Stick with me on this post it might be long and have numerous questions. Ok i just got this bike like 2 weeks ago it has a little over 200 miles on it now. The first thing that is worrying me is the gearbox. It's clunky as H#LL and most of the time I have trouble getting it into 4th, 5th & 6th the first time I try. I have to pull the clutch and do it more slowly and it will go into gear. Now given I am shifting all the time below 5k-6k rpms which is was the dealer told me to do to break it in. Also, when slowing down I rarely rev match, sometimes i try but i havent gotten that touch yet, so I just pull the clutch in and break in the mean time I am slowly down shifting through the gears to get back to neutral or first. however sometimes the shifter feels really loose and like its not doing anything b/c im not feeling any clunking and it wont go into what gear im trying to put it into usually 2nd or 1st. Do I have a mechanical problem or am i myself doing something wrong, or are Hondas just like this? My friends yamaha YZF 600R doesnt do any of this at all and the gearbox is no where near as clunky.
Also, when I come to a light and put it in neutral with the clutch still pulled in it idles nice and smooth and sounds fine. but once i let off the clutch it hear a deep weird noise. I dont want to say grinding or ratting noise but thats kinda what it is. and once I pull the clutch in again it goes away?!?!
Furthermore, How hard is too hard to get on the brakes? Can/will they warp like car rotors if they get too hot or hit too hard. Also, I had to hit them pretty hard once or twice and when i did I heard a deep winding/groving noise. is that normal??

Ok i know I had more ?'s but my mind just went blank!! I hate that....[:@] well I'll go to the food store and I'm sure by the time I get back I will have remember what else I had to ask. in the mean time Thanks for any/all help y'all can provide!! I'm learning alot quick.

 

Welcome to Honda's. They are notorious for being "clunky" or firm. Just enough to remind you it's a Honda. With only 200 miles on it, it will most assuredly break in and loosen up a bit with use. (The gear box this is) Just make sure you shift firmly when you shift. As far as rpm matching (blipping) I only do it at the track. Normally when coming to a stop, I pull in the clutch and down shift as I come to a stop. I have seen other say this is improper technique, but I've never had a problem with it. Letting out the clutch in neutral will do exactly what you are describing as a "deep wierd noise" I am guessing it allows everything to spin freely in the clutch basket/tranny again, while you pull the clutch in it disengages obviously the clutch. It's normal. Grabbing the brakes firm? I run EBC HH pads on the front of my bike and after a session at the track the rotors are HOT to the touch, and thus far, no sign of warping. I doubt seriously that you are braking anywhere near hard enough for them to do more than they are designed. You're fine there. If you haul it down from top speed to zero over and over again back to back, that'll warp your rotors, otherwise, your fine. The noise you hear are the pads grabbing the rotors. Again, no problems. Sounds like you just have a new bike and are worried about all the little things bikes grown about. Next question please. One other thing, it's always a good idea to leave the bike in gear at a stop anyway, incase the ******* behind you dont stop or the Semi behind him doesnt, you can just get out of the way as opposed to being stuck in N not being able to do anything but get railed.

 

My experience is that your gearbox will smooth out after the 600 mile service. Make positive motions (bang, bang, bang) when shifting. I'd avoid trying to rpm match while you're still in the break-in period.

I think the brake sound is normal.

 

yea i'm thinking im just not used to the bikes sounds yet, but i just wanted to make sure that everything im hearing is pretty much normal.

However, this morning on the way home from work. I came to a stop light, i was going about 55 mph i let off the gas coasted to about 35 then started to apply the brakes and hold the clutch in until i came to a stop. once stopped i started down shifting through the gears to get back to first i got to about 3rd or 2nd and then the pedal went limp like. i was pushing on it but no clicking or gear movement at all. So i started to try and upshift it still didnt feel anything. so i tried down shifting again alittle harder on the pedal and after 2 trys it worked again. went down to first then neutral and back to first again once the light turned green with no problems. Now I know this cant be normal?? What could be going on?? Sometimes this happens when shifting from 5th-4th or 4th -3rd while still moving at a decent speed with the clutch in ?!?!? Thanks for any/all help!!

 

Damn junk anyway. I know what you mean about the down shifting. Sometimes I have to let out the clutch a little when the gear lever goes limp and it fixes the problem. I have yet to figure out what the hell it is, but it does happen on occasion, only while downshifting to a stop with the clutch pulled in. I've never had any problems other than that. And that's only a minor irritation.

 

if your in an upper gear with the clutch in at a stop, just roll the bike forward or backward a little and you should be able to downshift all the way to first no problem

 

ok, thanks for the info guys, i will have to try those things the next time it happens and see how it goes.