From Neutral to 1st Gear...a clunk usually...sometimes no clunk at all?

[Johnny Canuck]

Yes...I finally got back on the bike yesterday after a 3 week absence (vacation, work, etc), and unfortunately to no avail. After driving for about 20 minutes I tried this at the red light. Pulled in the clutch and "clunked" into 1st. Keeping the clutch lever pulled in I shifted back into neutral, waited 2 seconds and then put back to 1st again. I did this several times.

Sometimes I got a 2nd clunk when going into 1st. Sometimes I found it wouldn't go into first...i.e., there was a different "feel" in my shifting foot when I tried, but it wouldn't go into first and the neutral light simply stayed on. In these instances I had to release the clutch lever, then pull in and, as usual, it clunked into first.

Not certain if this is good or not? Legoman's mechanical theory should stand true, at least to my thinking...but it didn't in my case. Makes me think I've got some inspecting to do over the winter. Any thoughts?

 

[ST1100Y]

You will find that the transmission will clunk into gear much louder if you pull the clutch in and immediately drop it into gear.

+1... on my first ST it took me some time to first realize that timing is an issue and then to 'learn' it... for me its like wait 1/2 a second after pulling the clutch lever, then shift into first. Not always perfect though, but less 'beemer crunch' as if I'd try to put the first gear in immediately. BTW same on shifting from 1st to 2nd, preloading the shift lever, pull clutch, remain 'an idea' in neutral, then quickly continue into 2nd, works totally silent for me (mostly ;-) )