Drive train "crashing" when engaged on a cold engine

[BigOgre]

Thanks. this makes sense as I have just done an oil change and used the oil recommended by my local bike shop, 15W50. Upon starting it afterwards and putting it in gear, the gearbox smash was horrendous and caused me to seek help from this forum. I will change the oil to a less viscous oil and see how I go. Thanks.

Just me but unless you have barrels of oil laying around I wouldn't waste my money changing it so soon. Ride it out for awhile and do your regular change when due where you can then play around with a different brand/weight. That's also taking into account your outside temps in your part of the world.

 

[Bounce]

Option 2 - put it in gear before you start the bike.

Mine's always parked in gear so it won't roll off the side stand. So I guess I'm usually doing that without thinking about it. THEN I let it settle into slow idle.

 

[Bounce]

Thanks. this makes sense as I have just done an oil change and used the oil recommended by my local bike shop, 15W50. Upon starting it afterwards and putting it in gear, the gearbox smash was horrendous and caused me to seek help from this forum. I will change the oil to a less viscous oil and see how I go. Thanks.

I uses 15w50 too. Works in the heat of N TX summers (100º+) and is okay down to the typical winters (32º). Maybe the difference was between regular dino oil vs the full synthetic I always use?

 

[Oldjeep]

Mine's always parked in gear so it won't roll off the side stand. So I guess I'm usually doing that without thinking about it. THEN I let it settle into slow idle.

Mine too. Although I just start and go. Never been one to warm up cars or bikes

 

[RiderJoe]

All of the above are good suggestions for minimizing the initial “clunk”. @Dazza I have to ask - do you normally park your bike on an sight incline (driveway, etc.)? If so, it is possible that all the slack between the gears, u-joint, and driveshaft is taken up by rearward pressure. When you put your bike into gear after a cold start that slack will be taken up by the forward motion of the engine. Nothing to worry about.

My 2003 made a similar loud noise as you described on cold starts (a little less noticeable on my ‘06). The way I was able to reduce the clunk is that I pressed down very lightly on the shifter for about a second with the clutch pulled in (disengaged) so I “preloaded it” in effect, before I pressed down fully to snick it into first gear. The gear shift was very smooth then without loud complaints from below.

 

[Dazza]

Just me but unless you have barrels of oil laying around I wouldn't waste my money changing it so soon. Ride it out for awhile and do your regular change when due where you can then play around with a different brand/weight. That's also taking into account your outside temps in your part of the world.

Cheers, thanks.

 

[Dazza]

Mine's always parked in gear so it won't roll off the side stand. So I guess I'm usually doing that without thinking about it. THEN I let it settle into slow idle.

Cheers.

 

[Dazza]

All of the above are good suggestions for minimizing the initial “clunk”. @Dazza I have to ask - do you normally park your bike on an sight incline (driveway, etc.)? If so, it is possible that all the slack between the gears, u-joint, and driveshaft is taken up by rearward pressure. When you put your bike into gear after a cold start that slack will be taken up by the forward motion of the engine. Nothing to worry about.

My 2003 made a similar loud noise as you described on cold starts (a little less noticeable on my ‘06). The way I was able to reduce the clunk is that I pressed down very lightly on the shifter for about a second with the clutch pulled in (disengaged) so I “preloaded it” in effect, before I pressed down fully to snick it into first gear. The gear shift was very smooth then without loud complaints from below.

Thanks. I'm banking all these strategies. Going to go with a thinner oil and then see how, if, this changes things. I don't generally start and go, I normally prewarm. Was just really concerned when I did start and go, that the smashing of gears was a symptom of something serious. General consensus from everyone here is that this is normal so it seems I don't really have a problem.

 

[RiderJoe]

@Dazza if you find a solution that worked for you, please report back to the forum. I am sure that someone else with the same issue will appreciate the advice.

 

[Dazza]

@Dazza if you find a solution that worked for you, please report back to the forum. I am sure that someone else with the same issue will appreciate the advice.

 

[rbentnail]

I've found on my '13 to A) let it drop out of high idle by starting then donning gear, and B) rev slighly to about 1700 rpm. It snicks into 1st without the big clunk.

 

[Klikoo]

Which helps me very well before you put it in 1st gear, push a little bit forward with the clutch retracted. Then there is nothing to hear after a cold start.

 

[Dazza]

Which helps me very well before you put it in 1st gear, push a little bit forward with the clutch retracted. Then there is nothing to hear after a cold start.

Thanks.

 

[mcatrophy]

Another possibility is sticky gunk on the clutch plates. It's not a big job to strip the clutch sufficiently to clean and re-oil (most of the plates are usually pretty dry).

I've stripped my '06 for soaking, my piccy guide is here, I don't think your '15 is significantly different.

 

[ERS]

I've only owned 5 or 6 bikes all Japanese but they all clunked going into first if they weren't warmed up. My solution is to usually start it in first gear and go (no warmup) but if I start in neutral then I just grit my teeth and endure the clunk. Never caused any damage. I have a DL1000 V-Strom and it does the same but it runs around 2K rpm for 30-40 seconds while warming up.

 

[Road_Runner]

Yes, pretty good "clunk" when going into first when cold, but I guess I am so used to this that I don't even notice. But no where near as loud as the clunk when my putting my Softail into first.

 

[waynevb]

I changed to 5W30 full synthetic oil and I also always stop the bike in first gear. When I restart it's already in 1st gear, clutch held in and off I go. The clunk when changing up has also stopped with the thinner oil.

 

[Bounce]

Depends on your weather but 5w is probably too light for the FJR.

 

[RossKean]

Depends on your weather but 5w is probably too light for the FJR.

The 5W shouldn't be a problem - just means it doesn't get too thick and will flow better when cold. It doesn't make it too thin. I have always used a 5W40 (Rotella T6). Yamaha says 20W40 or 20W50 for my bike but there shouldn't be any issues - lower number before the "W" is better when temperatures are below 50° F but should never be lower viscosity than the oil is at operating temperature.


OTOH, the 30 part is lighter than recommended - at least in my manual.

 

[Bounce]

That's the difference. I don't ride anywhere that it gets cold enough to allow 5w to be advisable. I'm more of spending most of the time needing 15w50.