Triumphrat

RiderRocketman · 10-07-2005

My dealer has removed my clutch but there doesn't seem to be any visible problems. The plates look fine. Not sure about the springs but my dealer tech said he couldn't see anything that would be causing my "bad" clutch symptoms:

[1] much more engine vibration esp. in foot pegs

[2] clutch made an intermittant "buzzing/whirring" noise when at speed and clutch held in; noise worse in lower gears; sounds like a loose flywheel that's spinning and wobbling; when it's not making that funky noise, it makes a whirrrrrrr whining noise when the clutch is held in and the bike is at speed

[3] overall much rougher clutch feel and action

[4] that familiar CLUNK engagement sound happens when the clutch is not supposed to be engaged (lever held in) and sounds repeatedly like something is swinging loose in there

Anybody have some ideas? I'd hate to get replacement parts (getting new plates and springs from Barnett Clutch), put everything back together and still have these problems.

RiderRocketman · 10-20-2005

The verdict is in. I have a bad bearing in the rear of the transmission, connected to the torsional damper, like some other people have reported. Waiting on parts from Triumph now and hopefully will be back on the roads (non-snow covered I hope) by the end of next week.

If you get any symptoms that I described, don't take too long to get it checked out. Another guy around here had his tranny seize at 30 mph.

RocketEd · 10-20-2005

Well, that sucks! I'm thinking now this is Rocket #5 I've heard of or seen this happen to.

Can you give us any more particulars like #of miles, how hard you ride, any other mods, when you bought the bike, etc?

Certainly do hope you're on the road again soon.

RiderRocketman · 10-21-2005

Thanks RocketEd, I've had my bike since July 14th, 2004 and it's got 16k miles now. It's one of the first 200 in the States, one of the first in my state and around the 700th Rocket built.

I started noticing symptoms around 10k miles after I had TORs and catbypass installed, though I don't know if the performance exhaust contributed to the failure. I suspect it sped up the failure though. I ride a lot and fairly hard, but am no goof-off squid or prancing stunter, so I imagine most Captains ride similar.

I ran with symptoms for a few thousand miles, but another guy around here had his problems come on much faster at around 17k. The other guy in this area had his tranny seize fairly quickly too. Both are also early release bikes, as well as others who reported this problem, so hopefully it is limited to the very first batch of Rockets. Triumph did not note any commonality to the affected Rockets, though they said it was just a handful. Only time will tell how this plays out.

If you're looking to buy a Rocket, don't let this stuff scare you. This bike is just too darned good to give up on and I'm not the only Captain to think so. I'm riding her to the end! :-D