Clunky Transmission

[BigBoyinMS]

About six weeks ago I took a test ride on a 2006 RSTD that had about 6k miles on it. That same day I rode a Victory Vision and a Triumph Rocket III Touring. One thing that I noticed was how the shifting on the Victory and the Triumph felt like the H-D's I've had... a hard clunk in first and even going into the higher gears. The RSTD felt smoother, like my Road Star.

I bought a 2007 Venture 2 weeks ago and the tranny feels more like the other bikes than the RSTD. In fact, my wife thought there was a problem with the bike because of the hard "clunks" every time I change gears.

Is this normal for the Venture and not the RSTD or is it normal for both and I just happened to ride an odd one?

 

I also posted this in another forum hoping to get enough replies to know if this is normal on this bike.

Thanks!

[Condor]

I just happened to ride an odd one?

 

An odd one....

[GeorgeS]

Is it possible that the Clutch needs bleeding ??

Might be worth haveing the dealer check that out.

[emack]

I've always had good luck smoothing out a clunky shifter by using a synthetic oil.

But don't really want to start another oil thread.

[sarges46]

My 05 is a smooth shifter most of the time. The only time its bad is when the driver (me) does something.

 

And it does get a little "rougher" at oil change time it seems. I use synthetic.

[tazmocycle]

synthic oiul will help, but also checkout your shifter link and pivot bolt and make sure they are working easly. i've had times whenthe pivot get tight and i spray wd40 on it to free it up. or if the bolt comes loose it will bind up making it hard to shift. i did loose the bolt from the shifter not long after i bought it, may not have been thight from factory.

[BigBoyinMS]

Well, changed oil (Amsoil 10w40) Saturday and made a 60 mile ride today. Wife mentioned how the clunk was gone. Synthetic comes through again!