Just started noticing something a bit weird today. I have 1700+ miles on the bike now. When the bike is warm and I let the clutch out to take off there is a weird vibration or almost a clunk once I am rolling and the clutch is fully released. I am feeling it just a little on downshifts now too.

I read in another post that someone was experiencing this on a new buell and a couple of other older sportys. I guess I can yank the cover and check the primary but it was perfect at the 1000 mile mark and I really don't think thats it anyway. The clutch isn't slipping or grabbing or acting funny in any way except for this...

Is this something normal or should I bring it by the dealer to have it checked? Thoughts? Is this just standard operation?

I have experienced the same thing on my 05 883 XL recently. It now has approximately 1700 miles as well. It like when I let the clutch out it grabs fully at the end of the release. Almost feels like it slips for 1/2 a revolution of the clutch and then grabs for the second half of the revolution. I just adjusted my primary chain and clutch lever free play yesterday afternoon to try to alleviate it but haven't gone for a test ride yet as I left the key on overnight and my battey is now dead. When it recharges and I do the ride I will let you know if it went away. Also keep me up to speed if you have any insight into this. I also switched to HD Syn 3 oil in the trans @ 1000 miles.

I did the exact same thing at 1000 miles (syn3)... interested to know if the adjustments did anything!

Also, was the primary out of adjustment since the 1000 mile check???

I didn't have the dealer do my 1000 mile service. Since I changed out almost all the items they adjust, brake lines, clutch and throttle cables, fork springs, rear shocks, etc. I did it all myself. I didn't adjust the primary chain then as I wanted to run it a little longer to make sure it was fully stretched befor doing the adjustment. When I did the adjustment yesterday it was pretty close to the outside limits of factory spec. 1/2" cold at the tightest point. I adjusted it to the tighter factory limit of 3/8" to maybe make it a little quieter. I will post my test ride results later this afternoon.

Cool, mines not been noisy so I hope to hear if it made a difference. I did my own 1000 mile and it was in spec then.

Hey Mike, did you post to see if anyone knows what might have caused the sudden shut down? I have been thinking about that since we got back wondering what could have caused it. I always like to know the cause and effect of little gremlin issues so if it happens to me or some other guy on the side of the road I can say "Yea, that's the so and so, just do this to fix it" As they say knowledge is Power.

Jason

Naw I figured Kelley might but I didn't...

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I think Kelley had some crap in the fuel line, but it would be interesting to see if he had that problem again.

Just talked to my dad tonight. He has an 05 883. He has 1200 miles on his and when I explained what I was feeling he said that he is feeling a very light feathering pulsating feeling just when the clutch disengages too. He also switched to syn3 at 1000 miles. I don't know if that has anything to do with it but... I guess I am just going to haul her into the dealer on Thursday and let them take a look.

Thats your best bet, let them look at it.

I've come accross similar things with oil that has friction modifyers and some sythetics..

I've found some Syns seem to form a glaze over the plates and give a feeling of the clutch taking up in stages....

I run Mineral or HD sportytrans because of this

Thanks Stevo, I'm going to talk to the service manager at the local dealer to see if anyone else is seeing this too. I just checked my settings on the cable freeplay and the primary... Both are good. Other than the SYN3 I can't see what else it could be other than a faulty clutch.

I've seen plates seperate and dampner plates collapse BUT NEVER on a bike so new...
the other thing is wear ridges in the basket...but again not this early

and the symptoms are a LOT more pronounced than what you lot are talking about....

SO... I took the bike in and they told me what I am feeling is just normal operation. What I didn't like was the service writer (not the mechanic) giving me the same old tired BS about me doing my own service work. :frownthre

I walk in and the service writer asks if he can help me so I tell him OK, I'll tell you my story but I think I just need to have a mechanic take it for a spin. I tell him the whole story and the first thing he asks is did you have the 1000 mile service done? I answered yes I did. He then asks did we do it? I said no I did. The A Hole says... well that's what is wrong with it then. I was furious I couldn't believe this guy just told me that because I did my own service that my bike was hosed. I just said you know what? I don't want to talk to you anymore about this so the girl at the counter asked if I'd like to have a mechanic take it for a spin. I said sure and waited for someone to come out so I could explain what I was feeling in the drive train and have them check it out.

So while I am waiting the girl says you know if something goes wrong with the bike and you are doing the services it will void the warranty. At this point I was pretty fed up. While being polite I told her NO that's not true at all in fact it's total BS. I told her that as long as I keep a record of the adjustments that I make and keep all receipts and dates mileages etc. that the warranty id fine. She said well I am just trying to help you to which I replied well thanks but it really isn't needed. What I must assume that they were trying to help me with was the weight of my wallet. Maybe they thought I was lugging around too much cash.

The mechanic comes out and takes it for a good spin and comes back says everything seems fine. He told me that my clutch cable freeplay was a little too much to which I replied it's set at 1/8th inch. He said spec was a 1/16th but I said that the manual states 1/8 - 1/16 so I should be fine right he said yeah that’s cool. Then he said the belt was a touch loose not bad but a touch. He was assuming that I just did all of the adjustments and I had to remind him that the belt was adjusted 800 miles ago so if it's a "touch" loose I should be cool right? Right... Anyway the mechanic was cool said everything was fine and said go ride it hard.

I guess what really chaps my ass is both the service writers telling me that I screwed my bike up and voided my warranty. Hard to believe that they treated me that way after dropping 10K in their establishment. I guess I should have told them that I have been wrenching cars and bikes for 30 years... Funniest thing about all this is that when I asked the service manager who runs the shop about doing my own maintenance he said sure go ahead, just keep records and its cool. He mentioned that he'd like me to bring it in for the 10,000 mile and that's cool I understand where he's coming from. At least he was genuine and didn't give me that you’re going to void the warranty BS. Too bad he hasn't spread the message to the front counter staff. :frownthre

I prefer to run the belt a touch loose...... the rocks get spat out then instead of going thru the belt