First Gear is a PIG!!

[SteveRed]

First gear on my bike is a real PIG... Often hard to find from Nuetral (The nuetral light goes off but bike still not in gear) and when changing down from higher gears, it's all sweet until I hit second then first... Clunck... CRUNCH!!

Any other Captains had this problem??

SteveRed

[ejmoment]

Are you sure it's a problem and not simply a characteristic of the bike... Yeah... the gears are bigger and clunkier than most other bikes... but they have to be survive all the hp and torque the rocket generates...

Neutral to first gear shifts... Put your foot on the***** pedal and feather the clutch just a bit - it will drop right into gear every time.

The clunky down***** to first gear in a characteristic of all rockets... don't hit first until your just about stopped.

[rick05rocket]

check you clutch adjustment. I've not had any problems with any of the gears, and finding nuetral is a breeze.

ride on

rick

[Diego]

Neutral to first is rather stiff at first on many Rockets, and it may require anywhere from 500 to 2000 miles for it to become appreciably easier...but it eventually does. Meantime, rock the bike back and forth or let it roll a little forward to make dropping into first easier.

A few folks have reported having to adjust the position of the neutral switch to indicate neutral better, though of course this won't affect the effort required to get into first gear.

If it's difficult to engage first when downshifting, that may indicate it is worth checking the clutch cable adjustment.

A certain amount of clunk when shifting seems the norm with power cruisers. On the Rocket, it generally becomes less prominent with a bit of wear. I seem to recall that a few Rocket owners have had excess clunkiness that turned out to be clutch bearing problems, however.

[Renton]

If it doesn't go clunk! How will you know its in gear?

I believe that the rider should adapt to the uniquness of the bike, whatever bike that may be. Its part of the fun. I expect different things from different makers and designs.

Mine was extremely "Clunky" and I adjusted the play in the clutch lever, then it went away.
Then the "clunkyness" came back, so I adjusted the clutch lever and it went away again.
I assume you understand what I am saying here, check the play in the clutch lever, make sure there isn't too much, nothing over 2mm, and the problem should go away.

[Jamie]

June 29 '05?

Could it be (I know it'll read patronizing and/or simplistic , but...) ... could it be that you are not used to the RIII's feet forward (although mildly so, compared to, say a V-Rod or a Deuce) posture?

If you are NOT or not quite, then it's simply the tip your l/h boot that does not exert enough pressure on the lever. LIFT it from the peg and stomp on the gear lever. Not brutally so, but with decisiveness. OK? The box will still emit a CLUNK! But it'll be a short and... thankful one, and first gear will be on!!!. And then neutral will sort of avail itself with just a soft on-peg foot movement.

Bonesetter Jamie.

[ This message was edited by: Jamie on 2005-08-22 14:10 ]

[dougl]

Double clutch it before you put it into first.

Mine clunks to. So what? It certainly ain't a pig when you open it up. I haven't looked at the speedo in 1st - I look at the tach to avoid hitting the rev limiter and I get up to 85+ in second.

[glw]

Ever shift a harley...clunk!! and i had an 87 "Geezer Glide" (bagger) that sounded like the trany was coming out of the side of the case..until you hit overdrive 5th... then it was quiet as a mouse...they seem better now..my 95 was not too bad but still not great..now you can get the gears back cut and that helps a lot..
I think the Rocket is fine, does make some noise but should get better as you break it in..also the harley only has 60hp..

[Valkyrie111]

Renton has summed it up well. The neutral and first gear quirks add to the character of the beast. After a while it becomes second nature to use the methods described in other posts, they do work.