Slack in drive line?

[lucky_1_chris]

After shifting, usually in to 3rd and 4th, but sometimes 5th, I hear a slight clunk when I let the clutch out and start to roll on. Makes the same noise if I'm putting around in 1st and pull the clutch in. If it only made the noise in 1st when I pull the clutch I wouldn't worry about it 'cuz other bikes I've had did the same thing, but the clunk in 3rd-5th is making me nervous.

Little background: I recently replaced the u-joint and wheel dampers. Splines and teeth on the flange, final, driveshaft, u-joint, and output shaft all looked good. I felt zero play between the final and pinion cup when turned by hand, and very little if any play between the flange and final drive when turned by hand. There is only a very, very slight play between the pinion cup and the driveshaft, same at the u-joint end of the driveshaft. Couldn't feel any play in the replacement u-joint itself. It did make the same noise before I replaced the u-joint and wheel dampers.

When the bike is on the jack and I turn the rear wheel, I feel progressively more play in each higher gear I go in to. (more in 2nd than 1st, more in 3rd than 2nd, etc.) I've read here that the opposite should be true, but I'm not sure if that's accurate or not. Maybe someone can verify this for me.

I've only put ~ 3k miles on this bike since I bought it and I'm still getting used to all the little noises and quirks of the Valkyrie. I'm hoping that what I'm hearing isn't a rare occurence. Hopefully what I'm hearing is normal and nothing to worry about.

If I had loud pipes I prolly wouldn't even notice it. Thanks for any insight.

[DFragn]

I can get that too and my drive train is tight as well as my clutch. The clutch had a rebuild [65k] due to dampener plate rivet failures which was likely due to me being hard on it [friction plates were good, replaced 'em anyway].

I chalk my instances up to sloppy clutch & throttle control.
When I'm in sync with RPM's & smooth clutch work, with either up or down shifts, at all levels of acceleration/deceleration life is good.

[lucky_1_chris]

I can get that too and my drive train is tight as well as my clutch. The clutch had a rebuild [65k] due to dampener plate rivet failures which was likely due to me being hard on it [friction plates were good, replaced 'em anyway].

I chalk my instances up to sloppy clutch & throttle control.
When I'm in sync with RPM's & smooth clutch work, with either up or down shifts, at all levels of acceleration/deceleration life is good.

I don't notice it at all on downshifts, but I do hear it on most shifts going in to 4th. Happens quite often going in to 3rd, and occasionally going in to 5th.

[Ricky-D]

I've only put ~ 3k miles on this bike since I bought it and I'm still getting used to all the little noises and quirks of the Valkyrie. I'm hoping that what I'm hearing isn't a rare occurence. Hopefully what I'm hearing is normal and nothing to worry about.

I wouldn't worry about it especially in light of all the things you checked to be Ok.

I have the same and it's more noticeable at lower motor speed in the upper gears.

The same for being in first and letting off the throttle while pulling in the clutch.

A lot of the play can be attributed to the transmission and the multi-path of the power transfer, but I don't subscribe to there being a set logic depending on which end of the shift range the transmission is in.

I do agree however there is a better feeling of the slap in the drive train when in top gear with the motor off sitting on the bike and moving it back and forth.  This is more accentuated I feel because it is easier to turn the motor in top gear (with the rear wheel) than when in first gear, so a lot of the additional movement (you may call slap) is actually the motor turning a bit!

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[Daniel Meyer]

I think the slop you are discussing is normal. Valk has big rock-grinding square cut gears.

Helps to not really unload the driveline when shifting.

For smoother shifting...To upshift:
Preload the shifter (pulling up with your toe)
Feather/reduce the throttle and begin pulling in the clutch, you do not need the full travel, increase pressure on shifter.
When it's ready it will change gears.
Let out clutch while applying power.

[lucky_1_chris]

Thanks y'all. Little load off my mind. Just gonna ride it and ignore it when it happens.

[Ricky-D]

Daniel Meyer:

Helps to not really unload the driveline when shifting.

That is where it's at Daniel.

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[PapaHotel]

  Get louder pipes or turn the radio up and just ride. I rode my bike all of the way home from halfway across the country with a weak spline set and toasted u-joint. I probably wouldn't have if I had seen the bad parts before I left.....