1st to 2nd Gear change

ianicky · 01-01-2008, 04:42 PM

Hi all
I have not had my Nomad long infact ive only had chance to ride it 3 times in total due to bad weather. No matter what i do the gear change from 1st to 2nd always seems so go with a clonk all other gears change smoothly, is this normal or do i have a problem?

Thanks Ian

jlamz · 01-01-2008, 04:45 PM

I have a 2007 also and have the same problem. I was concerned and asked around, apparently they all do this. It does seem to get better over time. So enjoy your new bike.

mikesth · 01-01-2008, 04:47 PM

My first oil change at 650 miles to Synthetic seemed to help a lot.

ianicky · 01-01-2008, 04:54 PM

Sorry should of said my Nomad is a 2005 with 13k miles.

Ian

01-01-2008, 05:02 PM

My 1st to 2nd isn't nearly as bad as my honda was.

dantama · 01-01-2008, 07:18 PM

Quote:

My first oil change at 650 miles to Synthetic seemed to help a lot.

Ditto the synthetic and less clunk

blowndodge · 01-01-2008, 07:53 PM

1st to 2nd has always been reported as grinding by most owners. Usually if when the bike is new and your very deliberate with the shifting it gets better (mine did). Afterwards synthetics quiet it even more. The automatic neutral finder seems to be the culprit for this rough shift to 2nd once underway that some experience. It's really nothing to worry about.

ianicky · 01-02-2008, 03:48 AM

Thanks all

You have put my mind at rest :) think i will change oil to synthetic as im not sure whats in there now.

Ian

flightdoc · 01-02-2008, 12:57 PM

I have a 2005 and have the same problem until I read an article about "preloading" the shifter. Apply a small amout of pressure to the shifter prior to actually shifting, so when you do shift to 2nd it smooths it out nicely. Made a huge difference.

donoller · 01-02-2008, 01:38 PM

try mobile one v twin oil you will be amazed how much better it is and i think all bikes should have a neutral finder

**coacha** · 01-02-2008, 02:37 PM

I was going to ask the same question but now I don't have to. Thanks for the info.

dogdoc · 01-02-2008, 04:53 PM

'05 and it has always had a rough 1st-2nd shift

burkazoid · 01-03-2008, 10:34 AM

Same as Doc here. I've had the "clunk" from first to second gears on my 2005 Nomad, as well as my previous bike, a 2004 Vulcan 800 Classic. It seemed to me to coincide with the hard shift into first after starting the bike the first time. I find that if I exercise the clutch a bit prevented the hard shift into first, and helped a bit with the "clunk" into second. Your experience of course, will probably vary. Me letting the bike warm up quite a bit seems to help sometimes. It's really unpredictable, but very reliable (an oxymoron?).

hollywood · 01-03-2008, 10:57 AM

I bitched about the same thing to my mechanic and we tried adjusting the shift lever so I could get my boot under it. The adjustment was worse and lowered the heel shifter too much. So I decided to start using the heel shifter when going up thru the gears - to save my boots. The result was if I hit the heel shifter pretty hard when going to 2nd - it solved the grinding problem and my boots no longer have a DENT in the toe.

dogdoc · 01-03-2008, 09:21 PM

Agree, I always heel shift up thur them and you can get a better shift(pressure) than toe.

01-01-2008, 04:42 PM	#1
ianicky Sr. Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Somerset, England Posts: 1,131	1st to 2nd Gear change Hi all I have not had my Nomad long infact ive only had chance to ride it 3 times in total due to bad weather. No matter what i do the gear change from 1st to 2nd always seems so go with a clonk all other gears change smoothly, is this normal or do i have a problem? Thanks Ian Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

01-01-2008, 04:45 PM	#2
jlamz Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Slidell, LA (near New Orleans) Posts: 141	1st to 2nd Gear change I have a 2007 also and have the same problem. I was concerned and asked around, apparently they all do this. It does seem to get better over time. So enjoy your new bike.
	0

01-01-2008, 04:47 PM	#3
mikesth Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Katy Texas Posts: 478	1st to 2nd Gear change My first oil change at 650 miles to Synthetic seemed to help a lot.
	0

01-01-2008, 04:54 PM	#4
ianicky Sr. Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Somerset, England Posts: 1,131	1st to 2nd Gear change Sorry should of said my Nomad is a 2005 with 13k miles. Ian
	0

01-01-2008, 05:02 PM	#5
Guest Posts: n/a	1st to 2nd Gear change My 1st to 2nd isn't nearly as bad as my honda was. Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

01-01-2008, 07:53 PM	#7
blowndodge Sr. Contributor Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Washington City, Utah Posts: 16,474	1st to 2nd Gear change 1st to 2nd has always been reported as grinding by most owners. Usually if when the bike is new and your very deliberate with the shifting it gets better (mine did). Afterwards synthetics quiet it even more. The automatic neutral finder seems to be the culprit for this rough shift to 2nd once underway that some experience. It's really nothing to worry about. __________________ I love my Victory Cross Country Tour 106. Smells like Victory! Ultra's are Limited There are two types of Harley riders. Those that trailer them and those that push them. The most Interesting Man in the World "Find the things in life you don't do well and don't do those things" Member # 0005
	0

01-02-2008, 03:48 AM	#8
ianicky Sr. Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Somerset, England Posts: 1,131	1st to 2nd Gear change Thanks all You have put my mind at rest :) think i will change oil to synthetic as im not sure whats in there now. Ian
	0

01-02-2008, 12:57 PM	#9
flightdoc Sr. Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Barrington, New Hampshire Posts: 1,285	1st to 2nd Gear change I have a 2005 and have the same problem until I read an article about "preloading" the shifter. Apply a small amout of pressure to the shifter prior to actually shifting, so when you do shift to 2nd it smooths it out nicely. Made a huge difference.
	0

01-02-2008, 01:38 PM	#10
donoller Advanced Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: jackson tn. Posts: 555	1st to 2nd Gear change try mobile one v twin oil you will be amazed how much better it is and i think all bikes should have a neutral finder
	0

01-02-2008, 02:37 PM	#11
coacha Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Haysville, KS Posts: 6,259	1st to 2nd Gear change I was going to ask the same question but now I don't have to. Thanks for the info. __________________ Ron "Coach" Allan, Haysville, KS 1999 Nomad Wine and Red "KawaTanker" 2009 BMW R1200RT 2003 BMW K1200LT "Magic Carpet" DOA 11/7/2015 VBA #00291 IBA # 41995 DS #320 '08 Elkins, WV; '09 Helen, GA; '09 Custer, SD; '10 Stanton, VA; '11 Maggie Valley; '12 Townsend, TN; '13 Estes Park; '13 Blairsville, GA; '15 Eureka Springs; '16 Helen; '18 Custer, SD
	0

01-02-2008, 04:53 PM	#12
dogdoc Top Contributor Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 5,263	1st to 2nd Gear change '05 and it has always had a rough 1st-2nd shift
	0

01-03-2008, 10:34 AM	#13
burkazoid Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Bryan, TX Posts: 294	1st to 2nd Gear change Same as Doc here. I've had the "clunk" from first to second gears on my 2005 Nomad, as well as my previous bike, a 2004 Vulcan 800 Classic. It seemed to me to coincide with the hard shift into first after starting the bike the first time. I find that if I exercise the clutch a bit prevented the hard shift into first, and helped a bit with the "clunk" into second. Your experience of course, will probably vary. Me letting the bike warm up quite a bit seems to help sometimes. It's really unpredictable, but very reliable (an oxymoron?). __________________ ---- One good thing I figure about Hell is, you can probably just pee wherever you like.
	0

01-03-2008, 10:57 AM	#14
hollywood Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Mission TX Posts: 340	1st to 2nd Gear change I bitched about the same thing to my mechanic and we tried adjusting the shift lever so I could get my boot under it. The adjustment was worse and lowered the heel shifter too much. So I decided to start using the heel shifter when going up thru the gears - to save my boots. The result was if I hit the heel shifter pretty hard when going to 2nd - it solved the grinding problem and my boots no longer have a DENT in the toe.
	0

01-03-2008, 09:21 PM	#15
dogdoc Top Contributor Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 5,263	1st to 2nd Gear change Agree, I always heel shift up thur them and you can get a better shift(pressure) than toe.
	0

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
2009 1st to 2nd gear change - clunk or ka-pow?	dandantmm	1700 Nomad, Vaquero & Voyager	18	11-05-2023 01:42 AM
Shifting from 1st to 2nd	deadant	1500 & 1600 Nomad	30	04-12-2011 06:12 PM
2006 Nomad-Upshift 1st to 2nd	rez	Vulcan Nomad/Vaquero/Voyager	19	04-05-2010 11:57 PM
2nd Gear Slipping	burly	1500 & 1600 Nomad	12	07-24-2009 03:38 PM
1st gear lurch	Cajunrider	1500 & 1600 Nomad	9	07-06-2009 02:28 PM