I'm noticing when starting off in 1st gear, and sometimes in 2nd, I'm getting a lot of clutch chatter. It starts just off idle and continues until about 2500 - 2700rpm regardless of how much throttle I have going into it.
The shifting has always been kind of notchy, clunky, and I've had to slip the clutch at times to get it into gear. At idle with the clutch out I get a pretty good rumble too.
Is this normal for these bikes, does anyone else experience this?
My 01' has done this from day one when I got it with 1200 miles on it.
Solution: Ensure your cable is adjusted properly, and change your oil regularly and to the proper level. Too much oil makes hard shifts, not enough cable tension and you're not hitting gears fully because the clutch doesn't disengage fully. I popped out of 5th gear more times than I'd like to count...
Also, ensure that the cable is lubed well. If it hangs up, even a slight bit inside the sleeve, you'll pay for it on the clutch end.
The easiest way to tell if it's your clutch cable/adjustment is this...
While riding... shift using only 2 fingers (middle and index) on the clutch. If you cannot CLEANLY shift by pulling the clutch in to your knuckles (ring and pinky) then your out of adjustment. If you try this again but use all your fingers and pull the lever back to the grip and it shifts CLEANLY, then you're only minutely out of whack... if it's still clunky and uncooperative, then you need to take some time and adjust the slack a bit.
NOTE:
Tiger transmissions (well.. triple transmissions) are clunky by nature, they're not a race/sport transmission, they don't like being slipped, they don't like being dumped, and they certainly don't like shifting with the clutch slightly engaged. The rumble, or whirring sound at idle in Neutral is also normal.
Give it a try! Get back to us.