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Old 10-14-2015, 10:28 AM   #1
Scootergptx   Scootergptx is offline
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Shifting noise

Noticed when I shift from neutral to 1st, 1st to 2nd and sometimes 2nd to 3rd it's a pretty hard thunk getting it into gear.

Keep saying I'm going to flush the fluid on the clutch, but haven't done it yet.

Other bikes have done this too, but it's a pretty good thunk on this bike. Only 32k on the odometer, so I would hope the clutch isn't toast yet.

Is this common to these bikes, or did I just get lucky.

Hope it's something simple, but I do have a warranty too. May have been a good investment.
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Old 10-14-2015, 11:25 AM   #2
tonik   tonik is offline
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Very common, and seems to be common to many of the big cruisers across many manufacturers. When I tested all the big cruisers before upgrading my Nomad to a Voyager most did it. Some worse, some less bad.
 
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Old 10-14-2015, 11:29 AM   #3
Scootergptx   Scootergptx is offline
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I see these bikes have straight cut gears. That explains a lot.
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Old 10-17-2015, 02:05 PM   #4
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Didn't the change they heli gears at some point? I had a Goldwing and even that "clunked" when dropping into gear (not as bad).

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I see these bikes have straight cut gears. That explains a lot.
 
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Old 10-31-2015, 11:34 PM   #5
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Didn't the change they heli gears at some point? I had a Goldwing and even that "clunked" when dropping into gear (not as bad).

The Heli gears can stop the gear whine. Straight cut gearing is noisier. But that causes other manufacturing issues, like thrust loads on the shafts. Correct me if I'm wrong but these transmissions are what is called a constant mesh gear box. There are sliding collars that link the shafts and gears for gear selection.

Most of the time my skoot clunks into gear pretty hard. But every now and then it will shift almost silently.

What I think is happening is the viscus shear in the oil is creating a drag on the clutch plates. Kinda like the clutch not being fully disengaged. So when you shift into gear there is pressure being transmitted from the engine to the transmission through the clutch even though you have the clutch lever pulled all the way in. In the lower gears, the gear ratios give the engine more leverage hence the harsher clunking.

I have wondered if a braided Stainless clutch line and a slightly larger piston in the clutch lever would help eliminate the problem?

I have not had the time to try this out yet.
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Old 11-01-2015, 01:47 AM   #6
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What clunk?
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Old 10-14-2015, 11:32 AM   #7
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Exactly.
 
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Old 10-14-2015, 12:51 PM   #8
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With a bit of practice you can eliminate that big clunk your talking about. These bikes have a "zone". Play around with it a bit and you can get to the point that you hear "click" instead. I found that steady force when I shift is best for me. Not jamming it in gear with force and not trying to ease it in gear. I don't even use the clutch from 4 to 5. I know some that don't use the clutch past 2nd gear.
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Old 10-14-2015, 01:48 PM   #9
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I always start my bikes in neutral. It's that shift into 1st while it's sitting that's the worst. But it's also not consistent.

As long as it's not just me, I can deal with it.
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Old 10-14-2015, 03:57 PM   #10
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I always start my bikes in neutral. It's that shift into 1st while it's sitting that's the worst. But it's also not consistent.

As long as it's not just me, I can deal with it.
It smoothes out with miles on the bike and switch to synthetic oil.
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Old 10-14-2015, 06:36 PM   #11
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"Keep saying I'm going to flush the fluid on the clutch, but haven't done it yet."

With 32k on the clock I would definitely put changing the fluids, clutch and brakes, on the DO IT list over the winter.

As others have said loud clunks are normal, synthetic oil lessens it but doesn't eliminate it.
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Old 10-14-2015, 06:33 PM   #12
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I tried synthetic on the Voyager and it made no difference to the shifting. It did make a difference on the Nomad, for the first few thousand kilometres after changing the oil.
 
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Old 10-16-2015, 09:22 PM   #13
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LOL if you've ever owned a Harley you will never notice the Vulcan shift clunk!
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Old 10-17-2015, 12:20 PM   #14
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Quote:
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LOL if you've ever owned a Harley you will never notice the Vulcan shift clunk!
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Old 10-17-2015, 10:13 PM   #15
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Remember the first year Goldwings. My neighbor had one. I could hear him shift when I was inside my house
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