1st gear CLACK

[Randy B]

My wet-clutch TW200 goes in fine.

But I've discussed the Honda clutch with two techs at two Honda bike agencies, and they all agree - mine is normal; and I'm guessing it sounds just like yours.

I don't take it out of gear at lights. If it's a long light, as many near my home are...I kill the engine. Only rarely do I put it in gear with the engine running. If I start it up cold in neutral, I'll kill it to put it in gear and restart it.

I may eventually have to buy a starter - but that's probably cheaper than a transmission rebuild.

I HIGHLY doubt that putting the bike into 1st gear is going to cause long term issues. It doesn't seem all that different from the 3 750 nighthawks I've owned, or the KZ1000 I have ridden, or even the Vulcan 1500 I used to ride.

Don't over think it and just ride the bike. I have a feeling with all of the thought and engineering that went into the design of this bike that if there was an issue with the way it goes into 1st gear that the good people at Honda would have addressed it LONG before releasing it for sale around the world.

[Django]

Cold engine or warm, fresh oil or due for a change, it doesn't matter... When I pull in the clutch at a stop and engage first gear, the action sounds like a bolt-action rifle. Clack! Ear plugs don't seem to help.

Anyone else experiencing this on their '14? The gearbox is otherwise very smooth-shifting and quiet. Engine idle is 1000 rpm. I've never had a wet-clutch bike that makes a racket like this when shifting into first from a standstill.

I experience the same and meanwhile I think it's kinda normal

Last 20 years I rode a BMW K1100RS, and while beemers are not known for having a smooth gearbox, it didn't do this `clunk' in 1. gear. So that was new to me.

However, switching the gears when rolling is now much smoother on the CB than on the K.

[the Ferret]

Think it's not normal? Look at all the forums where the exact same question is asked.

https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#safe=...n+1st+gear

[Toddman_imp]

Clunk going into 1st varies between motorcycles. I tend to 'lean' the CB to the right and work the clutch handle in and out a few times when it's warming up to get the clutch open and lubed (an old trick on my KZ1000 that I used to do).

It's normal though. If it bugs you real bad, you can go to 2nd first and then go to 1st second. haha.

[JustPassinThru_imp]

My wet-clutch TW200 goes in fine.

But I've discussed the Honda clutch with two techs at two Honda bike agencies, and they all agree - mine is normal; and I'm guessing it sounds just like yours.

I don't take it out of gear at lights. If it's a long light, as many near my home are...I kill the engine. Only rarely do I put it in gear with the engine running. If I start it up cold in neutral, I'll kill it to put it in gear and restart it.

I may eventually have to buy a starter - but that's probably cheaper than a transmission rebuild.

Yeah...ummm...don't anyone think that a) it's a good idea to shut off your bike at long lights or b) that starting your bike in gear in any way saves your transmission.

The thunk (aka clack, aka clunk) is normal and is not harming your engine or transmission at all.

It may be; but the force and the jump, show something intense is happening in the gearbox and driveline.

I don't know why shutting the engine down and then restarting it would be harmful. Engine is warm; oil has been up. Those lights near home are LONG - a couple over five minutes, sometimes, to cycle. No, not a dead sensor - an idiot traffic engineer who wants to discourage people from driving; driving ANYTHING. ANYWHERE.

Shutting the engine down and then restarting it, prevents overheating or "over-warming" from long stationary idling. It's not the same as a dry-start, COLD, with no oil on the top of the engine.

I'm sure the starter wear will add up. So be it....

[Toddman_imp]

My wet-clutch TW200 goes in fine.

But I've discussed the Honda clutch with two techs at two Honda bike agencies, and they all agree - mine is normal; and I'm guessing it sounds just like yours.

I don't take it out of gear at lights. If it's a long light, as many near my home are...I kill the engine. Only rarely do I put it in gear with the engine running. If I start it up cold in neutral, I'll kill it to put it in gear and restart it.

I may eventually have to buy a starter - but that's probably cheaper than a transmission rebuild.

Yeah...ummm...don't anyone think that a) it's a good idea to shut off your bike at long lights or b) that starting your bike in gear in any way saves your transmission.

The thunk (aka clack, aka clunk) is normal and is not harming your engine or transmission at all.

It may be; but the force and the jump, show something intense is happening in the gearbox and driveline.

I don't know why shutting the engine down and then restarting it would be harmful. Engine is warm; oil has been up. Those lights near home are LONG - a couple over five minutes, sometimes, to cycle. No, not a dead sensor - an idiot traffic engineer who wants to discourage people from driving; driving ANYTHING. ANYWHERE.

Shutting the engine down and then restarting it, prevents overheating or "over-warming" from long stationary idling. It's not the same as a dry-start, COLD, with no oil on the top of the engine.

I'm sure the starter wear will add up. So be it....

It may be; but the force and the jump, show something intense is happening in the gearbox and driveline.

I don't know why shutting the engine down and then restarting it would be harmful. Engine is warm; oil has been up. Those lights near home are LONG - a couple over five minutes, sometimes, to cycle. No, not a dead sensor - an idiot traffic engineer who wants to discourage people from driving; driving ANYTHING. ANYWHERE.

Shutting the engine down and then restarting it, prevents overheating or "over-warming" from long stationary idling. It's not the same as a dry-start, COLD, with no oil on the top of the engine.

I'm sure the starter wear will add up. So be it....
I run lights like that. There's actually a law in Ok that allows us to run those if we are on a motorcycle.

[JustPassinThru_imp]

My wet-clutch TW200 goes in fine.

But I've discussed the Honda clutch with two techs at two Honda bike agencies, and they all agree - mine is normal; and I'm guessing it sounds just like yours.

I don't take it out of gear at lights. If it's a long light, as many near my home are...I kill the engine. Only rarely do I put it in gear with the engine running. If I start it up cold in neutral, I'll kill it to put it in gear and restart it.

I may eventually have to buy a starter - but that's probably cheaper than a transmission rebuild.

Yeah...ummm...don't anyone think that a) it's a good idea to shut off your bike at long lights or b) that starting your bike in gear in any way saves your transmission.

The thunk (aka clack, aka clunk) is normal and is not harming your engine or transmission at all.

It may be; but the force and the jump, show something intense is happening in the gearbox and driveline.

I don't know why shutting the engine down and then restarting it would be harmful. Engine is warm; oil has been up. Those lights near home are LONG - a couple over five minutes, sometimes, to cycle. No, not a dead sensor - an idiot traffic engineer who wants to discourage people from driving; driving ANYTHING. ANYWHERE.

Shutting the engine down and then restarting it, prevents overheating or "over-warming" from long stationary idling. It's not the same as a dry-start, COLD, with no oil on the top of the engine.

I'm sure the starter wear will add up. So be it....

It may be; but the force and the jump, show something intense is happening in the gearbox and driveline.

I don't know why shutting the engine down and then restarting it would be harmful. Engine is warm; oil has been up. Those lights near home are LONG - a couple over five minutes, sometimes, to cycle. No, not a dead sensor - an idiot traffic engineer who wants to discourage people from driving; driving ANYTHING. ANYWHERE.

Shutting the engine down and then restarting it, prevents overheating or "over-warming" from long stationary idling. It's not the same as a dry-start, COLD, with no oil on the top of the engine.

I'm sure the starter wear will add up. So be it....
I run lights like that. There's actually a law in Ok that allows us to run those if we are on a motorcycle.

No-can-do. That's not a case of me, alone, at that light: That's traffic backed up two blocks and streaming through the intersection on the green.

If I COULD find a break in traffic, I'd have about twelve witnesses immediately. And the local mentality is such that someone, sometime, would be calling 9-1-1 on me. And someone else taking a picture of my license plate.

[veech_imp]

If you think the clack/thunk is bad on the CB, try riding a Harley...feels like someone hit the motor with a sledge hammer shifting into first.

[JustPassinThru_imp]

If you think the clack/thunk is bad on the CB, try riding a Harley...feels like someone hit the motor with a sledge hammer shifting into first.

That's interesting. That Harley trail-of-oil-tears...the H-D guys think it's their needy pets marking their territories.

In fact it's cracked crankcases!

[furious_blue_imp]

Of all the bikes I've ridden so far.. the ZX-14R is 'The King Of The Clunks'. It proudly let's loose the loudest bang that then resonates in the bikes fairing like a suspended triple forte in a piano sounding board.

The bike that has NO CLUNK whatsoever is the NM4 / NC700 DCT, but that bike's cheating with dual clutches to pull that off :-)