Question about Vmax clutch and shifting

[Kenreesesr]

2 questions actually:

1) what is different about the Vmax clutch and other cycle clutches. Is it that it is a wet clutch that uses engine oil?

2) all the other bikes that I have owned, the way you knew for certain you were in 5th gear is you could toe up on the shifter and it had free up play. I find that many times I'm not sure if I'm in fifth, so I will try to shift again, only to find that I am in fifth gear. Maybe this is the novice in me coming out.

 

[jfeagins]

I've been riding my 85 for over 27 years now, and to this day, I find myself double checking 5th gear with a tow up attempt every now and again - even though I know the RPM's vs speedo readings by heart and coulda told what gear I was in by a simple glance down at the instruments. It just happens.

I don't know why our Vmaxes have a different feel to the shift lever after it's in 5th as compared to other makes/models.

 

[DMAN999]

1. It does have a wet clutch but so do many other motorcycles.
2. ^ See post above.

 

[V-Four]

2 questions actually:

1) what is different about the Vmax clutch and other cycle clutches. Is it that it is a wet clutch that uses engine oil?

2) all the other bikes that I have owned, the way you knew for certain you were in 5th gear is you could toe up on the shifter and it had free up play. I find that many times I'm not sure if I'm in fifth, so I will try to shift again, only to find that I am in fifth gear. Maybe this is the novice in me coming out.

Im certainly no expert..but there are lots of bikes that have this same type of clutch setup.

and i know what ya mean..i been ridin my max for two months..and i almosr always go lookin for the "next gear" (ya know..the one that doesnt exist)

 

[NHVmaxpower]

OK I thought it was me I am constantly looking for another gear & always in 5th . Good to know I am not the only one & it's only on my max none of my other bikes ever had this issue .

 

[MaxMidnight]

The V Max along with most motorcycles have a wet clutch which runs in oil.

The oil acts as a coolant and gives a smoother engagement but some energy is lost to the oil and requires multiple plates to prevent slipping.
As a result they normally are multi plated with a stack that alternates between plates that have a friction material on them working against a plane steel plate.
They are also quieter in operation than a dry clutch

Clamping of the plates is either multiple coil springs or a diaphragm which can be hydraulically or cable operated.

Many Ducati's have multi plate dry clutches. They would not loose any power due to the clutch dragging through the oil and have a sharper initial take up.

BMW Boxer and Moto Guzzi's use a single plate dry car type arrangement.

Going for the extra gear that isn't there is a perennial problem for motorcyclists - I'm still doing it after ten years with the bike!

Try to link road speed and engine revs when in fifth, which if you do it enough, will minimise the number of times you go for sixth.

 

[one2dmax]

Get one of our overdrives and that will cure that problem.

 

[NHVmaxpower]

Get one of our overdrives and that will cure that problem.

Overdrive???? new tranny hows that work?

 

[Sonoran6]

I do it too, I was even looking for another gear on my friends ninja while redlined in 6th..

 

[one2dmax]

Custom adapted 5th gear. A few guys on here can tell you how it works for them. BUT, it's not something that is an easy or cheap install.

Sean

 

[Rusty McNeil]

New to Vmax and looking for higher gear is really common, it just feels like it needs one.

 

[Karmakatt]

Custom adapted 5th gear. A few guys on here can tell you how it works for them. BUT, it's not something that is an easy or cheap install.

Sean

How many hours of labour would it take a good mechanic to install Sean??

 

[t0lkien]

My 1988/2003 Max has a Venture undercut transmission from 2006 (brand new though), and the longer gears at the top seem to work against this. First and second are the same as a stock VMax, but the gears get longer as they go up and the final two are true OD apparently. I don't know if the big bore 1500cc engine in it makes a difference with this torque-wise, but it really does all sit well. I don't often go for a ghost gear (though I have a few times I admit) because the revs are low enough not to have me feeling I need to. In fact, around town, I've often forgotten to go into the top gear because the revs already felt low.

 

[Fire-medic]

The easiest way to lower your revs is a Venture pumpkin final drive unit, which is probably a two-hour job, swap one out & the other in. The Venture pumpkin needs a tapped hole for the shock stud I believe, which it doesn't use in the Venture. Sean, CaptainKyle, or eBay is probably your best bet and you don't have to yank your engine to split the cases.

I have seen digital gear indicators as add-ons, but I am not sure about their method of operation, or their applicability to VMaxes, try a search on google to get info.