Loud shift from 1st to 2nd?

[nthdegreeburns]

I took my bike by a friend's house this past weekend. He rides a Harley Sportster, but his kid is interested in a small sport bike or sport tourer. When I pulled up, he exclaimed, "Was that your shifter?"

Befuddled, I invited him to ride up and down the street and check the hearing for himself...

[vimeo]71312298[/vimeo]

So? What's the word? Is that a really loud shift from 1st to 2nd? Should I be checking out the clutch or the chain?

Thanks,
nthdegreeburns


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[MakersTeleMark]

It's usually a cluncker for me if I'm not shifting up in the higher rpms.

When's the last time you changed the oil?

 

[SweaterDude]

The FZ tends to shift loudly. and since 1st to 2nd is the longest throw (going through neutral) it makes sense that it should be the loudest of all.

all bikes should be loudest from 1st - 2nd.

not that you can hear the shift over the sound of bolts falling off of a harley anyway:BLAA:

 

[nthdegreeburns]

It's usually a cluncker for me if I'm not shifting up in the higher rpms.

When's the last time you changed the oil?

Changed the oil to the Mobil 1 about 3 months ago, barely 500 miles since because of weather and front brake repairs. I check the oil before and after each ride and it's right at the top of the hashes, maybe a little below after a cold start and 2 minutes of idling.

I feel like I'm shifting pretty smoothly (finally) since I got the manual recommended shift points down in my head.

That said, sometimes I miss a clutch pull just put of being a noob.


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[iSteve]

I know this is hard to believe but I used Mobil 1 last month and my shifting got rough and clunky... more then usual. I replaced it after just 600 miles with Valvoline and it seems better now.

I have now tried Mobil 1, Golden Spectro, Rotella and Valvoline all full synthetics and Motul Blend. I find the Blend to be the smoothest and mobil 1 crap. The others worked well and are about the same.

I know this sounds hard to believe oil can make a difference... I can't even believe I'm saying it. I found it hard to find good data about oil on the net because most people use just one oil all there life and they all swear it's the best so I figured I would try different oil every change. Mobil 1 is the only one that didn't get 3000 + miles.

 

[thisisbenji]

Mine has a pretty loud 1-2 as well. Much louder than my EX250. I'm getting used to it though.

 

[Lefty]

Pre-load the shifter and it's not a problem. :thumbup:

 

[JONJONsocal]

It's usually a cluncker for me if I'm not shifting up in the higher rpms.

When's the last time you changed the oil?

Yep.. same here! At low RPM is loud.. But shifts like a dream at higher RPM 6k +.. Not a problem.. :thumbup:

Jon

 

[nthdegreeburns]

Pre-load the shifter and it's not a problem. :thumbup:

Noob here -- pre-load shifter?

 

[Lefty]

Noob here -- pre-load shifter?

Put some upward pressure on the shift lever before shifting into second gear.

 

[MakersTeleMark]

It's really not a big deal. If it bothers you, wind it to 12, blip to 3rd. Sometimes I like the clunk. It makes me feel relaxed. Just a little fz6 gearbox idiosyncracy.

 

[FinalImpact]

I know this is hard to believe but I used Mobil 1 last month and my shifting got rough and clunky... more then usual. I replaced it after just 600 miles with Valvoline and it seems better now.

I have now tried Mobil 1, Golden Spectro, Rotella and Valvoline all full synthetics and Motul Blend. I find the Blend to be the smoothest and mobil 1 crap. The others worked well and are about the same.

I know this sounds hard to believe oil can make a difference... I can't even believe I'm saying it. I found it hard to find good data about oil on the net because most people use just one oil all there life and they all swear it's the best so I figured I would try different oil every change. Mobil 1 is the only one that didn't get 3000 + miles.

^^ ++1
I concur - not all oils are the same and I dumped out some Mobil 1 synthetic also. It was on sale so I tried it. Engine = louder and more thrashing sounds and I swear to g o d, the engine block was HOTTER until I dumped it. I'd run dyno oil in before that and it never bashed 1 -> 2 as hard as it did on Mobil.
Running Amsoil now and its happy and cooler.

That is my observation but nothing to back it up. Ran it maybe 600 miles and couldn't take it anymore.

 

[FinalImpact]

I took my bike by a friend's house this past weekend. He rides a Harley Sportster, but his kid is interested in a small sport bike or sport tourer. When I pulled up, he exclaimed, "Was that your shifter?"

Befuddled, I invited him to ride up and down the street and check the hearing for himself...

[vimeo]71312298[/vimeo]

So? What's the word? Is that a really loud shift from 1st to 2nd? Should I be checking out the clutch or the chain?

Thanks,
nthdegreeburns


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2

Typically the slower you shift, longer the clutch is held in, the more harsh the shift "UNLESS" the RPMs are well matched. So that was another on your bike. How does it sound when you ride it? Does it seem harsh then?

 

[agf]

I have been changing with that sort of clunk for a while but in the past few weeks have begun to shift with "more aggression", give it more rpm and preload the lever and shift as fast as I can with just a blip on clutch and it shifts so much smoother,only works when you have room to "stretch the legs" a bit and keep the revs high for 2nd as well. So not much good in peak hour, so I change really early then, and minimise the clunk that way. ie maybe only go up to 2500-3000 rpm then shift into 2nd.

 

[pookamatic]

Notoriously loud 1st-2nd clunk + new-to-the-bike rider = that video.

I was in the same boat. To shift without a clunk takes experience. Anyone uninitiated will hear that and say "eeesh" but it's fine. Just takes time to get the feel.

I mostly get a click-click. Sometimes butter perfect, and rarely the occasional clunk.

 

[veyron1001]

Mine has the low speed loud clunk as well. I actually get concerned if I dont hear it.

 

[FIZZER6]

It's normal on the FZ6.

If you shift below 6,000 rpms and don't match rpms on the upshift as well as some preloading of the lever you will get a clunk every time. I have gotten used to it and it shifts 1-2 like butter for me 90% of the time. It's about feel and being used to the bike to caress it just right to provide a smooth shift.

Also when you have aftermarket exhaust and are shifting 1-2 above 6,000 rpms you won't really hear the clunk at all. :BLAA:

 

[iSteve]

Guy's I swear it's the Mobil 1. I put 19K miles on mine with just a little clunk not very noticeable I put the Mobil 1 in and CLUNK!! and I even miss shifted a few times. Changed the oil and its back to almost no clunk again and shifts are as smooth as always, no 6k rpm no preloading it's just like any other bike.

If your's sounds like the one in the video and the idle and clutch are set in spec try a different oil next time

 

[nthdegreeburns]

Typically the slower you shift, longer the clutch is held in, the more harsh the shift "UNLESS" the RPMs are well matched. So that was another on your bike. How does it sound when you ride it? Does it seem harsh then?

I still don't always get it right when I'm shifting from 1st to 2nd and then on to other gears. I try and match the speeds that the manual recommended, and they seemed to help a lot in terms of matching revs to the appropriate shift point.

I was just surprised to hear someone say, "Hey -- that sounds rather loud for a shift."

 

[nthdegreeburns]

If you shift below 6,000 rpms and don't match rpms on the upshift as well as some preloading of the lever you will get a clunk every time. I have gotten used to it and it shifts 1-2 like butter for me 90% of the time. It's about feel and being used to the bike to caress it just right to provide a smooth shift.

Wow -- noob senses are tingling here.

I've mostly just ridden up to about 55 - 60 mph -- no interstate rides yet (damned Atlanta traffic). First motorcycle and all. Trying to be safe. Also 1st child due in a month.

I usually find a gear at which I can cruise at about 4000 - 5000rpm. Dunno that I've ever shifted above 6000rpm. That said, I've noticed that if I drop below 4000rpm in any gear, I can definitely feel it more -- like the bike is begging me to downshift and get the revs up.

Am I riding the bike too conservatively? Perhaps not "stretching its legs" as someone else suggested?