Do your gears "clunk" while downshifting?

[rjk555_imp]

Greetings to the other CB1100 riders. I wanted to find out of one of the actions on my bike is shared with other riders. My CB "clunks" into gear when I downshift gears - particularly first and second gear. By "clunking" I mean that there is a very physical sensation as the gears transition. The clunk is not limited to instances when the bike is moving and I downshift to engine brake. It happens when the bike is not moving and I downshift as well.

Upshifting is smooth.

Thank you for any input.

 

[SUPERCRUZ_imp]

Yes, there is a noticeable clunk when putting the bike into 1st gear from a stand still at a light. This is not unusual. My 2011 Triumph Bonneville did the same thing. No worries.

 

[Jim21680_imp]

I think the "clunk" which results from stepping into first gear while stopped is the flywheel picking up the inertial tug of the clutch coming out of neutral.
There are ways engineers could dampen this, but I'm beginning to think it's a characteristic designed into the bike (and, from my experience, just about EVERY bike). It may be a safety feature that says "hey...you just put this bike in gear".

Also,
You might already know this, but for instances when the bike is moving, that clunk will happen when the engine's rpm isn't in sync with the bike's actual speed, relative to the gear you're going into. A blip of the throttle will lessen or eliminate this.

 

[Waffa_imp]

Being used to old Kawasaki's that seem to have several false neutrals, I love the positive feel of that clunk, lets me know I got it in.

 

[The Spaceman_imp]

The CB's "clunk" is the lightest of any bike I've owned. Actually the transmission is the slickest and smoothest I've ever ridden.

I did notice this bike is more sensitive to chain adjustment than others. I've found adjusting it a tad tighter than usual works well; toward the lower end of the range of 1" to 1.4" called for makes a detectable difference in how the bike shifts.

 

[rjk555_imp]

Thank you for the input, everyone. I used to ride a CB919. There was a clunk on that bike too, but much lighter. The 1100's clunk is more noticeable. Also, I get it when I downshift from 3rd to 2nd, as well as to 1st gear. Nonetheless, it sounds like the clunk is normal, which is reassuring.

Thank you again.

 

[Makaii_imp]

I used to own CB400 both Vtec 1 & 2.. And after that Zephyr too, they all had a "clunk" on the 1st gear, my most trusted mechanic told me its normal because the 1st gear engaged is the hardest compared to shifting up/down when the bike is already engaged 1st gear.. Hope this helps..

 

[meowguy_imp]

Quote:Yes, there is a noticeable clunk when putting the bike into 1st gear from a stand still at a light.
I keep my bike in gear at lights. I downshift into first with wheels moving and there is no clunk, just a soft click as you would expect. Bumper to bumper traffic is another matter. There you are in and out to give your left hand a rest once in a while.

Back in the day this was called "riding the clutch". With our wet clutch these days, this practice is no longer frowned upon.

 

[mininsx_imp]

Thank you for the input, everyone. I used to ride a CB919. There was a clunk on that bike too, but much lighter. The 1100's clunk is more noticeable. Also, I get it when I downshift from 3rd to 2nd, as well as to 1st gear. Nonetheless, it sounds like the clunk is normal, which is reassuring.

Thank you again.

You'll get a little "clunk" when downshifting unless you rev match to the upcoming gear, and when stopped every bike I've owned "clunks" when going into first. If you want to hear some real crashing noises, get a cruiser! :beerchug:

 

[Randy B]

Quote:Yes, there is a noticeable clunk when putting the bike into 1st gear from a stand still at a light.
I keep my bike in gear at lights. I downshift into first with wheels moving and there is no clunk, just a soft click as you would expect. Bumper to bumper traffic is another matter. There you are in and out to give your left hand a rest once in a while.

Back in the day this was called "riding the clutch". With our wet clutch these days, this practice is no longer frowned upon.

What is this "bumper to bumper traffic" (on a motorcycle) that you speak of?

:biker:

 

[Bersoncheg_imp]

Hi, guys!

Does anyone have this "clunk" when shifting from 1 to 2 on revs 5-7.
It is always smooth when revs is low. But it feels and "clunks" on revs higher sometime.
Is it ok? 3-4-5 are smooth always.

 

[wildezt_imp]

All the downshifting while riding , disengage clutch, quick blip and raise rpm to sync and quick downshift , engage clutch.., it would downshift like butter, the big red has the slickest gear box than many bikes.

 

[mininsx_imp]

Hi, guys!

Does anyone have this "clunk" when shifting from 1 to 2 on revs 5-7.
It is always smooth when revs is low. But it feels and "clunks" on revs higher sometime.
Is it ok? 3-4-5 are smooth always.

Don't completely close the throttle between shifts and it should smooth out.

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

Uncommonly and when not expecting it, during the downshift from 2 to 1 at a slow speed and decelerating I can experience an unnatural clunk, or maybe a "1.5 clunk" (double clunk, second being weaker). Not sure the cause, but it almost feels the gears get in to no-man's land funk being that it has to cross the neutral zone.

 

[Tezza_imp]

I found after 8 years of riding mine it takes a very delicate input of clutch and throttle to get a smooth change. The only time it clunks is when changing into first from neutral. The old Z1 gearbox is as smooth as butter compared to the CB1100. the Kawasaki gearbox can't be shifted into 2nd when not moving so when you pull up in first you can only shift up into neutral.

 

[GoldOxide_imp]

Hey Tezza: I don't always get a clunk from neutral into first. Sometimes it is just silent - probably just luck with mechanical alignment for that moment. But a low key clunk is normal.

- - -

The "1.5 clunk" I am referring to is a bit of a rarity, and possibly sometimes instigated by a lazy foot weighing too much on the shifter. We've all had those times once in awhile.

 

[Blockhead_imp]

These six year old thread revivals always catch me off guard haha...

I get a clunk from neutral to first when stopped...doesn’t bother me, gives the bike character.

 

[peterbaron]

These six year old thread revivals always catch me off guard haha...

I get a clunk from neutral to first when stopped...doesn’t bother me, gives the bike character.

+1 ^

 

[jimgl3_imp]

gotta let yer dawgs stop running before you sench up the the leash...

the tranny on this bike is so precision made you can up and down shift clutchless
with only a little care and the clutch is only necessary to start off from a stop.

hmm... come to think of it, I can do the same on my softail lowrider...

before you get mad, try downshifting more than one gear at a time with the clutch pulled in and you'll see what i mean

it's the same old question that so often is answered incorrectly... what makes a bike go? correct answer: the clutch.

 

[the Ferret]

These six year old thread revivals always catch me off guard haha...

I get a clunk from neutral to first when stopped...doesn’t bother me, gives the bike character.

Yep :dodgy:

Back in 2013 when this thread started we were all trying to learn the idiosyncrasies of this bike. It was new to all of us and we didn't know what to expect or what was normal. Funny to read them now.

Turned out to be a pretty nice motorcycle.