clanking when shifting

[Rocky_imp]

I'm arriving late to this party, and only have about 300 km's (180 miles) or so on the bike, but I find it quite smooth on the shift from first to second - and the rest of the gears are very slick - up and down. The 1/2 shift has a tiny click/clunk, but that's to be expected when you pass through neutral.
As for downshifting, I also don't go into first gear until I'm almost stopped - or after I'm stopped - depending on the situation.
Overall, this is one of the smoothest bikes I've owned.

[Riko_imp]

I get the same thing on my brand new 2014. I notice shifting in or out of 1st gear causes that harsh CLUNK sound if the RPM is too high, and this is the only motorcycle I've ever owned aside from an old and poorly maintained (from previous owner) 750 Nighthawk which did the same thing so I don't know if it's anything to be concerned about. Since the bike is so new i imagine it's not a problem, but I just try to stay in 2nd unless I'm coming to a complete stop.

Shifting from 2nd down to 1st at a lower speed like sub-30PMH seems to make it less noticeable though.

same here, disturbing huh...

I get the same thing on my brand new 2014. I notice shifting in or out of 1st gear causes that harsh CLUNK sound if the RPM is too high, and this is the only motorcycle I've ever owned aside from an old and poorly maintained (from previous owner) 750 Nighthawk which did the same thing so I don't know if it's anything to be concerned about. Since the bike is so new i imagine it's not a problem, but I just try to stay in 2nd unless I'm coming to a complete stop.

Shifting from 2nd down to 1st at a lower speed like sub-30PMH seems to make it less noticeable though.

So you normally shift down from second to first at more than 30 mph? Yikes !

Personally I only make that shift as I am coming to a stop, probably less than 10 mph...maybe less than 5 mph, don't know, would have to look, but 1 st is only used for taking off from a stop basically, or making a very tight slow turn. At approx 20 mph I shift into second and unless coming to a stop or making a hard turn into a parking lot or driveway, never use 1st again..if that makes sense.

It will make a clunk going from neutral into 1 st usually, but the rest of the gear changes are pretty much snick snick snick as long as the chain is adjusted properly. The CB 1100 has a reputation for having a smooth gearbox.

that is true! except upshift from 1 to 2 in high rpm's as noted by floopfloopington.

I wonder if thats the case because its a new bike with not much miles ?
Mines got a bit less than 2000 miles.

Its almost a grinding sound, its so loud and unsmooth I feel like i am breaking the gearbox so I even try to avoid going from 1 to 2 at rpm's higher than 3000-4000...

All other gearchanges are smooth as silk though

In a related subject, how many of you have taken off in a hurry and missed the shift from 1st to second.......and watched the tach shoot up past redline?

I really have to kick it into 2nd when i am above 6k rpm or more. Feel pretty stupid when thst happens...
Better boots help.

I really have to kick it into 2nd when i am above 6k rpm or more. Feel pretty stupid when thst happens...
Better boots help.

I was wondering and I may just be being a bit anxious, but have any of you experienced a slightly loud clanking noise when shifting from 1st to 2nd?

Yes! Despite what most posters to this site are saying, my 2014 Deluxe transmission was rather clunky when I first got it, especially the first to second gear shift. As the miles have built up (725 now) it has smoothed out considerably. The first to second shift is way, way better now, but it's still not as smooth as everybody else on this forum are claiming that their bikes are. Other than first to second gear shifts, the rest of the transmission is a smooth as silk now, and I believe the first to second shift will achieve this level after some more miles. BTW, I did my first oil change at 250 miles, using Golden Spectro, semi-synthetic. one more thing, my clunkiness was shifting at about 2,500 - 3,000 RPM (yes, I'm babying my new bike right now).

Yes! Despite what most posters to this site are saying, my 2014 Deluxe transmission was rather clunky when I first got it, especially the first to second gear shift. As the miles have built up (725 now) it has smoothed out considerably. The first to second shift is way, way better now, but it's still not as smooth as everybody else on this forum are claiming that their bikes are. Other than first to second gear shifts, the rest of the transmission is a smooth as silk now, and I believe the first to second shift will achieve this level after some more miles. BTW, I did my first oil change at 250 miles, using Golden Spectro, semi-synthetic. one more thing, my clunkiness was shifting at about 2,500 - 3,000 RPM (yes, I'm babying my new bike right now).
okay, i am starting to read page by page here

The very loud 1 -> 2 gear change seems to be normal.

I gotta admit, I might wanna tighten my chain since i am roughly at the max chain slack tolerances...so that might improve that upshift

I'll post my findings here after adjusting my chain.

In a related subject, how many of you have taken off in a hurry and missed the shift from 1st to second.......and watched the tach shoot up past redline?

been there done that, it was in the city and I think I might have come out as a attention cuss on his retro motorcycle

[SUPERCRUZ_imp]

Proper chain tension adjustment noticeably improves shift smoothness on these bikes. When the CB1100 was first introduced to the US in 2013 the press reported it had one of the smoothest trannys on the market. Coming off an 11 Triumph Bonneville which had a great trans in its own right, I have to agree with the press. My bike shifts almost flawlessly with very little effort between gears. Honda did their homework on this bike.

Funny thing, when I took my Basic Rider Course 6+ years ago now, we used Honda Rebel 250s as training bikes. Now, you want a slush box tranny to shift, try that bike. I remember having a heck of a time getting that bike into Neutral. The CB1100 shifts like butter in comparison and is in my opinion one of the smoothest shifting bikes I have ridden.

[Capo]

Oddly, I find the riding boots I wear have an effect on shifting. I own a pair of sportier Sidi boots, and often miss a shift when I wear them on the CB...pointier toe cap designed for more rearset pegs. Rarely happens with my standard / touring boots.


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[offroadfx4_imp]

After 3600 miles I think I've finally figured out how to up shift smoothly from 1st to 2nd.

If you get the RPM's up to 5000 or so, it's pretty smooth.

I've also tried RPM matching (almost like a double clutch-without letting the clutch out, or like bliping the throttle on a down shift) which also helps.

But trying to shift at lower RPM's (in the 2000's) is the problem.

What I've discovered is to shift just as I start to pull in the clutch instead of waiting for the clutch to fully depressed. This is probably a semi-clutch-less shift, but it's very smooth. So off the gas just as you start to squeeze the clutch and shift all at the same time...works for me.

[Riko_imp]

bullocks

RPM alone has nothing to do with it as far as my experience tells me.

I've even had more smooth shifts from 1st to 2nd in lower rpm's than in the higher rpm's.
If I hunt the bike into the red zone in first gear, and I want to go in 2nd gear, its all from silky smooth, I even have to be aggressive in the manner I shift into second gear, otherwise it will not even click into second gear!

But like you say, the clutch etc are more determent factors for the smoothness from 1st to 2nd.
I even find the way you use your foot to engage a gear is very important.

Most of the time, you only have to touch the footshift and simply push it into gear, nothing more, that's how smooth the gearbox is.
But not always, from 1st to second, especially in very high rpm's you really have to hit the footshift to engage second gear.
From time to time even going into 1st gear requires a little more effort than normal.

I did experience some silky smooth transitions from 1st to 2nd just by pushing the shifter like with all other gears...but I still don't know why or in what circumstances that is.
RPM definitely is a factor, but not the only one.
The way you use the Clutch is also a factor and I believe the temperature of the gearbox is a factor as well.

But its definitely no rule that the 1st to 2nd is smooth or pretty smooth above 5000 RPM, in the contrary.
If so, its due to more than RPM's alone.

[offroadfx4_imp]

I may be wrong, it won’t be the first time….maybe someone with more physics knowledge can contribute.

But this is what I was thinking...the clunking is basically a failure to RPM match from one gear to the next. The range from 1st to 2nd is the greatest (I estimate about 2000 RPM).

What I was thinking about the higher RPM is the engine has greater angular momentum and when shifting the engine wants to slow down less when disengaged thus having a closer match in RPMs. The higher the RPM the greater the momentum (p=mv for linear momentum, angular momentum gets much more complex, but essential the faster the velocity the greater the momentum).

So I was thinking at higher RPM, the engine tends to “float” like when you over rev an engine and get valve float.

At the lower RPM, I was thinking my new quicker shifting before the engine has a chance to slow makes for a smoother transition. Similar to merging into traffic while speeding up instead of slowing down.

I may be way off, but these are the ideas I had in my head.

[riceburner_imp]

You're right,it is a failure to match rpm to the next gear,It's all in the timing,which will come with practice.My shifts on my new cb are not as smooth as desired.Clutchless shifting gives me smoother shifts but I want to get my timing better with the clutch until everything is completely broken in.My Vulcan Classic was smoother,but i rode it for 14 years and shifts were muscle memory and mindless and flawless,I hate to say it but my 97 sportster while loud shifts is also smooth with or without the clutch,the cb seems to take a little more attention to detail while shifting but with time,miles and thousands of shifts it will also become smooth and mindlessly easy.Bike and rider need to break-in to each other,no cause for alarm.Chain tension can also give a sloppy feel to shifts,i prefer to keep the chain a little tighter than spec,1/2 to 1 inch max free play for me,been it doing that way since 72.

[offroadfx4_imp]

I swear the 1st to 2nd thing is getting smoother all the time,

had the same issue on my 1976 CB750 initially (when I complained about that to the dealer, he said I just didn't know how to shift it right ;-).....

I can't help but wonder am I learning how to shift better of does it just take 2000-3000 miles to get it "broke in." Maybe it takes the same time for me to get "broke in"?

Of course the only way to test that theory would be to ride a new one again so I guess I'll never know....but loving it right now ;-)

[Ulvetanna_imp]

Oddly, I find the riding boots I wear have an effect on shifting. I own a pair of sportier Sidi boots, and often miss a shift when I wear them on the CB...pointier toe cap designed for more rearset pegs. Rarely happens with my standard / touring boots.


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Absolutely. Makes a big difference.

You're right,it is a failure to match rpm to the next gear,It's all in the timing,which will come with practice.My shifts on my new cb are not as smooth as desired.Clutchless shifting gives me smoother shifts but I want to get my timing better with the clutch until everything is completely broken in.My Vulcan Classic was smoother,but i rode it for 14 years and shifts were muscle memory and mindless and flawless,I hate to say it but my 97 sportster while loud shifts is also smooth with or without the clutch,the cb seems to take a little more attention to detail while shifting but with time,miles and thousands of shifts it will also become smooth and mindlessly easy.Bike and rider need to break-in to each other,no cause for alarm.Chain tension can also give a sloppy feel to shifts,i prefer to keep the chain a little tighter than spec,1/2 to 1 inch max free play for me,been it doing that way since 72.

Good post.