first gear sometimes clunks in hard

[Guest robson]

 

May I commend to you the advice I was given (in a broad Geordie accent) by a bird 35 years ago when I made a pathetic attempt to chat her up?  "If you haven't got anything sensible to say, don't say anything at all?"

 

so why are you speaking then???  if you endorse them so you're at the same level and feel sorry for you.

[Guest robson]

 

Also, why does it mater how long someone has been riding for? I passed my test in Aug this year and have ridden 8000 miles. Does this make me more or less experienced at sticking a bike in 1st gear.

 

it's funny isn't it?  we have here few very old dudes  who are offended every time they don't understand somebody's post or hidden meanings in it. Just ignore them.   

[Rocker66 34,488]

I thought it was a valid question. Sometimes my bike is cold and I put it in 1st and there is hardly any clunk. Sometimes it's warm and clunks like the gear box is going to drop out. I've never been overly concerned as when sat a traffic lights with 10+ other bikes, old and new, they all do it.

 

I now understand it all depends on the chain slack, but didn't really think about it before this post...

 

Also, why does it mater how long someone has been riding for? I passed my test in Aug this year and have ridden 8000 miles. Does this make me more or less experienced at sticking a bike in 1st gear.

I think you have missed the point it is a valid question. What people are complaining about is Robson posting very basic questions that one would expect from a new rider whilst at the same time telling others that they need to learn to ride. if you check some of his posts they contradict each other.

No one is disrespecting you but then you are not telling others how great you are at riding and how you are the only one that knows how to ride

[Guest chicken george]

If he's trolling. Then he's winning. Because you guys are responding.

If he generally didn't know. Then now he does. But had to read through the rants to get to it.

No offense.

[Guest GBH]

Don't think it has much to do with chain slack because my VFR and Fury both do it and they have shafts!

[Guest robson]

Don't think it has much to do with chain slack because my VFR and Fury both do it and they have shafts!

 

I don't have chain slack, all I was interested in if this behavior does any harm to transmission.

It happened to other bikes I rode as well sometimes still the same question. I'm not a mechanic. 

[Dave H 2,022]

Don't think it has much to do with chain slack because my VFR and Fury both do it and they have shafts!

 

+1, BMW shafties

[Guest Tibs]

Err, going back to the question of clonking into gear at the start of the day. In the absence of a kickstarter, you could put into gear, pull in the clutch and push the bike backwards and forwards a few inches to seperate the plates, then put into neutral and fire it up. Simples.

Tibs

[Tonyj 6,907]

I don't have chain slack, all I was interested in if this behavior does any harm to transmission.

It happened to other bikes I rode as well sometimes still the same question. I'm not a mechanic. 

not in my experience, every bike ive owned as made a clank with no adverse effect

[Guest GBH]

Err, going back to the question of clonking into gear at the start of the day. In the absence of a kickstarter, you could put into gear, pull in the clutch and push the bike backwards and forwards a few inches to seperate the plates, then put into neutral and fire it up. Simples.

Tibs

I would not start the bike in gear even with the clutch in because it puts extra strain on the starter electrics etc. I start in neutral with the clutch in with all my bikes and cars in fact a lot of cars will not start until you put the clutch in these days including the DCT which will not start in gear. I take it you even have to put the side stand up to do this unless you've disconnected the switch. Just my oppion and yes never had a problem with any gearbox on a bike and they all make this noise.

[Guest bikeknut]

Clunking into first is completely normal. All the (wet plate clutch) bikes I have owned have done this to varying degrees. True it can sound quite gruesome but in reality no harm is done. My 750 snicks into 1st cold. Thereafter it is a clunk job. If you have ever ridden a dry clutch bike (Guzzi for instance), you can have a quite different problem - complete disengagement means the gear cluster stops spinning and the engagement dogs can't click in. You sometimes have to pull in the clutch and tap into gear straight away while the clusters are spinning. Ways around the (not really) problem? Different oil properties will have an effect. Don't use a higher viscosity than specified. Leave the bike in gear with clutch disengaged for short stops. If you are starting on a downward slope, allow the bike to roll a bit before engaging. Make sure you don't have excessive lever free-play. But don't sweat on it. No damage is being done.

[suffolk58 2,286]

Don't think it has much to do with chain slack because my VFR and Fury both do it and they have shafts!

+1 Both my BMWs clunked much more than the NC.

The ultimate clunk was when I borrowed a Harley (Road King). I'd swear there was a tiny guy living in the crankcases, swinging a sledge hammer.

(P.S. No slur intended on Harley Davidsons, when I finally win the Lottery, there'll be a place for a for at least one in my collection).

Sorry Dave, +2, missed your post!

Edited December 24, 2014 by suffolk58

[Rocker66 34,488]

Never heard any clunk on my multistrada. Mind you that was probably because the rattle from the ventilated dry clutch was too loud

 

[Scootabout 2,267]

I met a guy on the Welsh rally last May who said when he test rode one bike - a Victory, I think - the gearchange sounded like "someone throwing an anvil into a skip". But that was on the upchange!