How much lash in the drive train is normal?

[TriumPhil]

Slop or slack from or in the drivetrain, Craig. It's normal and generally completely negligible.

 

[cr0ft]

"Clunking" noises are not what I for one meant with drive line lash, it's what happens when you release the throttle after giving the bike some gas and then experience a "lurching" or "thudding" sensation as the drive line changes from powering the wheel to engine braking, and the same thing when you go from engine braking to power and the bike lurches. Most noticeable on gear 1 and 2.

I don't think the gearbox on these beasts is very sophisticated, so I have some minor clunking noises when I shift too but only if I don't match the gear to the speed (especially forcing the gear into first while going at way beyond first gear speed there's a noticeable clank, not that I ever do that but it happens on all bikes usually.)

 

[Rocket Scientist]

I've never ridden one without the updated second gear which I believe they all had after 2005 (except for some left over silver engines that went in the "Tourer"). It has fewer but heavier side engagement dogs which increases the free play between power and engine braking. I've read posts where people that had the update kit installed in early rockets noticed an increase in lash in second gear.

 

[cootertwo]

kinda like "BIG" (Rocket) is clunky, (tractor), and "small" (scooter), is smooth, (sewing machine)

 

[TRIIICK]

Not to get off the subject but if Triumph really wanted to make a Rolex Machine the options are out there, I've had two Baker Transmissions in two differant bikes and never had a glitch. One i punished so badly and it never gave me any trouble. I've heard latley that most parts on the Rocket aren't made in England so who decides what's best for the company as far as quality control??? Anyway maybe as the company progessess they'll strive for better results..

 

[cr0ft]

I think we should just be happy they work as well as they do, in a capitalism nothing can ever be the best possible - there's always corners cut. The question becomes are they cut too much or not? But a number of people here are rocking 240 horses or whatnot out of their bikes so clearly the transmission is pretty well engineered overall.

 

[rolandrat]

Just for the record here I thought I'd add that when I got my new throttle cables, the curved metal parts you actually attach to the bike on the ends were loose (that is, as long as the cable is loose, you can pull them off the cable end so you see wire between them) unlike the stock black cables that are pretty much one big unit. This made it very easy to adjust the throttle cables until they were perfectly tensioned - when you could no longer easily pull the cable sheath out of the holder at the end, you had perfect tension, not too much and not too little, on both the throttle and the throttle return.

This made a marked difference on the drive train lash, it became much easier to control the throttle and not have the bike "thud" to a stop or when it gets moving. So anyone who has objectionable drive train lash may want to verify that both throttle cables are tensioned just right, not too little and not too much. It doesn't make the lash go away, but it does make it much easier to control it, I find.

took the slack out of the cables and it does make for a smoother transition from off throttle to on throttle....

 

[TriumPhil]

Feathering one's action with the fun dial can make most of the lash disappear, as well.

Given that I have smallish hands, I find that a grip position closer to the inside of the throttle grip gives me more a precise and smoother action for regulating the throttle and it is more comfortable vis-a-vis minimizing Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome.


Some ancillary info regarding a common causation for that "pins and needles" feeling:

http://www.patient.co.uk/health/hand-arm-vibration-syndrome-leaflet

http://www.labor.state.ak.us/lss/pads/hand-arm.htm

 

[cr0ft]

The angle of the wrist is also important if one loses feeling in the hand. Pinching the carpal tunnel, where all the nerves and tendons enter the wrist, shut by angling the hand is not good.

 

[dawb]

to beat an already dead horse a bit...my 2013 does not seem to have much lash at all...i almost want to apologize. Ha, i mean the hook up from throttle is solid, i feel a pull from the physics of the it all, but not a delay per se. Clunking in the lower gears i get plenty of, but as one of the other posters said not so much if engine speed is matched up.....why the hell this bike does not have a tach on it i can only wonder....it must have got cut out along with the electronic cruise control it should have. ; )