Triumphrat

OldTimeBiker · 03-20-2010, 12:49 AM

When My T100 Bonneville ('05 model) is "cold" the clutch has been making a rather loud creeking noise as it engages. It only happens when the bike is first starting out for the first few miles at most and then it engages without any noise. While this is happening I don't notice any grabbing or slipping, it seems to be operating normally, just noisy.
Any ideas, should I be concerned or is this a normal quirk?

wenzel850 · 03-20-2010, 01:23 AM

I would be interested in an answer to this question also, since I have the same screeching sound from my 05 T-100.

Forchetto · 03-20-2010, 03:38 AM

Sounds like wear either on the release bearing or the push rod seat. The bearing itself could be OK but loose in its housing and the outer race could be rotating. This is not a good thing, it'll eventually wear the housing so that a new bearing cannot be pressed-in.

CHRIS211083 · 03-20-2010, 08:12 AM

hi, i take it that this is when letting the clutch out at the end of lever movement??? if so you might have a warped metal disc which lets the clutch slip a little before warmed up. My thruxton does it and im gonna replace the clutch with a barnett one.

PAAS · 03-20-2010, 11:30 AM

I also have an 05 T100 and have (very) occasionally a screeching noise when pulling away a bit sharply on a cold engine. Never when pulling away "normally" or when the engine has warmed up. The first time this happened the bike was still fairly new and it's only happened 3 or 4 times in 5 years and 17000 miles. I don't believe there is actually anything physically wrong with the clutch plates or bearing.

The one thing I have noticed is that when I stopped having the dealer service the bike and therefore using Triumph's specified Mobil oil (I use Castrol fully synthetic motorcycle oil) the screech never occurred. Unfortunately BP took over Castrol a while back and changed the formulation of the Castrol bike oils and I have had the screech once with my current fill of oil.

My advice is either try another oil or just wait until the engine is fully warm before doing drag starts and you'll probably not hear it again. I don't think you need to start pulling the clutch apart at this point.

CHRIS211083 · 03-20-2010, 11:37 AM

i do need to pull her apart as im modded and she spins regulary now on wot.