[Cop1015]

Ok guys,
I noticed today that my clutch handle had a little play in it. While stopped at a red light my bike was in neutral. I placed my foot on the shifter and it dropped into first without me pulling in the clutch. While riding I decided to see if it would do it all the time and I was able to shift up gears without pulling in my clutch.

Is this something to be worried about or is this something I can tighten or correct myself.

Thanks,
:cop:

 

[EYELESS]

you were stopped and put the bike in 1st without using the clutch and it didn't stall?:-\ that's not right

you can upshift while riding without using the clutch but I wouldn't recomend it.

 

[Bullrider]

I did that once and just about threw my neck out at a stop.
When I raced years ago I shifted without clutching regularly, so I tried it on the 109...works but I don`t want to make a routine of it.

 

[Cop1015]

It did stall.

I never noticed that I could change gears without pulling the clutch....guess I never tried.

I am 1000 miles from my 6000mile check up and will have my tension checked, but I just wanted ensure that I wont tear anything up in the meantime.

 

[EYELESS]

Um... yeah, shifting without using the clutch on a bike with an already notorious transmission isn't a good idea. especially from neutral into first :yikes: you can adjust the play in your clutch lever yourself in about 30 seconds:bigthumbsup:

 

[RicoChet]

You definitely can change gears on any bike with out using the clutch. Shifting into 1st is a bad idea but if you are already moving you can easily switch from 2 to 3 to 4 to 5 with out using the clutch. Just let go of the gas a little and gently put pressure on the shifter and it will just slide into gear. Lots of people do this but I don't recommend it unless you know what your doing! My friend on his shadow only uses his clutch to shift down gears but everything else he just clicks it up and he loves it. That bike is 10 years old and still running perfectly

 

[red barron]

clutch

Ok guys,
I noticed today that my clutch handle had a little play in it. While stopped at a red light my bike was in neutral. I placed my foot on the shifter and it dropped into first without me pulling in the clutch. While riding I decided to see if it would do it all the time and I was able to shift up gears without pulling in my clutch.

Is this something to be worried about or is this something I can tighten or correct myself.

Thanks,
:cop:

My nine started to do that right before the nut on the clutch plate failed and i had to take ot to the stealer for repair

 

[Guest]

Ok guys,
I noticed today that my clutch handle had a little play in it. While stopped at a red light my bike was in neutral. I placed my foot on the shifter and it dropped into first without me pulling in the clutch. While riding I decided to see if it would do it all the time and I was able to shift up gears without pulling in my clutch.

Is this something to be worried about or is this something I can tighten or correct myself.

Thanks,
:cop:

Any bike on the road can be shifted without the clutch...doesn't make it a good idea, but it's possible. Sooner or later that clutch cable is gonna snap on you...and if you're shifting from 4th to 5th when it happens as mine did the other day, you're gonna have to down shift without the clutch in order to get the beast to a stop, unless you want to let it lug itself into a stall as you slow down. I wouldn't make a habit of it, but you should be able to do it, in case it's necessary in a pinch.

 

[EYELESS]

:agree:

 

[Zoom]

I routinely shift mine into 4th and 5th without using the clutch and it does that easily. Downshifting is not so easy but can be done. I practice it on mine just in case the cable does happen to break. If the cable breaks you can take off by putting it 1st, pulling the lever (so the clutch switch will let it crank) and hitting the starter. It will pull the bike and start it at the same time, so if you can shift it clutchless after that you can get it home.

 

[nukeblade]

For the Love of the M109 leave the play in your clutch

 

[nukeblade]

I routinely shift mine into 4th and 5th without using the clutch and it does that easily. Downshifting is not so easy but can be done. I practice it on mine just in case the cable does happen to break. If the cable breaks you can take off by putting it 1st, pulling the lever (so the clutch switch will let it crank) and hitting the starter. It will pull the bike and start it at the same time, so if you can shift it clutchless after that you can get it home.

Good info! damn it only took 14,453 :joke: :clap2: :bigthumbsup:

 

[enviroser]

I routinely shift mine into 4th and 5th without using the clutch and it does that easily. Downshifting is not so easy but can be done. I practice it on mine just in case the cable does happen to break. If the cable breaks you can take off by putting it 1st, pulling the lever (so the clutch switch will let it crank) and hitting the starter. It will pull the bike and start it at the same time, so if you can shift it clutchless after that you can get it home.

one question Zoom: is it normal to have problems getting into 1st gear... sometimes I shift from neutral to first, just getting on the bike, and no matter how hard I press, nothing happens, Have to pull the lever a couple of times and then it engages...

 

[jdmitchell]

one question Zoom: is it normal to have problems getting into 1st gear... sometimes I shift from neutral to first, just getting on the bike, and no matter how hard I press, nothing happens, Have to pull the lever a couple of times and then it engages...

While holding the clutch try rolling the bike either forward or back to help find "the spot" and it should go into either nuetral or first whichever you want to engage.

 

[enviroser]

While holding the clutch try rolling the bike either forward or back to help find "the spot" and it should go into either nuetral or first whichever you want to engage.

yeah that is exactly what i do while engaging and disengaging the clutch. So it is normal then?

 

[RicoChet]

one question Zoom: is it normal to have problems getting into 1st gear... sometimes I shift from neutral to first, just getting on the bike, and no matter how hard I press, nothing happens, Have to pull the lever a couple of times and then it engages...

Getting into 1'st gear from neutral is something that is finicky on all bikes. All you have to do is release the clutch just very lightly and keep pressing the shifter and it will catch 100%

 

[enviroser]

Getting into 1'st gear from neutral is something that is finicky on all bikes. All you have to do is release the clutch just very lightly and keep pressing the shifter and it will catch 100%

well I used to ride dirt bikes and never noticed.... thought perhaps it was a signature of the m109 like the clunking into 2nd.... But thanks guys. definitely great forum and lots of experts to give good advice and save some bucks without going to the moneystealer.....:bigthumbsup:

 

[Redbaron]

Ok guys,
I noticed today that my clutch handle had a little play in it. While stopped at a red light my bike was in neutral. I placed my foot on the shifter and it dropped into first without me pulling in the clutch. While riding I decided to see if it would do it all the time and I was able to shift up gears without pulling in my clutch.

Is this something to be worried about or is this something I can tighten or correct myself.

Thanks,
:cop:

My '07 did something similar with around 500 miles on it. I would check your cable and consider replacing it. There is a lot on this forum about stock cables binding on the frame, etc. If you're able to shift without engaging the clutch - even at low or no speed - it may be partially engaged all the time and you're riding around burning it up without realizing it. Just my .02.

 

[topgun]

For the Love of the M109 leave the play in your clutch

:agree:x2

 

[Timbo0824]

Um... yeah, shifting without using the clutch on a bike with an already notorious transmission isn't a good idea. especially from neutral into first :yikes: you can adjust the play in your clutch lever yourself in about 30 seconds:bigthumbsup:

Any bike on the road can be shifted without the clutch...doesn't make it a good idea, but it's possible. ... I wouldn't make a habit of it, but you should be able to do it, in case it's necessary in a pinch.

I'm a play devil's advocate here... 99.9% of bikes on the road are constant mesh transmissions... meaning - Shift all you want w/o the clutch. (the other 0.1% are those weird-o automatics... lol)

I'd contend that you're MORE LIKELY TO damage the transmission using the clutch than not using it. If for no other reason, because you're more likely to fully get the bike into gear when you shift without the clutch. We all know that the 109 needs to be "shifted like you mean it". That's true for clutched or clutchless shifting.

When you clutchless shift, the bike's not going to let you "soft"shift it. Because of that, I just about guarantee that if you clutchless shift, you'll NEVER hit a false neutral. Try to say that about shifting with the clutch...

Obviously, you need the clutch to go from neutral to 1st, but beyond that... relax that left hand boys and girls Did it on my 109 all the time, up and down shifting, and do it on the B-King pretty regularly, especially in higher gears. Neither bike seemed/seems to care. (For the record, the 109 really seemed to "prefer" clutchless shifting... The B-King's pretty happy either way)

Alls you gotta do is preload the shifter and ease off the throttle momentarily. As soon as there's a little slack in the drive train - best way I can describe it is "between" the point of putting power to the back wheel, and engine braking, it'll up or down shift easy as pie. (BTW, If you think about it... when you pull the clutch, you're in essence "creating" that slack point in the engine and the rear wheel... :bigthumbsup: ).

Give it a try, and some practice. It'll give you the herky-jerk a few times until you get the hang of it, but once you get the throttle control down, you'll be able to shift as smooth as you can with the clutch - only without.

And, better yet, once you get better at it, you'll even be able to drop from 2nd to neutral. :nojoke: methinks you should practice in case that clutch cable goes... just a thought.

Ride safe e'rybody.