Clunking sound when shifting

Aloha:

I'm new to the group and didn't see any previous posts that addressed this question. Are Kawasaki transmissions generally "clunky"? I've got a new ZZR600 and most of the time when I shift from 1-2, 2-3, and 3-4, there is a noticeable "thunk", sometimes its a double clunk. I took it to the shop for its 500 mile oil change and service and described the symptoms but they didn't do anything about it. The bike runs beautifully and I'm looking forward to passing the 1000 mile mark so I can wind it up a little higher. But the noise when shifting gears worries me and I'm wondering if it's normal. My first bike is an '83 Yamaha and it doesn't make nearly the same kind of noise when shifting.

Volfan

I have had abit of clunking noise on the ZX6, but one time the chain wasn't adjusted correctly, and the other was the idle was to high as well.
So as you changed the front sprocked was trying to spin up, and was pulling sharply on a laxed chain. As well as 1-2 being abit clunking across neutral..

Dunno if that's of any help, but yeah make sure the idle is low where it should be, and that the chain tension isn't to tight or to lose.


Good luck though, some of the seasoned ZZR owners should be able to steer you in the right direction.

Dan

Hi Volfan, I'm very new here aswell. However I'll try to share my limited experience with you. After moving from a Yamaha to a Kawasaki, I had concerns about the clunky shift in the lower gears.
After asking quite a few people in the know and looking around on the net I've come to undestand a few things. Kawasakis and Hondas are historically the most powerfull and reliable of the Japanese bikes, while Suzuki and Yamaha built lighter to acheive similar power to weight ratios. This makes both Suzukis and Yamahas nice and nimble but prone to unreliability.
In the case of our Kawasakis, they are powerful and fairly heavy. This means that they need very strong gear boxes. This translates into quite notchy changes in the lower gears. I've gotten totally used to mine now and don't even think of it.
The gear shift on my '71 Dino was notchy from new and is still going strong after 20odd years. Although the car has been painted 3 times.

Hey Volfan (and Marek out there too),
Previous tip to load the gear lever is a good one and helps.
I also find that if the chain is out of adjustment, or needs a lube, the things get clunkier too.
Dan's tip regarding the idle is also a good one - idle out a little bit seems to make it harder to click in.
ty

Try adjusting the gear lever down a little too! Sometimes you can be at the top of your foot action and the gear selector only just makes it to the next gear. Lowering the lever will give the lever a full swing at changing gear.
Cheers,
Pete

I'm waiting for the all knowing yoda to wade into this one.....
till then mate CLUNK IS GOOOD...
Kwika-saki have always made the BESTEST and loudest gearboxes.
They can tahe a little finesing to get the best out of but they Take a Hammering better then most of the other brands.
oh an welcome to the site.
Cheers Brett

I'm waiting for the all knowing yoda to wade into this one.....

Yes almighty yoda were are thou???????????????
seriously my zx6 does the same, if i'm at a set of lights an drop it in neutral when i kick it over to 1st i get a clunk? if there is anyone who knows how to remedy that or soothe the clunk i'd be interested
yooooodaaaaaaa????????????????
you there?
or anyone else??

there is a certain volume of clunk into 1st, that is obviously just the way my bike is. *shrugs*

Aloha:

I'm new to the group and didn't see any previous posts that addressed this question. Are Kawasaki transmissions generally "clunky"? I've got a new ZZR600 and most of the time when I shift from 1-2, 2-3, and 3-4, there is a noticeable "thunk", sometimes its a double clunk. Volfan

G'day Volfan, welcome and nice bike!.

I think you may have answered your own question when you said your ZZR was new, I don't think the gearbox hasn't bedded in fully yet. Give it another 500 miles/800km and it'll be sweet. Trust me, mine doesn't clunk

My GPX250R (Ninja 250R) also did the same thing when new and I did the same thing as yourself and started asking around for answers...and then it suddenly went away one day by itself

Have you tried one of the other span adjustments on the clutch lever, and if so, did it make any difference? Loading the lever may help, the cable may have stretched slightly and slackened off, leaving you less throw, and the now the clutch grabs suddenly at the end of the lever travel.

...hope this makes sense, I'm a relative newbie myself

... and another thing, what rev range are you changing at? Short-shifting with too low revs will make her clunk a bit. The answer? Give her the berries...umm, bit hard on a new bike though

Last edited by Ratmick on Tue Sep 14, 2004 9:35 pm, edited 2 times in total.

I'm waiting for the all knowing yoda to wade into this one.....

thank you..thank you..thank you....
for the introduction....
hmmmm...
just seen this topic....
gearboxes? clunks? chains?selectors? engine speed?
now
where was I...???
oh yes...
clunks.......
are caused by three things
1) bad gear selection or selectors
2) inappropriate power INPUT..into the power train and its effects
3) inappropriate power outputs... and its effects
ok
1)..caused by the rider ..
mismatching gear speeds and engine speeds and/or a misadjusted gear selector..either ya foot or the selector!
just make sure..there is no slop and its adjusted properly...to fit ya
foot and its movement (up or down)
and the clutch is adjusted properly...from handlebars down...
2)..can be caused by too high an idle speed (which causes a clunk specially selecting 1st)... to not backing off enuff when changing gears
In other words..too much engine or power input keeps the tension on the drive train...which will give a clunk when you release the tension (by pulling in the clutch)
(3)
caused by a worn input (primary)chain..which is VERY unlikely
or a bad adjusted (too tight or too loose) drive chain or a misaligned rear wheel....or stuffed Damper,Rear Hub Shock (as the yanks call it or Cush drive to us...) or worn swing arm connections (bearings etc)

most likely???
chain misadjusted..too loose I guess...
or misadjusted selector mechanism
with a tad too high carby setting...

btw
every bike i have had...from spewzuki Ts185
to MachIII to GPz750turbo..to the mighty GPx..
all had a bit of a clunk
depends on whether the 'bit' is too much

my 4c....

cheers

Last edited by Smitty on Tue Sep 14, 2004 9:36 pm, edited 2 times in total.

...seriously my zx6 does the same, if i'm at a set of lights an drop it in neutral when i kick it over to 1st i get a clunk? if there is anyone who knows how to remedy that or soothe the clunk i'd be interested
yooooodaaaaaaa????????????????
you there?
or anyone else??

Isn't this because the oil is thrown off the clutch plates while you're at a standstill? The only way I can get around this is to blip the throttle slightly while pulling the clutch in and out a few times...and even then it clunks sometimes when dropping into gear.

seriously my zx6 does the same, if i'm at a set of lights an drop it in neutral when i kick it over to 1st i get a clunk?:

mate
they all do it.....
every Kawasaki i have had ..has done that!
hot or cold...clutch adjusted or not.....
new or old...big or small
Kawasakis do it.....
so do most UJM's...!!!
just a law of physics..... I guess
spin something (like a gear set) and then suddenly stop it
by moving something..something will go clunk....

it has never really bothered me.....
'cept for the farkin Spewzuki waterbottle I had....
used to do it...and kicked you forward about 2 feet
(ooops 60cm to all the youngsters)
spat a pillion off backwards one day......
she stopped going out with me...after that!
which was a pity................her boobies were very nice.....

thanks yoda for the conversion i'm a metric child
the only reason i brought it up was because our new mate volfman asked the and the clunking on my bike seems to happen everyother time

Wow Got 2 versions of this post ooops
2nd write was the keeper
Move on nothing to see here .....
Pontikat

Last edited by Nanna10r on Tue Sep 14, 2004 10:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.