cherry_bomb on March 24, 2010) and finally from the manual: Refer to Upshift (Acceleration) Gear Speeds. Gear shift pattern is first gear down, next five gears up. Engage second gear after the motorcycle has reached the appropriate shifting speed. Close the throttle. Disengage the clutch (pull clutch lever in). See Upshift Pattern: Six Speed. Lift the gear shift lever up to the end of its travel and release. Engage the clutch (release clutch lever) and gradually open the throttle. Repeat the previous steps to engage third, fourth, fifth, and sixth gears.... so this will not be covered by any warranty ever given by hd/buell...and they'll find out, don't be wrong about that... (Message edited by cherry_bomb on March 24, 2010) | ||
| Froggy |
Syonyk, thank you for that good info Cherry_bomb, thats just to cover their asses, you would be surprised what they have warrantied for me without me even asking, and it sure was my fault it broke. | ||
| Kicka666 |
My post certainly raised a few eyebrows.. haha.. I work for a dealership & Im pretty certain they will fix it as I do all the warranty work in the workshop. Upshifts are fine clutchless, downshifts clutchless takes some practice.. | ||
| Jasbiz66 |
I have up shifted clutchless, but only when I am hauling ass, I never down shift with out it. | ||
| Zac4mac |
I've been doing clutchless up/down since the first winter with Loretta. That clutch lever pulls a LOT of finger warmth. I "think" I'm pretty smooth at it. | ||
| 03fatboy |
I have a Fatboy and when that thing "chunks" into first gear it actually moves the bike. But that is the nature of it. The R is like a Cadillac shifting compared to the Harley. I with the rest of the guys nothing wrong with your bike. | ||
| Micheal |
I'm glad this was posted over clanky gears. My 09 1125R clanks into first and and shifts kinda hard through the rest of the gears. sometimes neutral is hard to find. | ||
| Rex |
Mine was buttery smooth when purchased. AFter the high bars were installed, it is clunky. I took it back and asked if they bled the lines...they said yes, but it is clunky in first and second gear, and now is a little hard to get into neutral. the other gears are good though. I think there still needs to be some bleeding of the lines. | ||
| Crazyhawk99 |
Miceal, I really think you will see an improvement if you bleed the clutch. I have the same exact symtoms and mine is WAY better now. Rex, same for you. My guess is when you did the bar conversion, your clutch housing was dangling at some point and allowed air into the master cyclinder. That is what happend to mine when I loosened the housing to tilt the mirrors farther forward. Greg |
