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

[JustPassinThru_imp]

That's a good idea, Randy. Unfortunately I don't have a smartphone or video camera.

I could ask around; but most of the people I know and work with out here are busy with their own families. A few ride, but Harleys are the norm here...not a lot of commonality.

I'm a new guy in town...came from another employer in the industry; so it's not like I can start dialing from my school-reunion list.

I may have farkled it up just tonight - in the dark, moving it into the garage, looking for the kickstand, I hit the shifter instead. Engine idling, 1000 rpm...dumped into gear.

Seemed okay putting it away, but time will tell.

You're totally fine!!!

I had taken my bike to the dealer at 5xx miles for hard shifting. Dealer rode it and looked it over thoroughly with no issues to report. The physical size of this clutch is massive. If I remember right, it's a 7 disk and diameter of the basket is huge. Every time you shift gears, you have to instantaneously change the speed of the basket and friction plates. The engine is driving the clutch hub and steel plates. So the big thunk that you (and me and a few others hear) is just the transmission and basket having to get up to speed. Why it is more pronounced in 1st is beyond me. If I am rolling up in 2nd, clutch grabbed, come to a complete stop, and then hit 1st, it just ticks in. No thunk. It's only when I let everything get spun up. Your experience may be different, but I did have a dealer check mine out for banging shifts and they said it was totally fine.

In your "rolling up in 2nd" scenario, you have "clutch grabbed" for a good period of time. The transmissions main shaft is disconnected from the crankshaft, and turning relative to the slowing rear wheel, which eventually comes to a stop. Now, when you shift into first, the clutch basket and main shaft are not spinning, so no "thunk".

Alternatively, folks pull up at the light (or wherever), shift into neutral, and sit with the clutch lever out. This means that the engine is spinning the clutch basket, and thus the transmission main shaft. Light turns, they quickly pull in the clutch and immediately shift into first while the mass of the clutch basket and main shaft are still spinning. The "thunk" is all that mass coming to a halt as it becomes mechanically connected to the not spinning rear wheel. This shock wave gets transmitted through the drive chain, which is why its level of adjustment has a further audible effect.

Theoretically, if you were to pull in the clutch, and wait a moment, the clutch basket and main shaft would have time to spin down. And, to some degree it does, but typically not to zero as the oil between the clutch plates will typically still cause enough friction to turn the clutch basket some, thus you get a little thunk. The warmth and weight of your oil has an effect on how much thunk.

In your "rolling up in 2nd" scenario, you have "clutch grabbed" for a good period of time. The transmissions main shaft is disconnected from the crankshaft, and turning relative to the slowing rear wheel, which eventually comes to a stop. Now, when you shift into first, the clutch basket and main shaft are not spinning, so no "thunk".

Alternatively, folks pull up at the light (or wherever), shift into neutral, and sit with the clutch lever out. This means that the engine is spinning the clutch basket, and thus the transmission main shaft. Light turns, they quickly pull in the clutch and immediately shift into first while the mass of the clutch basket and main shaft are still spinning. The "thunk" is all that mass coming to a halt as it becomes mechanically connected to the not spinning rear wheel. This shock wave gets transmitted through the drive chain, which is why its level of adjustment has a further audible effect.

Theoretically, if you were to pull in the clutch, and wait a moment, the clutch basket and main shaft would have time to spin down. And, to some degree it does, but typically not to zero as the oil between the clutch plates will typically still cause enough friction to turn the clutch basket some, thus you get a little thunk. The warmth and weight of your oil has an effect on how much thunk.
This, and other explanations, are all good and logical. But not right in this situation.

First, my background. In a previous life (say, thirty years ago) I was a truck driver. I know my way around an unsynchronized Eaton-Fuller ten-speed.

So I know that it's important to engage the clutch and let the internals spin DOWN before going for a gear.

That's not what's happening. In experimentation, I've held the clutch in for more than a minute before going for a gear. On an engine fully up to operating temperature.

No difference. None.

Flatfooting it forward helps...if I can get some momentum going. Getting close to the speed that the engine idle would take it...my guess is, getting the driven internals up to the same speed as the input internals would be.

As to the other: We all have our driving styles. That includes what we do at lights. A number of folks think I'm wrong in what I do. I think they're wrong.

That's okay. We all have our styles. I'm sure we get different haircuts, too.