Gear Clunk Its annoying!!
03-04-2010, 09:05 AM
#1
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Squid
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Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 42
Gear Clunk Its annoying!!
hi all,
Im fairly new to biking, and wanted to shed some light on changing gears (sounds silly i know)
Im aware of the clunk when engaging 1st but i find the storm tends to have an noticeble clunk when going through the gears. Not all the time though! ive adjusted the chain to see if this would help, it did for a while, and its started occasionally doing it again.
Im thinking its my technique, may staying in the low revs to change, as its a click when i push the gears to change at 6000 revs. does anyone have the same thoughts or am i worrying over nothing?
Cheers
Im fairly new to biking, and wanted to shed some light on changing gears (sounds silly i know)
Im aware of the clunk when engaging 1st but i find the storm tends to have an noticeble clunk when going through the gears. Not all the time though! ive adjusted the chain to see if this would help, it did for a while, and its started occasionally doing it again.
Im thinking its my technique, may staying in the low revs to change, as its a click when i push the gears to change at 6000 revs. does anyone have the same thoughts or am i worrying over nothing?
Cheers
03-04-2010, 09:26 AM
#4
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Squid
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Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 42
ive checked the chain this afternoon, and it feels a little tight, even though i adjusted it the other day and it had 2' of slack, now its probably 1".
9000 revs isnt that too much if your going from 1st to 2nd, or is that the norm?
9000 revs isnt that too much if your going from 1st to 2nd, or is that the norm?
03-04-2010, 09:46 AM
#5
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Buffalo, NY
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1st to 2nd is clunky on these bikes, I added the Factory Pro detent arm kit and it made a noticeable difference - they also have the arm with an improved shift star as a kit which others have said makes it shift even nicer. Try searching for those posts on here.
Last edited by RickB; 03-04-2010 at 09:48 AM. Reason: content
03-04-2010, 09:48 AM
#7
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MotoGP
Join Date: Nov 2006
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At what revs are you actually changing gears?
If you are below 3.5k then you are decidedly short shifting and yes, that means clunky... Won't matter what bike you are on... The only solution to that is to get it going out of idle...
Side note though... If you are new to bikes as you say... take it easy, the VTR is rather user friendly and also rather beginner friendly... But it doesn't suffer fools lightly...
If you are below 3.5k then you are decidedly short shifting and yes, that means clunky... Won't matter what bike you are on... The only solution to that is to get it going out of idle...
Side note though... If you are new to bikes as you say... take it easy, the VTR is rather user friendly and also rather beginner friendly... But it doesn't suffer fools lightly...
03-04-2010, 10:18 AM
#9
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when you shift from 1st to 2nd, shift before 5,500rpm. there is a sweet spot in the rpm range. just gotta get used to it. new oil helps for a while, fiddling with the shift lever linkage can help. but don't rely on your chain tension as a good reference. remember you always want to adjust your chain using the tightest section of the chain as a reference. better the chain be too loose in spots than too tight. too loose, no big deal. too tight, you'll snap it when you hit your first bump.
03-04-2010, 10:53 AM
#10
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Motorcycle transmissions are commonly known as "dog boxes". There is a set of dogs that engages with a set of slots to lock the transmission to that gear.
Short-shifting causes the dog to slam the end of the slot. that's what makes the clunk.
get up higher inot the RPM range, then shift quick and decisively - don't let the engine RPM drop much and the dogs will be happy.
03-04-2010, 11:13 AM
#11
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Squid
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thanks all thats good feedback, il adjust the chain as it is too tight and shift in the higher revs then, just feels wrong but hey!! the engine is designed to the max i suppose and the rev counter has 11000 on it so i guess when i change it its too low in comparison.
03-04-2010, 12:15 PM
#12
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Another thing with the 1 -2 shift. Make it a firm one. I've missed second a bunch of times shifting too easily. This is more noticable at high rpms. If you aren't direct with it the bitch will grind and likely find neutral and then give you some grinding to get into second.
03-04-2010, 01:16 PM
#14
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No clunk is a good clunk.
Or should I say, the best clunk is no clunk at all.
the fastest upshift doesn't use the clutch. Just a light roll off of the throttle to unload the gears and a quick flick of the shift lever and back on the gas.
done correctly, it is silky smooth and there is no clunk.
Clunking comes from lazy shifting, where the input and countershafts are not speed-matched.
Or should I say, the best clunk is no clunk at all.
the fastest upshift doesn't use the clutch. Just a light roll off of the throttle to unload the gears and a quick flick of the shift lever and back on the gas.
done correctly, it is silky smooth and there is no clunk.
Clunking comes from lazy shifting, where the input and countershafts are not speed-matched.
Last edited by RCVTR; 03-04-2010 at 01:22 PM.
03-04-2010, 02:45 PM
#15
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No clunk is a good clunk.
Or should I say, the best clunk is no clunk at all.
the fastest upshift doesn't use the clutch. Just a light roll off of the throttle to unload the gears and a quick flick of the shift lever and back on the gas.
done correctly, it is silky smooth and there is no clunk.
Clunking comes from lazy shifting, where the input and countershafts are not speed-matched.
Or should I say, the best clunk is no clunk at all.
the fastest upshift doesn't use the clutch. Just a light roll off of the throttle to unload the gears and a quick flick of the shift lever and back on the gas.
done correctly, it is silky smooth and there is no clunk.
Clunking comes from lazy shifting, where the input and countershafts are not speed-matched.
tim
03-04-2010, 11:25 PM
#16
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Squid
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Join Date: Nov 2009
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i didnt know there was such a thing as lazy shifting, as far as im aware i i use all the component parts of changing. revs..off gas..clutch in click gear on gas again. ive adapted to blipping the throttle rather than coming off. i have even kept the gas on.
i just feel that when i go out the gears work nice and just gentle click and others the clunks back. ive even tried pre tensioning the gear with my foot.
I did have the same similar problem with my bandit 600 in august last year, intermittent clunking, so i could pin it down to rider error i suppose! although when i was practicing for my test i were learning on a CB500 and that was fine!
i just feel that when i go out the gears work nice and just gentle click and others the clunks back. ive even tried pre tensioning the gear with my foot.
I did have the same similar problem with my bandit 600 in august last year, intermittent clunking, so i could pin it down to rider error i suppose! although when i was practicing for my test i were learning on a CB500 and that was fine!
03-04-2010, 11:52 PM
#17
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For the first few thousand miles, the first gear to second gear clunk, pinwheel or missed shift drove me crazy. If you want your VTR to shift like butter, including the 1-2 shift?
Bleed/change the clutch fluid if it is or could be more than a year old. Stop using the over priced 10w40 "motorcycle" oil and get some 15w40 heavy duty aka 'diesel".
My VTR now shifts as smooth as silk, including the 1-2 shift.
Bleed/change the clutch fluid if it is or could be more than a year old. Stop using the over priced 10w40 "motorcycle" oil and get some 15w40 heavy duty aka 'diesel".
My VTR now shifts as smooth as silk, including the 1-2 shift.
03-05-2010, 08:23 AM
#19
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Originally Posted by peterpanic
YEAH.....FINALLY.....an oil thread!!!!!!!!!
So you'd use the new 15-40s even though they are now the SJ rating with detergents? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
03-05-2010, 10:21 AM
#21
Member
Squid
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Utah
Posts: 35
"change your oil often. After an oil change you'll notice the smoothest shifting."
+1....... and yes the type of oil used greatly influences shifting.
I went to Rotella Synth. and I am never going back.
Since this is turning to an oil thread....
+1....... and yes the type of oil used greatly influences shifting.
I went to Rotella Synth. and I am never going back.
Since this is turning to an oil thread....
03-05-2010, 01:41 PM
#25
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Squid
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Join Date: Nov 2009
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03-05-2010, 02:09 PM
#26
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I like Tim's advice...
Putting around town just makes your oil dirty.
I put any old oil in my snowlower.
It seems like to used oil tank at Kragen is full every time I go there.
I just heard it would only take 2 ounces of nuclear fuel per person per year to meet current demands.
don't think we'll see nuclear motorcycles any time soon.
Putting around town just makes your oil dirty.
I put any old oil in my snowlower.
It seems like to used oil tank at Kragen is full every time I go there.
I just heard it would only take 2 ounces of nuclear fuel per person per year to meet current demands.
don't think we'll see nuclear motorcycles any time soon.
03-05-2010, 03:22 PM
#27
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Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Northeast Ohio
Posts: 127
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOpBLnVgAPI
Listen to what these people are telling you about lazy shifting.You yourself said it does not happen every time.Watch my video.There are quite few gear changes.Upshifts are quick and deliberate.Down shifts are not quite as quick.Listen at 1:17.There is your clunk.I blew that down shift.Did not blip the throttle.Any shifts below 3000 or so can be cluncky.No you don't have to shift at 9 grand.Practice--it will come to you.
hi all,
Im fairly new to biking, and wanted to shed some light on changing gears (sounds silly i know)
Im aware of the clunk when engaging 1st but i find the storm tends to have an noticeble clunk when going through the gears. Not all the time though! ive adjusted the chain to see if this would help, it did for a while, and its started occasionally doing it again.
Im thinking its my technique, may staying in the low revs to change, as its a click when i push the gears to change at 6000 revs. does anyone have the same thoughts or am i worrying over nothing?
.
Cheers
Im fairly new to biking, and wanted to shed some light on changing gears (sounds silly i know)
Im aware of the clunk when engaging 1st but i find the storm tends to have an noticeble clunk when going through the gears. Not all the time though! ive adjusted the chain to see if this would help, it did for a while, and its started occasionally doing it again.
Im thinking its my technique, may staying in the low revs to change, as its a click when i push the gears to change at 6000 revs. does anyone have the same thoughts or am i worrying over nothing?
.
Cheers
Last edited by Hawknut; 03-07-2010 at 05:25 PM.
03-05-2010, 05:12 PM
#28
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Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Toronto
Posts: 201
You should try my Buell...like shifting gears on a 1950's John Deere...
I was blown away by how smooth my VTR shift is....like a Swiss watch compared to the Buell. Matching the sweet spot on the revs is the way to go...
I was blown away by how smooth my VTR shift is....like a Swiss watch compared to the Buell. Matching the sweet spot on the revs is the way to go...
03-06-2010, 11:30 AM
#29
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Squid
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 42
Found out and a big thanks!!
Hi all,
After all that i have finally sussed the problem....
A lad down the road from where i live has a valadero, thus offered to take mine for a test ride (he'd been kept in the help me loop for some time)
Brought the bike back after the test run and said my gear box was great and like silk.
He did say i should blip the throttle more to get the dogs spinnng! heard that from one of the replys!!
So tomorrow im going to re assess my riding technique.
Im also going to look at all the info from everyones reply, and i need to say a big thanks to all that gave some feedback, as a newbi its appreciated.
Cheers again.
After all that i have finally sussed the problem....
A lad down the road from where i live has a valadero, thus offered to take mine for a test ride (he'd been kept in the help me loop for some time)
Brought the bike back after the test run and said my gear box was great and like silk.
He did say i should blip the throttle more to get the dogs spinnng! heard that from one of the replys!!
So tomorrow im going to re assess my riding technique.
Im also going to look at all the info from everyones reply, and i need to say a big thanks to all that gave some feedback, as a newbi its appreciated.
Cheers again.
03-06-2010, 12:13 PM
#30
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MotoGP
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Way Out West
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Gotta chuckle at the guy who spends $12-$15 per quart for super duper motorcycle "racing" oil, has 12 year old Pep Boys DOT 3 in his clutch master cylinder, and can't figger out why his bike don't shift good! Well duh! Ha!
