Harsh Shifting

[Tim955i]

Hi;

Bike shifts very harshly (higher shift lever effort, louder, clunkier shift) in urban traffic.  It's as if the clutch is getting hotter or oilier and not releasing itself cleanly.  After a few miles in a steady gear, the shifting effort drops to a normal, quiet action.  Then back to stop and go traffic - & clunk!  Clutch lever cable slack seems appropriate - (even if the 0.4-0.8mm free play factory spec is a hard thing to judge)



Any Suggestions?  

How much clutch lever free play are you adjusting to?  Technique?

Oil level an issue?

Thanks/Tim

[Dick Boyer]

Go Mobil 1 car oil. 10-30W. Improves shifting dramaticly.

[tigerhund]

I wonder what 30 wt does to engine life versus the stouter 50w.  The owner's manual says minimum 40 wt.



I am thinking about switching to the Mobil One 15w50 automotive oil as it is significantly cheaper than the same oil packaged as 'motorcycle' oil, but I am still a bit scared about the possibility that the 'special additives' for motorcycle might be real.

[Aussie Tiger]

You really should use only the recomended grade of oil (however not necessarily the brand). I use Motul Synthetic in mine without any probs.  



While you could use regular "car" oil, it is missing the gearbox additives that could cause problems down the line.  If you are using fully synthetic, go with the proper motorcycle oil, there's really not alot of difference in price, well at least here in Oz there isn't.



By the way, did everyone realise that Triumph gearboxes are designed to be up-changed without the clutch?  When ready to change up, get your toe up under the shift lever and back off the throttle just a smidgen and up she changes, very smoothly too.  Takes a bit of practise at first but certainly the less tiring and smoother way if you are doing alot of gear changes.  Just remember that this is for up changes ONLY, you'll still need to use the clutch for down shifts.

[Sasquatch]

You really should use only the recomended grade of oil (however not necessarily the brand). I use Motul Synthetic in mine without any probs.  



While you could use regular "car" oil, it is missing the gearbox additives that could cause problems down the line.  If you are using fully synthetic, go with the proper motorcycle oil, there's really not alot of difference in price, well at least here in Oz there isn't.



By the way, did everyone realise that Triumph gearboxes are designed to be up-changed without the clutch?  When ready to change up, get your toe up under the shift lever and back off the throttle just a smidgen and up she changes, very smoothly too.  Takes a bit of practise at first but certainly the less tiring and smoother way if you are doing alot of gear changes.  Just remember that this is for up changes ONLY, you'll still need to use the clutch for down shifts.

There are no "special additives" for motorcycle oil.  Just very good marketing.  As long as you do not use any oil labled as EC or energy conserving, you will have no problems.



There are quite a few very reputable superbike engine builders here in the states (myself included) that are switching our recommendations over to HD oils.  Oils like Chevron Delo 400 and Shell Rotella T (both synthetic and standard versions).  These oils are formulated much better than standard car oils.  The additives put into them as well as the base stock oils are of a much higher quality when compared to car oils.  They are working VERY well in MC applications.



Every engine I build leaves my shop with Shell Rotella T Synthetic.  I only build one or two motors a year now, but I am still avid in the field.

[Guest]

[



There are no "special additives" for motorcycle oil.  Just very good marketing.  As long as you do not use any oil labled as EC or energy conserving, you will have no problems.



.

So, are you telling us that the "JASO MA" spec. that is supposed to be for wet clutches is a load of bo11ocks?

I must say that I've use standard car oils in all my previous bikes without a problem BUT these were mineral oils. When we get to fully synthetic oils aren't they supposed to be MUCH, MUCH slipperyer(?!?) And therefore could pose a problem with clutch slip?

[Sasquatch]

[



There are no "special additives" for motorcycle oil.  Just very good marketing.  As long as you do not use any oil labled as EC or energy conserving, you will have no problems.



.

So, are you telling us that the "JASO MA" spec. that is supposed to be for wet clutches is a load of bo11ocks?

I must say that I've use standard car oils in all my previous bikes without a problem BUT these were mineral oils. When we get to fully synthetic oils aren't they supposed to be MUCH, MUCH slipperyer(?!?) And therefore could pose a problem with clutch slip?

Just because an oil company does not pay the heafty cert $$ to get JASO MA certification, does not mean it would not pass if they tried.  Just remember that one.



Next.  If ANYONE on this forum is going to slip a clutch, it is me.  I am 400 lbs.  (no, I am not lying), and I ride hard.  Very hard.  I can chase the sporties down in the canyons, and keep up with damn near anyone in the mountain dirt roads. I have run car oil in my bikes since the mid 80's.  I have never, NEVER slipped a clutch.  As a fact, I have never replaced a clutch.  Even in my 1986 Yamaha FZ 750 that I owned for 12 years racking up over 100,000 miles on.  It got nothing but Mobil 1.



My Husaberg FE501 (yeah, I ride hard in the dirt too) gets nothing but Delo 400 in the sump (4 stroke, shared oil).  Had it for 4 years riding mountains that are brutal steep and never had a clutch issue.



I have about 16,000 on my 01 955 now and I run Shell Rotella T Synthetic.



Again, this "clutch" issue is another marketing smear campaign that is obviously working because millions still believe it.

[Patrick the Scot]

My Husaberg FE501 (yeah, I ride hard in the dirt too) gets nothing but Delo 400 in the sump (4 stroke, shared oil).  Had it for 4 years riding mountains that are brutal steep and never had a clutch issue.

FE501 Berg!  That is a hardcore dirt machine. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that the thumper that has fewer moving parts than any other 4-stroke dirtbike motor?

[Sasquatch]

My Husaberg FE501 (yeah, I ride hard in the dirt too) gets nothing but Delo 400 in the sump (4 stroke, shared oil).  Had it for 4 years riding mountains that are brutal steep and never had a clutch issue.

FE501 Berg!  That is a hardcore dirt machine. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that the thumper that has fewer moving parts than any other 4-stroke dirtbike motor?

Yes.  It is a 4 stroke built on a 2 stroke lower end.  100% roller bearing equipped, dry sumped, and did it all without even an oil pump.  It used crankcase pressure from the piston moving up and down in conjunction with reed valves to move the oil.  Whole engine and transmission only held 1 liter of oil.  Mine was a '96 version.  Lighter than most of the 96 year 2 strokes with ungodly power.



This bike lived on Chevron Delo 400.  Got the oil changed every 50-100 miles (it had no oil filter either).  I had it for many years and never had to open the motor.  



Damn arthritis.... I miss that bike.

[Patrick the Scot]

My brother has a '98 FE501 E Husaberg for sale, $2000, great shape. The bike is in Abilene, Texas.

[apache]

Ah the oil wars..... I posted about using Deisel oils in a bike on ADV and sure riled up some folks. I ran Rotella in my Ducati Elefant without issues but it has a dry clutch. I use Delo in the misses Yamaha. Personally owning a diesel truck it seems I get much quiter starts with Rotella 15/40 than Delo for whatever reason. better yet the Rotella 5/40 synthitic. We can get at Walmart here for about $14 a gallon.

 Bottom line from what Ive read ALL of the olis go weak after 1500 miles. Keep it changed and your good to go.