Cold start lurch

Engineer

Engineer

He/Him - Guitar Student and Electronics Engineer
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WC clutch drag can sometimes cause a cold start 'lurch' - it only happens with my March 2013 bike if it has been left standing overnight or has been allowed to cool right down.

I eliminate the 'lurch' by sitting astride the bike and selecting 1st gear - with the clutch lever pulled in I then roll the bike either forward or backwards by 1/4 to 1/2 of a wheel rotation, the clutch drag can be clearly felt and feels 'lumpy' as it tries to turn the engine over - doing this seems to break the 'oil drag' between clutch plates and greatly reduces the 'lurch' when the starter button is pressed.

Let the whinging begin!
 
Fucking "Johnny-come-lately's"...the standard procedure for any Harley has always been as follows.

Ensure bike is firmly on kick stand (That's "side stand" to you jokers)...and then roll a cigarette... then, fuel on, choke full out…4 pumps of the throttle and one good stab on the starter……whirr…clack…strain…start……now is the time to smoke that cigarette. Any attempt to engage gear in a shorter time-span than that will result in a “Thwack” as the gears crunch together…..

For those with fuel injected Harleys…miss out the fuel on/choke on steps only…

If you don’t smoke…now would be a good time to start…

Welcome to the wonderful world of Harley D.:D
 
Start it with the front (or rear) brake applied. I won't be going anywhere.
 
I'm guessing here but it sound like, if you start the bike from cold on the side stand the clutch drag could push the bike off the side stand and the bike would fall over? If that's the case then take it back as that would piss me right off, I would forget, my bike would be on the floor and that would cost me a lot of money.
 
deangsadv said:
I'm guessing here but it sound like, if you start the bike from cold on the side stand the clutch drag could push the bike off the side stand and the bike would fall over? If that's the case then take it back as that would piss me right off, I would forget, my bike would be on the floor and that would cost me a lot of money.
Click to expand...

I guess this is possible, but I never start a bike on the side stand, I always start the bike after I have climbed on board.
 
What is the village doing for an idiot while you are out on your bike?
 
Pingu said:
Fucking "Johnny-come-lately's"...the standard procedure for any Harley has always been as follows.

Ensure bike is firmly on kick stand (That's "side stand" to you jokers)...and then roll a cigarette... then, fuel on, choke full out…4 pumps of the throttle and one good stab on the starter……whirr…clack…strain…start……now is the time to smoke that cigarette. Any attempt to engage gear in a shorter time-span than that will result in a “Thwack” as the gears crunch together…..

For those with fuel injected Harleys…miss out the fuel on/choke on steps only…

If you don’t smoke…now would be a good time to start…

Welcome to the wonderful world of Harley D.:D
Click to expand...

Ha ha I sold my Fat Bob to get my first GS a 2013 I did have a chuckle when loads on here were complaining of gear crunch when selecting first. I've now got a 2014 GSA
Since owning the Fat Bob I will never complain about another gear box again. But I loved the Harley but this GSA is the Dogs.
I've only had it just over 3 months and I've just had the 6000 service done.

Terry
 
My experience is completely the opposite. In the morning when I roll the bike out of the garage and fire it up, it snicks perfectly into 1st gear. Not a sound nor judder.

5 minutes later though at the first set of lights, once the bike is warm, putting the bike into 1st from neutral causes a massive clank that causes pedestrians to look round. If I didn't have a firm grip on the front brake, the bike would lurch forward violently.

My first selection of first gear is the only good one of the day. :nenau
 
Hamslay said:
My experience is completely the opposite. In the morning when I roll the bike out of the garage and fire it up, it snicks perfectly into 1st gear. Not a sound nor judder.

5 minutes later though at the first set of lights, once the bike is warm, putting the bike into 1st from neutral causes a massive clank that causes pedestrians to look round. If I didn't have a firm grip on the front brake, the bike would lurch forward violently.

My first selection of first gear is the only good one of the day. :nenau
Click to expand...

That is really weird mine only lurches when cold when starting the engine with the clutch lever pulled back - if I start the bike like this when it's hot then no lurch. It nearly always clonks into first though,hot or cold.
 
Hamslay said:
My experience is completely the opposite. In the morning when I roll the bike out of the garage and fire it up, it snicks perfectly into 1st gear. Not a sound nor judder.

5 minutes later though at the first set of lights, once the bike is warm, putting the bike into 1st from neutral causes a massive clank that causes pedestrians to look round. If I didn't have a firm grip on the front brake, the bike would lurch forward violently.

My first selection of first gear is the only good one of the day. :nenau
Click to expand...

+1 :(
 
Hamslay said:
My experience is completely the opposite. In the morning when I roll the bike out of the garage and fire it up, it snicks perfectly into 1st gear. Not a sound nor judder.

5 minutes later though at the first set of lights, once the bike is warm, putting the bike into 1st from neutral causes a massive clank that causes pedestrians to look round. If I didn't have a firm grip on the front brake, the bike would lurch forward violently.
My first selection of first gear is the only good one of the day. :nenau
Click to expand...

Sounds like your clutch is not fully disengaging just like the demo I test rode last year started it up in gear with the clutch in and it wanted to drive down the road before I did, dont worry by the 2018 model updates year it will be fixed just in time for a new improved model with a new set of minor problems its part of the character :aidan
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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