I know the clunk shifting into 2nd gear is normal. I've searched extensively and found posts as old as 2002 complaining about the clunk on brand new bikes. I realize the clunk shifting into 1st from neutral is the clutch basket coming to an abrupt stop and I normally hold the clutch in for 5-6 seconds before engaging 1st.

Now has anyone found a sure fire way to reduce the clunk in 2nd? I've read that shifting without letting off the gas completely helps and it seems to. Also shifting at higher rpms helps, but that's not always realistic. I only have a little over 5k miles on the bike, so it might get better with time. I'm using rotella t6 5w40 right now. Will a thicker oil help? I have a buell 1125cr that used to give me some complaints shifting into 2nd, but I added 1 quart of rotella to the 2 quarts of mobil 1 vtwin 20w50 and it now shifts smooth as silk. I'm thinking about running all rotella in the buell next time.

I had a 15 tooth front sprocket installed, but didn't like how 1st gear felt going around corners. I'm now considering putting it back in and just start in 2nd gear from now on.

 

Moose I'm complaining of the same thing. Everyone says its normal. I've tried different oil without improvement. I may be bring the bike to a friend at Jordan motorsports to do some work. He rode it and said they can greatly improve it. May cost me a few hundred but hey I gotta enjoy my bike right??

 

Let me know what they can do. I'm willing to ride without nuetral, if removing it helps.

 

It won't be till Winter when I'm not using the bike. I was at a bike night in East Troy and I had him ride it. Really didn't ask what they were going to do to it. He just said it would be like butter when hes done. I asked him if I could ride Bostrom's bike to see how it would be after they were done..... you should of seen the bellowing laugh. Worth a try right???

 

I believe the Factory Pro Evo shift kit will alleviate that problem. It includes the shift star, detent spring and arm. They're around $180.00 and have great reviews. Its one of my next mods if I have the money.

 

+1. that should take care of it. i just can't justify the price and it doesn't bother me enough for all the work it'll take to put it in.


if you learn how to cluth-less upshift and get good at it, that'll take care of it.

 

Yeah I read the reviews. Some say they wouldn't do it again. Others said it was great. I don't want to spend a 180 and my time and be slightly impressed or even worse unhappy. For the money I will spend I want it right. Also I'll have a backing on the work done.

 

+1 Clutchless shifting is the cheap alternative. Shame I suck at it (can do it 50% of the time into second and 10% into 3rd)

 

I had a similar problem with my Blackbird. It got so bad that half the time it would kick back into neutral. That particular shift seems to be affected by little things that wouldn't make a difference anywhere else. I was sure I'd have to buy the shift kit, or even get my gears undercut, but I finally got it sorted. Here's what helped me:

- took off the front sprocket cover, cleaned all the gunk out especially around the back of the clutch slave cylinder and the clutch lifter rod. Take the lifter rod out, clean it, de-burr if necessary, and lube it.

- any slop in the drivetrain will make the 1-2 shift worse. I replaced the cush drive rubbers (50,000 km on them), helped some. Also make sure there are no tight spots in the chain.

- check your throttle free play. Too much slack and you won't be backing off the throttle when you're shifting, especially at lower rpm. You'll just be letting out slack.

- check your gearshift lever. I adjusted mine up a bit to allow for new boots with a thicker toe. When I wore the old smaller boots after that, my 1-2 shift problem came back. I would've sworn I was jamming the lever up as far as it would go . . . but evidently, not quite. Adjusted the lever down a bit everything was fine again.

I use T6 in all my bikes, everything from a 1983 V45 Sabre to a 2010 Speed Triple. All of them shift better with the 5w-40 synthetic than with heavier oils.

 

we don't have hydraulic clutches...



my hard shifting is more noticeable as the oil gets older... it always kind of shocks me how smooth it is after i change the oil.