How much lash in the drive train is normal?

cr0ft

Living Legend
Joined
Jun 28, 2012
Messages
2,409
Location
Finland
Ride
Triumph Rocket III Touring 2010
Hey all. I find that slow speed maneuvering with the R3T isn't as smooth as one might like. The engine revs etc are all under control, it's not a TPS fault, but I do have a fair amount of drive train lash. Going from drive to engine braking is a noticeable "jump" (well, not jump, but you can feel it as a very discrete step) and going back on the power at slow speeds again is not smooth even with very good throttle control; I can get it smooth-ish but the lash is always there. Is this the way it was out of the gates? I really don't recall off hand.

Just wondering how much play there is for the average Rocket, fuzzy as the question may be.
 
depends on what gear i'm in at what speed, if im cruising above 2000rpm and by 3000 the lash is gone on my 06
 
Yeah I don't really notice it in any major way in any of the higher gears, so I presume it's standard to have some in gear 1 and 2. Just makes creeping along a bit... lashy.
 
My 05' is also "lashy". It's had the upgrade kit. Ive heard the upgraded 2nd gear has more lash, but mine has a lot of lash in 1st also.
 
I feel it to some extent when walking my bike home after work in the stop and go traffic. I work mine out by slipping the clutch ever-so-slightly to decrease any abruptness that is associated with the drive shaft. Many of my previous bikes had drive shafts, (VMax and several Hondas), the R3T is no worse than any of them and better than most of the Hondas I have ridden. It seems about the same as my VMax which is manageable in my opinion.
 
I was mostly concerned I was developing some issue with the shaft drive or something but the more you search the web the more the fact that it has always had noticeable drive train lash on low gears appears. Just the nature of the beast.
 
From what I've known, train lash is fairly common on most bikes that are shaft driven... my last bike (M109R) had a fair bit of lash as well, but I've always compensated by just using the clutch when in slow speed to reduce it. The Rocket doesn't seem to be any worse then any other.
 
I agree with Ricochet, shaft drive bikes will always have drivetrain lash. Using a lower gear usually makes it disappear for me. In stop and go traffic I finesse the clutch. Lugging the engine is the best way to feel lash, can be unnerving then. I like shaft drive's reliability, lash is the tradeoff.
 
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