Hey guys and (I hope) Gals.
First to say what a great site. I've joined some forums for some pretty strange things before and now here is one that is actually useful and full of people who love bikes.....GREAT.

My Problem.....allways a catch eh?

Just bought my second cbr 1000, a 94 model in white with 43k on the clock, nice ride and generally am very pleased.
I knew when I bought it that it needed a new chain/sprocket so didn't mind unduly about the clunky gear change. Just put on the new chain/sprocket and ARRRGGHHHH it is still clunky.

Done a bit of research and the symptoms seem quite normal i.e. Smooth as a baby's bum when cold and becomes more clunky as it warms up. Everyone reccomends adjusting the clutch, but this can't be done. I wouldn't mind so much but my last cbr was a dream.

Anyone got a similar problem and found a solution or should I just put up with it?
It also tends to jump a little in going from netral to first, makes the chain snap, if you know what I mean....

Hope to speak soon
Cheers
Hank.

 

Mine (99 F-X) has covered 13500 miles and I've just fitted a new chain and sprockets. Yep, the gearbox isn't slick like, say, a Suzuki box. My clutch engages towards the end of lever travel (it feels like I have to let the lever out a fair way to move off). Also I've noticed that if accelerating hard in 3rd, the gear change to 4th feels clunky. Otherwise fine. Dunno if this helps...

 

Synthetic oil seems to have helped mine - it's only clunky when going from neutral to 1st and when shifting close to or at redline, otherwise it's smooth. I'll take clunky over problematic anyday - lots of bikes tend to slip out of gear when aging, the CBR at 45k is rock solid.

 

I agree with Chesthing. Gear shifts on mine seem to need more effort at the gear lever when shifting at the higher end of the rev range. A clunk when shifting from neutral to 1st goes without saying.

 

Shifting smoothly takes getting used to the bike so you can match engine speed with wheel speed. It takes a little while to get used to a specific bike's characteristics even with a lot of riding experience. Other than stopping and pulling out from a stop, the clutch lever should never be pulled all of the way to the bar but just enough to slightly unload the drive line.

That said, there's one thing mechanical that can make a huge difference here. Throttle free-play. This may seem to be totally unrelated, and it IS unrelated in a purely mechanical sense, but what it does is screws with the operator. When you back the throttle off to the stop while making a shift, then intend to roll back on, excessive play fools your brain, believing you applied throttle when in fact a good portion of your motion was dead time spent taking the play out of the throttle, never making the intended change to throttle position. It results in less or none of the intended small amount of throttle application that smooths the shift and the resultant clunk of a mis-matched engine/transmission speed.

If it's loose, adjust out most of the play, leaving a small amount, maybe 1/16", to be sure that the advance and return cables aren't under tension against each other. Too tight will cause undue wear on the cables but worse, on the throttle shafts. As an extra precaution cycle the steering to each end of travel and recheck the play as flexing cables can change tension slightly. It improves driveability around town as well for much the same reason, getting the throttle response exactly as intended. The fine adjustment is in one of the cables just below the throttle grip. Extending it takes play out. If there isn't sufficient adjustment available, lift the tank and you'll see that there is a coarse adjustment on one of the cables where they attach to the throttle assembly. Good luck, hope that helps somebody.

 

Dad has a good point regarding throttle cable freeplay. I have mine adjusted so that there is barely any noticeable freeplay. This makes blipping the throttle inbetween downshifts easy. As Dad points out, if there is too much freepay, any throttle blipping motion will simply only serve to take up the freeplay.

I think it is a great feeling doing this blipping going down the box whilst under heavy braking just before a roundabout - sounds great too.

 

Hi guys,
thanks for showing an interest.
Sometimes it just nice to share (note for the gals there, all bikers have a sensitive side)
Will check the throttles, that seems very sensible. and yes there is a bit of slop.
Also read another post regarding "notchy" gear changes: I think that is the Yank version of clunky,
The guy said that his gear change lever was loose, Upon closer inspection I think mine has been dropped at vey low speed or even stationary and there is about a 3/8 inch of slop on the up and down.
Does anyone else feel that this would add to the problem.
I'm guessing it's a bit like Dad's theory with the throttles. The brain isn't as quick as we think......Mine definitely isn't....LOL
Any more ideas greatly received.
Will address these problems tomorrow as it is beautifully sunny and dry today so I'm off for a burn. WIll let you know how I get on.
Catch U later.
Hank

 

Yeah that was me. I do need to replace the gearshift cover gasket, so I'll be replacing the detent arm, spring etc anyway.

Bu my lever is cactus. It has a lot of movement side to side and up & down. A new bush may help with the side to side, but only a new lever assembly will help with the up/down. As a new one is $180 I am still thinking of alternatives.

Considering its half the cost of rearsets I might as well see if anyone makes em for the thou'

 

I don't think play in the shifter will be the problem that it is in the throttle because there's no element of "feel" or throttle, modulating the position. It's all of the way or nothing. As such, you just apply pressure until it stops at full travel. Operating freely would be important but play, not so much.

 

Just out of curiousity, you said that you believe that the bike has been dropped, now although what Dad is suggesting could solve your probs could the probs have been caused by the drop? Also, you have not said what the clutch itself is doing? You could try riding and not using the clutch lever to see how you get on. Alimination of possible senarios to trace the cause of clunk is not going to be easy. At least being on the forum means that you have a wide field of info.



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