I Learned Something New Today (or did I?)

In a discussion on a site that shall remain nameless a guy with a new R3 (160 miles) is having trouble getting it into 1st. I suggested he adjust his clutch to the recommended 2-3 mm because I would almost guarantee it is not there. Well that was my suggestion.

Someone else said the following things:

So, did I learn something new I didn't know about transmissions or clutches today? I have never heard of a "drag clutch", among some of the other things said.

I am all about learning and teaching so if I learned something I am a happy camper.


bob

 

If the trouble is while stopped, I would have suggested they either double pull the clutch or give it a little rock until about 1k miles. All the new components need to wear together.

 

I thought that also but then remembered my clutch going way out of adjustment before 250 miles when the parts all settled in. I am sure that is one of the things they check at the 500 mile service.

bob

 

No idea about the technicalities but I would always let the clutch out in neutral after starting or if I’d been sitting with the clutch in (in neutral) and then pull it in again to engage first. If I didn’t do that there would be no ‘klunk’ and it would SOMETIMES pop out of first under load. Other times it was difficult to get it to go in. I found that the only way to be sure it had engaged properly was to get that klunk by letting the clutch out in neutral first. Some people disagree with me because apparently they know everything but I can tell you it worked for me. Anyway, sounds a little like what that chap was saying.

If the bike was moving when I engaged first I got the klunk so no problem.

 

A huge number of clutches need some drag when coupled with sequential boxes.

ime with the R3 the Window of opportunity of not too much/no too little drag with clutch lever fully back, and correct full unloading of the lifter piece, is NOT that big. Somewhere in the region of half a turn of the adjuster wheel. And it's a swine with new springy cables. Or where summer/winters temps vary hugely.

I concur with Mr CanberraR3 too. I usually release the clutch in N.

The Old Guzzi is way less predictable. But at 40 years it's entitled to be a bit cantankerous.

 

Yep do the same, clutch in to start then release and re clutch to go into first

 

i read this several times
it is always good to recomend the cable adjust.
never heard of the drag clutch just the main clutch which has an anti jutter spring which allows the clutch to apply smoother (for lack of a better word)
i have noticed that a bunch of us have different ways to engage the clutch when going into first.
i guess the one that works the best on the bike is the one u should use.

 

Yep when I first got my bike I had issues trying to get back into first and it was recommended to ease clutch out then back in. Works like a charm

 

I never had any clutch or shifting issues on either of my Rockets but did on my Vulcan Nomad 1600, apparently somewhat of a common issue with Kawasaki's clunky trannies. One of the recommended procedures, which worked great, was to "preload" the shift, that is put a bit of pressure on the shifter before pulling in the clutch lever. It worked. Of course if I gave it too much preload, it would shift and bang into the next gear without the clutch.

I'm wondering if it would help when experiencing Rocket shifting issues.