I recently posted about a loud clang when pulling in and releasing the clutch at low speeds, after checking over the drive it all looks sound including the clutch, final drive sprocket, chain tension etc etc, the only possible cause i can see is the gearbox seems to have an awful lot of backlash when rocking the wheel back and forward on a stand in first gear, this might be unloading the drive when the clutch clutch is pulled and snatching when released. What i need to know is this amount of gearbox backlash normal or do i have a problem here? seems to have slightly more in 1st than 5th gear, i have added a video so if anyone is a bit of a gearbox guru or someone could compare their bike when next up on a paddock stand it would be much appreciated.VIDEO0152 - YouTube">

 

Ok all sorted, spoke to few people in the trade. Backlash is in gear engagement dogs. not between the gears themselves phew! quite normal. the dogs have a fair bit of clearance to allow them to locate when the gears are spinning. However did suggest i checked chain guide on swing arm is sound and not allowing chain to slap swing arm.

 

out of curiosity - have you pulled your drivehub out of the rear wheel and inspected the cush drive condition? If you've got missing or badly worn cushions it could cause engagement noise.

 

Never pulled it apart but could detect a very small amount of play, will pull it tommorow just to check, and see if i can shim it any.

 

seems as normal as mine. heres a pic of the dogs and the slots they go into, which as you said is what causes all that movement

 

Thanks, pics explain it much better than words. I took a look at my cush drive managed to shim 5 pieces of thick plastic cut from a oil container, 1 behind each smaller cush rubber. Had to tap drive back in with rubber mallet so its pretty snug now, adjusted chain to 3/4" slack and.........bleedin front master cylinder has now decided to go squishy so ordered a seal kit, atleast i wasnt out riding! so will have to wait to see if there is any improvement.

 

my recently aquired cbr1000f is the same,thought maybe i was looking at a gearbox overhaul eventually,but seems it is normal after some milage,have heard of cush drives being packed with pieces cut from old inner tubes

 

Well to drag up an old post i have finally solved the loud clang i was experiencing when letting out the clutch in 1st and rolling on the throttle between 1st and 2nd. i swapped out the complete clutch basket with one i got from flea bay for £30. The driving gear from clutch to engine is spring loaded and rivoted through slots to the clutch basket, ( to absorb some shock i presume) i think the springs had gone weak and the rivots had become loose and worn. Anyway eventually problem solved no more clang.