Selecting First Gear.

[ekoja]

I seem to be having trouble egaging first gear (as does the bike)
We will deal with the bike first.
Seems to be that every time I engage first gear it engages with a loud clunk. This is not the normal operation and seems to be getting worst. It also will not engage the starter whilst it is in gear but with the clutch in and the sidestand up. It works ok once you are moving, all the other gears engage normaly i.e. without a sound although sometimes on downshifts it is noisy if you dont get the revs right.
I understand that the failure to start ingear with the clutch in will possibly be a cutout switch thingy but I wonder if there is a connection between the two
The clutch lever has the correct amount of ajustment
Any ideas or is it down to the shop?
Now about my difficulty in engaging first gear.

[Shifty]

TDM/TRX are known for their first gear clunks.
Different oils have different results so try another oil.

[Waz]

"Clunking" in first gear is pretty normal. You could check to see if the clutch is fully disengaging. I prefer the clutch take-up to be about 60-70% of the lever out, that way I know that the clutch (if in good condition) to be fully disengaging. If the takeup is less that 50%, I would adjust at the clutch itself (the lever on the clutch basket) then re-adjust the lever freeplay (at the bar).

[JL4049]

To get around the god awful first gear clunk, I select first before I start the engine and break the plates apart by pushing forward then start. In your case with a seemingly bung starter cutout switch, the other way that works for me is to start the bike in neutral, pull the clutch in fast idle for about 10 seconds then give a couple of good sharp blips of the throttle.
( the first way is my "it's 0530 and I'm on the way to work don't want to piss the neighbours off too bad" way, the second " I don't give a F*k how loud it is, I like it".
I also found that changing from Castrol to Motul 5100 helped make it easier to break the clutch plates apart, as well as smoothing out the rest of the shifts.

[Dee]

I'll normally pull the clutch in and out a few times before selecting first gear after starting the bike. That normally seems to help a little.

[phuk72]

You all worry too much - I just kick it into gear and accept that the clunk is character

I worried when I first got the bike that a fork may be bent or the drum may be knackered but it wasn't. No amount of oil changes / brands have made any difference and I just ignore it now.

The gear boxes / clutches are actually pretty strong and I now have a habit of booting mine down the box and into first when braking hard into hairpins and slow corners on the track. Momentarily locks the back wheel and makes me think I can back it in I also routinely up shift without the clutch.

So all in all, I wouldn't worry. That said, if you are sure it is getting worse (and not paranoia setting in) then you may have a problem.

[burty]

I was thinking along similar lines.

First of all I thought, what clunk? but then when I think about it perhaps it ain't particularly slick, but I just make sure I have the brake on when I select gears whilst stationary, and keep the revs low for that first selection of the day - personally i don't think it changes hot or cold anyway. I reckon all the bikes I've had clunked a bit when cold, well except perhaps for the Triumph, where selecting neutral on a cold gearbox was a challenge in itself.

I too like to bang it down the gears, I love that feeling of the rear breaking traction. Going up I just do whatever, clutch, no clutch who cares anyway? What's important is to keep the rev counter hovvering about the red bit, and pass them there mobile obstacles in the road.

[Killerwhale]

I seem to be having trouble egaging first gear (as does the bike)
We will deal with the bike first.
Seems to be that every time I engage first gear it engages with a loud clunk. This is not the normal operation and seems to be getting worst. It also will not engage the starter whilst it is in gear but with the clutch in and the sidestand up. It works ok once you are moving, all the other gears engage normaly i.e. without a sound although sometimes on downshifts it is noisy if you dont get the revs right.
I understand that the failure to start ingear with the clutch in will possibly be a cutout switch thingy but I wonder if there is a connection between the two
The clutch lever has the correct amount of ajustment
Any ideas or is it down to the shop?
Now about my difficulty in engaging first gear.

Mine were better selecting first when i changed to silkolene oil but the bike has alway´s been worse when going from first to second, especially if reving 5k and up....the head turns on people, they probably think the bike broke!

[HolerTogni]

Hi ekoja!

By saying

... It also will not engage the starter whilst it is in gear but with the clutch in and the sidestand up. ...
... I understand that the failure to start ingear with the clutch in will possibly be a cutout switch thingy but I wonder if there is a connection between the two ...

you mean with the clutch engaged (i.e. the lever not pulled)? Sorry for asking, but I'm not sure and I'm only trying to help ...

If so, that's normal that the starter will not work because of a little switch in the clutch lever by which it is determined whether or not the lever is pulled. In combination whith not being in neutral, the starter is blocked. (Although I suppose you already know that ...)

As to the clonking first gear:

As some had written before, there are some methods for avoiding it:

Before starting:
- selecting a gear (I prefer fourth) and pushing the bike with disengaged clutch for releasing the clutch disks which stick together yet (also because of the cold oil); then shifting into first and start (with pulled clutch lever of course and functioning clutch lever switch )

If started in neutral:
- pulling and releasing the lever several times (approx. 5x) before shifting (for preventing the clutch disks from sticking together)
- holding the lever pulled for about 5 seconds before shifting (for letting the gear shafts come to a standstill)

Even with warm engine, I do holding the lever pulled for about 5 seconds before shifting when starting from a traffic light because of avoiding the "clonk".

A low oil level can also intensify the "clonk" effekt.

Hope I could help a little.

Now about my difficulty in engaging first gear.

Errm, any further details

[Jak]

Seeing as my previous bike was a Guzzi with plenty of "character" and more neutrals than gears I never really thought much about it. Just accepted the clonk into first as normal. Riding with mates on their plastic pizzas I've realised mine is hard work through the gears - esp as it drops out of 2nd and I always have trouble finding neutral. But like phuk says - character

[HolerTogni]

My CX 500 Euro has quite a bit of character - and a really superb gear box!

No clonk in whatever gear I shift in no matter what temperature the motor oil is - maybe a little jerk when cold but no noise

That much to character and good shifting

[ekoja]

Thanks all
I will not concern myself any longer.

Holer Togni wrote

you mean with the clutch engaged (i.e. the lever not pulled)? Sorry for asking, but I'm not sure and I'm only trying to help ...

What I meant was "with the clutch lever pulled in" but I think the cutout switch may have been a little sticky cause it now works.

I know that this sounds crazy but with the Supertrapps on the bike, as opposed to the standard mufflers at present, I always felt that the changes were quieter and smoother, but maybe it just me (what do you think Glen?)
Cheers and thanks again all