complete dct failure today

[Huskyteer 1,091]

This calls for a POLL!

[Guest Hati]

It's quite unsafe and bad practice, to sit there in neutral, especially on a DCT bike where there is no excuse wearing the clutch springs out. Much higher chance to get collected by a texting/inattentive driver hitting you from behind with you having no chance to get out of the way. The DCT box is perfectly happy sitting there "in gear" yet not in gear (you can push it, reverse it etc), but all it takes is a twist of the throttle to be off.

[Mike5100 2,061]

I agree that I never put it in neutral until I'm switching off the bike but I assumed that the dct slips the clutch when it's in gear and stationary?

[DaveM59 1,605]

I usually forget to put it in gear when I start up. Twist and go...nowhere !

 

So used to CVT that I forget there is a neutral. If there is any wear on the clutch idling in gear it will be minimal.

[kayz1 2,928]

The book does say to go to neutral when stopped for any time longer than a traffic light. Plus if left in gear it is holding off two clutches...

Ow! it also says not to hold the bike on a hill on the gears...to use the brake and neutral..

[Mikdent 4,070]

I stay in gear on my DCT at lights etc for the reason given above by Hati, a quick getaway should it be needed.

I do however select N if I take my hand off the throttle for any reason.

[MikeBike 5,005]

Only select neutral when stopping of manoevring backwards with the feet when parking etc to avoid an accidental twist of the wrist coming from my body movements and avoiding an unexpected lurch forwards.

[Guest Hati]

From what I can work out from the workshop manual, the DCT clutches work more like on/off switches, there are no springs to hold against like a manual clutch.

[Guest Hati]

Forget all that... I found a photo of the cutaway DCT box, complete with springs in the clutch baskets.

[Mikdent 4,070]

Forget all that... I found a photo of the cutaway DCT box, complete with springs in the clutch baskets.

So staying in gear won't do it any good in the long term?

[Guest Hati]

I don't think it would hurt the springs. You wouldn't want to pull up and chat with someone for 15 minutes with the bike running and in gear, on the other hand. I would have thought these springs are higher duty than regular clutch springs because it would be logical to think that one clutch is "on" while the other is "off" at all times. Honda says the next gear is always selected ready to engage, which makes me think that it's "loaded" with the relevant clutch "pulled in" while the other is off connecting its own gear with the drive train.

[Mike5100 2,061]

I don't think it would be the springs that got fatigued, it would be friction material in the clutch itself.  However bear in mind that in 3 years on this forum I don't think there's a single report of a DCT clutch burning out - and I bet 90% of us always leave it in D or S mode when waiting.  Also note that there is a Youtube stripdown of a 30,000 mile DCT bike where to the astonishment of the Spanish team, they detected zero wear in the friction material of the clutch.  (Actually I am just having second thoughts about whether it was a DCT bike - I will try to find the video).

Mike

[Guest Hati]

We have a guy running an adventure rider shop here in town, set up not long ago. He is from your end of the woods for sure, wife may be Aussie. He said he had the chance to ride one of the Africa Twin mules while they were testing it and the clutch went on that while he was on/around it. Didn't say what failed exactly just mentioned how expensive was to get a new set to Tunisia (IIRC). I'll try to remember to ask him next time I go that way.

[Guest machinman]

Any update on this?

[embee 7,288]

Pretty certain the springs in the DCT clutches are to hold the plates apart, i.e. the opposite of a conventional manual clutch. Oil pressure forces the plates together to take up drive. http://world.honda.com/motorcycle-picturebook/DCT/detail/

[suffolk58 2,286]

As a youth it was customary to rev your bike whilst waiting at traffic lights to attract females.

It never worked for me, or anyone else I know.

These days, I still drop the bike into neutral if I'm likely to be held for a while, just in case I forget my age and accidentally twist the grip!

The problem is, the resulting melee probably would attract a passing female, but these days I can't remember what to do next.

[fat al 199]

on an evening when heading home from work i always have to stop at a set of traffic lights within  about 10 yards of setting off, if they have just gone red i will select neutral and i notice that the bike roll back slightly  but if i stay in gear then it won't move which suggests that there is some very slight drag on the clutch, i have not noticed this  when the engine is at normal temperature, thinking about it it may be that the engine is running slightly faster in this warm up phase so ignore what i have just said.

 

alan

[embee 7,288]

There will always be a slight drag in a multiplate wet clutch when disengaged. As you say, slower idle speed and lower viscosity of the oil when the engine is up to temperature will mean less drag when hot than when cold.

[aquaboy 105]

I would usually sit at lights with bike in gear, clutch and front brake pulled and both feet down. I also tend to watch the mirrors until the traffic behind has settled.   All depends on the junction, time of day, volume etc tho'  Only put it into neutral if I need a fiddle. 

[baben 11,728]

I would usually sit at lights with bike in gear, clutch and front brake pulled and both feet down. I also tend to watch the mirrors until the traffic behind has settled.   All depends on the junction, time of day, volume etc tho'  Only put it into neutral if I need a fiddle. 

You play the violin when motorcycling?