WHAT THE F**k!!!

what is the clunk you hear when putting it in 1st from neutral???  i never go into neutral, ever, because i hate how that feels.  i ask the honda dealers and they said nothings wrong, but it sure does not feel right.  back in 97 when i had my F3 it did the same thing, is there anything i can do to change this.  i know when i let it roll forward slowly while putting it into gear i dont hear it.

The sound you are hearing is normal I would not worry about it my bike does the same thing too going into first gear.

its a honda thing :) 

What that sound is, is this...

Between first and second gear, the distance between the two gears is enough that the shift forks are moving in between those gears.  Because neutral is between first and second (not to be a smartass, I know you know this) that distance, is wider.  You don't feel this in the upper gears.  The shift forks rotate/pivot on that shaft.  What is also important is how you shift and how your riding.  Around town, agressive, stunting, all can have a factor on how positive or negative your shifts and the shift points are. 

Try different kinds of oil in your bike.  From personal experiences, I ended up running Amsoil in my CBR1KF, Belray sythetic in my 929, and now I'm running golden spectro in the 954.  I may seem to obsessive compulsive, but honestly different oils and weights can have an affect on it over and above your shifting methods.

Agreed...it's completely normal.  I know it sounds nasty at times and can be loud, but it's perfectly normal.  Don't wear your clutch unnecessarily by starting in 2nd.

I can relate. I also had this happen, (anyone else???)... While at a stop light I could not get it into 1st from Neutral. It would only go into 2nd. Then after messing-around for awhile. I was able to get it to go into 1st if I went up and down through the shift pattern a couple of times. Weird. But this has only happened a couple of times. Usually when I've come to a fast stop. And had to find Neutral from like 4th gear or something. Normal riding=No problem

quote:

ORIGINAL: shoortbuss

Agreed...it's completely normal.  I know it sounds nasty at times and can be loud, but it's perfectly normal.  Don't wear your clutch unnecessarily by starting in 2nd.

quote:

ORIGINAL: skical

I can relate. I also had this happen, (anyone else???)... While at a stop light I could not get it into 1st from Neutral. It would only go into 2nd.

When mine did that I adjusted the clutch by a very small amount and it corrected the problem .. give it a shot by turning the clutch adjustment dial on the lever by small amounts to see if it helps.

no, i didnt know that.  thanks

also if you slightly let out on the clutch it will go into gear

Any time you have trouble not getting in gear at a stop, rock the bike...no need to make any adjustments.  It's from the male-female (called dogs/grooves) parts of the gears not locking together right but if you rock the bike forward you should be able to make them engage.

I saw a post on this somewhere...let me see if I can find it...

I don't remember where...sry

If I cant get mine back into first I release the clutch just slightly in second just so it engages and then it will slide back into first, I also have the clunk from nuetral to first but its a honda thing so I live with it.

Come to think of it... That's finally what helped, rocking it forward and back. Thanks for reminding me and your reply. No need to adjust the clutch.

quote:

ORIGINAL: jfunkRR

Any time you have trouble not getting in gear at a stop, rock the bike...no need to make any adjustments.  It's from the male-female (called dogs/grooves) parts of the gears not locking together right but if you rock the bike forward you should be able to make them engage.

I saw a post on this somewhere...let me see if I can find it...

I don't remember where...sry

Had the same thoughts about all of this.  Its completely normal though.

The clunk is normal as stated above.

As to the engaging into first issue ..
Whatever does the trick and solves the problem for you, go for it my good man.
Yeah, that reply assumed your dogs are not worn. I'm just letting you know that mine had difficulty going into first for a long time (no matter how much rockin') and a couple of gear heads told me to adjust the cable, which I did, and nary a problem since Even had that method worked for me, I'd rather solve the problem than have to rock the bike each time. It took all of 30 seconds to adjust it .. simple fix.

I think the Clunk sound when going into 1st is caused by all of the engine side drive gears spinning along with the clutch, you press the clutch, those gears keep spinning along (partially due to the plates still rubbing ever so slightly, and also due to kinetic energy). When you put it into 1st, the gears all have to stop to match the speed of the driven gears (chain side) - they do so with a clunk.

Autos have a "synchromesh" system that brings the gears up to (or down to) the speed of the gear that is being changed into, so they don't have that noise, bikes do not.  I'd assume they don't have as much moving mass as an auto transmission, so damage isn't an issue.
 
It's all normal - they all do it.

Mine does the hard clunk into first sometimes too...just makes me cringe everytime. Rockin the bike or slightly letting out the clutch for a second normall does the trick for getting it back into first from neutral.

quote:

ORIGINAL: jfunkRR

I saw a post on this somewhere...let me see if I can find it...

I don't remember where...sry

 
HA!! Found it!!  Read this post and check out thridgen's awesome technical post on why the gears do what they do, included with pics.
 
http://cbrforum.com/m_485324/tm.htm

Thanks for the Link! That explains it well. Nothing wrong with my bike.

quote:

ORIGINAL: jfunkRR

quote:

ORIGINAL: jfunkRR

I saw a post on this somewhere...let me see if I can find it...

I don't remember where...sry

HA!! Found it!!  Read this post and check out thridgen's awesome technical post on why the gears do what they do, included with pics.

http://cbrforum.com/m_485324/tm.htm