gearbox clunk when pulling away

[kompost]

A mate has a late 1100gs with 55k on the clock,when pulling away in first he gets a clunk from the gearbox,i thought it might be that the spring has weakened on the shock absorber on the input shaft,has anyone else experienced this on higher mileage bikes.Or is it nothing to worry about.
By the way the bike is stripped to do the clutch so thought it wouldn't take much more work to strip the box while it's off.

 

[Ming]

Might be a stupid question but...........

Is it only when the bike has been switched off then started again .

does it have ABS?

is it the brakes testing the ABS as you pull away for the first time after starting ???

 

[kompost]

No,the other day before i stripped it to do the clutch he was sat on the bike on the drive with the bike ticking over in gear and just letting the clutch out and pulling back in several times and every time there was a clunk,i thought it sounded like the shock absorber on the input shaft climbing up the ramp and hitting it's stop.He says it does it most times when setting off but doesn't notice it when changing gear while riding.

 

[CHANGELING]

Check this link out and look at the modifications done to the input shaft.
http://www.largiader.com/tech/oiltrans/
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=287650&highlight=attention+detail

There was another link to a failed input shaft on an RT I think but can't find it at the mo.

 

[kompost]

Check this link out and look at the modifications done to the input shaft.
http://www.largiader.com/tech/oiltrans/
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=287650&highlight=attention+detail

There was another link to a failed input shaft on an RT I think but can't find it at the mo.

Thanks changeling,sounds like you had a nightmare with your box,interesting reading,is it sorted now?
This one is not jumping out of gear,just clunking when setting off in 1st,might be nothing to worry about but the box is off to do the clutch so i'm going to strip it and see what i find.
thanks for the help

 

[Voyager]

i'm going to strip it and see what i find.

Could you take some pictures and let us see what comes out - I'm sure we'll find it informative ?

(I am currently re-building two R100GS boxes and will be posting pics in the Airhead Section sometime).

Thanks.

Bob.

 

[speeder]

I had exactly the same on an airhead box and it WAS the spring in the internal shock absorber, the clunk was the sound of the cams re-engaging, they tend to twist apart as the bike pulls away, it went on for years like that until I changed the spring. It was not usually very noticeable until the box warmed up.

 

[kompost]

Could you take some pictures and let us see what comes out - I'm sure we'll find it informative ?

(I am currently re-building two R100GS boxes and will be posting pics in the Airhead Section sometime).

Thanks.

Bob.

I've posted some pics on a seperate thread (update on gearbox clunk)

I had exactly the same on an airhead box and it WAS the spring in the internal shock absorber, the clunk was the sound of the cams re-engaging, they tend to twist apart as the bike pulls away, it went on for years like that until I changed the spring. It was not usually very noticeable until the box warmed up.

Thats what i thought it was,but if you look at my other thread (update on gearbox clunk) it was a bit more serious.
thanks for the info
kompost

 

[A Bike that Fits]

Same thing...?

Hi,

I have noticed this "problem" as well - sometimes (usually when pulling away for the first time) there is what can best be described as a 'sliding clunk' - by that I mean that there is a noise which builds quickly and then a clunk.
The gears behave themselves after that.
Last night though I noticed a change. As it was 'sliding' I increased the revs and the slide was longer and noisier, I reduced the revs and then it 'clunked' and all was well again.
It's an '02 plate 1150 Adventure. 18k on the clock, full service history so far...
Any thoughts?

Cheers.

 

[Colban]

If you have ABS,its the thing resetting itself as you pull away.
No need to panic-they all do that sir.

 

[davegs]

Clunks

How can the abs affect the gear box? is the tick over too fast?.
dave gs.

 

[A Bike that Fits]

If you have ABS,its the thing resetting itself as you pull away.
No need to panic-they all do that sir.

Thanks for that - I assumed it was nothing, but you never can tell with a new bike (OK, it's not new - but new to me !)

Cheers

 

[Colban]

How can the abs affect the gear box? is the tick over too fast?.
dave gs.

It cant affect the gearbox.Its only when you first pull away that the ABS unit goes "clonk";or in the case of my bike "clanktunk".
I was concerned at first (hence my spare drive shaft),but soon realised there was nothing to worry about.
Good earplugs can fix a multitude of "faults" on a GS.

 

[davegs]

Noises

I never ride my bike without my ear plugs if I ever have it frightens me and I think about things I've read on this site!.

 

[rudiemoto]

adjust the chain

 

[(RIP) ugg]

mine clucks wen just rolling forward , but i recon its just shaft lag or sumat?

 

[davegs]

mine clucks wen just rolling forward , but i recon its just shaft lag or sumat?

Nah, just a BMW gearbox.
dave gs.

 

[Comfy Old Boots]

It's just the ABS resetting. Don't worry about it.

 

[A Bike that Fits]

It's just the ABS resetting. Don't worry about it.

Thanks all - I come from the land of the rising sun (as far as bikes go) and such things (Clunks/Clacks/Clucks/Thuds etc...etc....) were things to be feared!

Nice to know I'm back with the agricultural machinary !

Can't fault the reliability it would seem...

Cheers