04 Sportster 883 gearbox Clunk.

[Commander Zero]

Does anyone know how I can stop my 2004, 883 sportsters gearbox from clunking when I change through the gears, it clunks changing up and also when changing down. Clunk, clunk, clunk ferkin' clunk everywhere I go......
Clutch appears to be working fine, no clutch drag at all, probably a case of when I put it into gear it frees the plates so no drag apparent.
If I start the bike pull in the lever and put it into 1st gear to ride off it clunks, but if I start the bike pull in the clutch lever and wait for a moment...perhaps 5 seconds give it a blip on the throttle it'll just snick into gear the way I think it should, so it's as though the plates are not freeing up... but with there being no drag that doesn't appear to be the case.
I use the Harley Davidson gearbox oil designed for the bike, I was thinking perhaps changing the oil which might stop the plates sticking (if that's the case, but I'd like to keep with the H.D. oil...)
or dismantling the primary to have a look to see if there is problem with the plates, maybe a burred edge? surely not on a bike that age.
Or is it a case of "They all do that" Oh God!! I bloody hate that saying.

[magick]

Mine clunks

2005 1200 Sporster R

its worse when I start up and put it into first gear - I find that pushing in the choke while I put it in gear helps as the engine is at lower revs - seems to make a big difference to the clunkiness

also I try to get into first gear before I stop completely at junctions as it goes in nice and smoothly into first if I do that - if I stop and then put it into first it clunks

but generally yep - it just clunks

[banquo]

Big Twins clunk too, especially into 1st with a cold motor, even if you free the clutch off first. When I remember, I snick it into gear, pull in the clutch and roll it back and forward to free off the plates. And it still clunks. Sometimes, you will slip from neutral into 1st, almost with no effort, and no clunk and so smooth you don't believe it's engaged (but it is). Weird.
I have smooth changes from 4th to 5th and back again, sometimes from 3rd to 4th, but 3rd to second and second to 1st are always a BIG clunk, even if you give it some stick to try and match the revs before changing down. I now go from second to neutral and then into 1st, which is not a lot of fun when you are negotiating a hairpin on Glenquaich at the time...
A tighter primary chain seems to reduce the clunk, and there are those who say that auto primary adjusters/tensioners (does a Sporty have one of them?) reduce the clunk. Some disagree...
Assume you find it's much better when it's hot...

[Ming the Merciless]

My own (older) 883 clunked so hard going into 1st from neutral that it made pedestrians look to see what the noise was. It is interesting that you regard the clunk as a fault. If so, you will be in perpetual frustration, as it will be either hard or impossible to cure. Maybe if you regard clunking as a "characteristic" rather than a fault, then you will no longer have a problem!

My month old 06 1200C clunks and I was hoping this was a 'give it time' kinda thing...guess not!

Jase

[SalTheWop]

I used synthetic oil in the primary on my 04 1200C .No more clunking .

[Folkie]

Mine clunks when putting it into 1st just after starting it (from cold), less so if i leave it a minute or two after starting before moving off, and push the lever down firmly and positively. No problem at all when it's warmed up. Similar when changing down from 2nd to 1st; if I'm a bit tentative it makes a horrible noise, but be positive and kick it down like you mean it: no problem. All other changes, no clunks, just a click.

[Commander Zero]

Thanks for the replies everyone,;)
I only assumed it a possible fault because all the other bikes i've riden A10's, Triumphs, Kawasaki triples, and have never had a bike with such a noisy gearbox, so I'll just take it as part and parcel of the sporty,
Could experiment with different oils like what has SalTheWop done but I don't want to change from the recomended oil.
So I will now regard the Clunking as normal "characteristic" from now on, a Clunking I will go

[lawnmower]

clunk away mate coz its always been like that. i heard those new 6 speed transmissions are much better. Ill let you know next year when i get mine when i expect to be on here moaning that it doesnt clunk when i put it in gear.

[dpb-RK]

HD synthetic is reccomended for most bikes, not absolutely sure if a Sporty is one of them, confirm anybody?