Some Issues Arise, as the Mileage Adds Up...

[Lord Popgun]

Hummm, if flatfooting it forward lessens the thunk, I would bet the chain needs adjusting. Dave is right, this bike is sensitive to chain adjustment. Mine was way out at 600 miles and kinda jerky on startoff.

[ClassicVW_imp]

You should always keep it in gear when stopped at a light in case you have to get quickly out of the way.

Disagree. If in a hypothetical, someone is bearing down on you...you're not much better off charging blindly into an intersection against the light. And in fact you'd open YOURSELF to liability...instead of that tractor-trailer coming up on you, YOU YOURSELF are now the cause of the accident - by running the stoplight. Which is gonna affect insurance payout, who pays what - and will keep you from suing for damages from any other party.

And anyway, the injuries from a stopping vehicle striking your rear are probably going to be far less than being hit broadside by a vehicle which was NOT stopping and maybe didn't even have time to react.

Keeping the clutch in and a gear engaged, in a car, is hard on the clutch throwout bearing. I don't know the mechanical composition of a motorcycle wet clutch pack; but it's quite possible there's a similar source of wear that could eventually take the clutch out prematurely.

Disagree. If in a hypothetical, someone is bearing down on you...you're not much better off charging blindly into an intersection against the light. And in fact you'd open YOURSELF to liability...instead of that tractor-trailer coming up on you, YOU YOURSELF are now the cause of the accident - by running the stoplight. Which is gonna affect insurance payout, who pays what - and will keep you from suing for damages from any other party.

And anyway, the injuries from a stopping vehicle striking your rear are probably going to be far less than being hit broadside by a vehicle which was NOT stopping and maybe didn't even have time to react.

Keeping the clutch in and a gear engaged, in a car, is hard on the clutch throwout bearing. I don't know the mechanical composition of a motorcycle wet clutch pack; but it's quite possible there's a similar source of wear that could eventually take the clutch out prematurely.
I don't get it. Your logic is screwed up. You're saying take the hit and it won't be that bad? No one said you had to charge straight thru an intersection. You can angle your way out, you can go into a driveway, heck, jumping a curb and falling over at 5 MPH is a lot better than being struck by a vehicle from the rear. Even if you had to go straight, its not a 100% given that anybody will hit you, but that driver behind you staring at her cell phone WILL hit you.

[kevbroce_imp]

I keep it in gear at a light usually and watch my mirrors. Your going to count on the vehicle about to rear end you to be stopping? Good luck with that. I can hold a clutch lever, I'd rather be prepared to get out of the way.

Mine thwaks into first from neutral. It's not a clunk, its a thwak. And the bike pops forward an inch or so. But thats it, the clutch isn't dragging, the RPMS don't lower, the engine RPM does't change as if something we rubbing.

16000 miles I don't recall it not doing that. 16000 miles and I haven't had any issues.

[emptysea]

Every single thing I've ever read or heard on this subject is that the bike should be in gear and your foot on the brake. This is not so you can bolt out into cross traffic, but so you can move to your "out" position quickly and in control (a little rear brake can help in slow speed maneuvers which is why they recommend the rear brake). You should be thinking where your out is at every stop (not to mention anytime you are encountering traffic). If you don't think there's an out, you're either not thinking hard enough or you've made a riding mistake. I sometimes have both feet down and sometimes the bike is in neutral. Sometimes, my hands are even off the bars, but all of that is risky behavior; I try to be sure no one is crawling up my tailpipe when I engage in them.
Oh,,and on topic. Have the dealer check it out. My guess is that it's an easy fix, but it shouldn't be happening. Mine clunks a little on the 1-2 shift and sometimes on the 2-1 downshift. I assume that's due to passing through N, though, and it doesn't bother me in any case. That's different than your description.

Let us know what your dealer says.

[JustPassinThru_imp]

You should always keep it in gear when stopped at a light in case you have to get quickly out of the way.

Disagree. If in a hypothetical, someone is bearing down on you...you're not much better off charging blindly into an intersection against the light. And in fact you'd open YOURSELF to liability...instead of that tractor-trailer coming up on you, YOU YOURSELF are now the cause of the accident - by running the stoplight. Which is gonna affect insurance payout, who pays what - and will keep you from suing for damages from any other party.

And anyway, the injuries from a stopping vehicle striking your rear are probably going to be far less than being hit broadside by a vehicle which was NOT stopping and maybe didn't even have time to react.

Keeping the clutch in and a gear engaged, in a car, is hard on the clutch throwout bearing. I don't know the mechanical composition of a motorcycle wet clutch pack; but it's quite possible there's a similar source of wear that could eventually take the clutch out prematurely.

Disagree. If in a hypothetical, someone is bearing down on you...you're not much better off charging blindly into an intersection against the light. And in fact you'd open YOURSELF to liability...instead of that tractor-trailer coming up on you, YOU YOURSELF are now the cause of the accident - by running the stoplight. Which is gonna affect insurance payout, who pays what - and will keep you from suing for damages from any other party.

And anyway, the injuries from a stopping vehicle striking your rear are probably going to be far less than being hit broadside by a vehicle which was NOT stopping and maybe didn't even have time to react.

Keeping the clutch in and a gear engaged, in a car, is hard on the clutch throwout bearing. I don't know the mechanical composition of a motorcycle wet clutch pack; but it's quite possible there's a similar source of wear that could eventually take the clutch out prematurely.
I don't get it. Your logic is screwed up. You're saying take the hit and it won't be that bad? No one said you had to charge straight thru an intersection. You can angle your way out, you can go into a driveway, heck, jumping a curb and falling over at 5 MPH is a lot better than being struck by a vehicle from the rear. Even if you had to go straight, its not a 100% given that anybody will hit you, but that driver behind you staring at her cell phone WILL hit you.

How many people charge through intersections without stopping?

Not many.

Most fenderbenders are relatively minor. I've seen police videos of motorcycles hit at slow speeds at lights...the ones I've seen didn't even dump the bikes. Snapped the rider back on the bike and jerked him forward.

Now, you roll into an intersection against the light...you've LOST all possible claims for damage or any legal protection. You may not be hit - or you may. If you are, it's because you entered the intersection against the light. And the mythical driver who "made" you do it is nowhere to be found.

Good luck with that.

Traffic lights out here are just insane - a five-minute cycle is typical. WHY they set them up, I am sure, is political - and beyond the scope of our forum. But they do; and I'm not going to sit with the clutch engaged for FIVE MINUTES, THREE TIMES on one pass through town.

Heck, my oilhead BMW used to overheat in this traffic! So...except for my water-cooled Suzuki with a radiator fan...I shut things down when I know the light will be long.

I've been riding since 1985, excepting a few months in hospital from road-rash. And I've never felt the need to rush out of the way from traffic at lights. Never seen it happen to anyone else, either. It seems to be relatively rare...much more common is idiots not seeing the cycle and rolling their cars out right in front.

[xNE0x_imp]

This CLANK you experience is normal. What could be elevating the issue is your clutch may be out of adjustment.

If you hear any sort of grinding though, that is not normal.

[emptysea]

OK... Your out when stopped at an intersection is NOT to enter the intersection. You almost always, if not always, have a number of other options that are better than either moving into cross traffic or being rear ended. If you're not the lead vehicle, you can pull next to that vehicle to create space between you and the non-stopping vehicle. If you are the lead vehicle, you can move to the right into that little space in the armpit of the intersection...against the curb out of the path of both crossing and approaching vehicles. You cannot do any of those things, nor any other maneuvering short of jumping off you're bike, if your bike is not in gear. The time it takes to put it in gear could be the split second you need to save your rear.

[kevbroce_imp]

This one of the many reasons I'm happy lane splitting is legal in California. The only time I worry about getting rear ended at a light is when I'm the first one to a light.

[Cormanus]

You could look at it another way. Sort of like a lottery in reverse. Stick it in neutral, and wait to see if you get rear ended. Every time you don't, it's a win. And you'll be rewarded with the reassuring 'thunk' as the bike goes into first gear. Chances are that'll happen a great deal more often than you winning the lottery.

In the unhappy event you do get whacked and end up with a bike looking a lot like a concertina, and the odd cut, abrasion and broken limb, at least your insurance will work and you'll be able to sue the cell-phone clutching moron who hit you.

[emptysea]

Always finding the silver lining, that Cormanus.