Vmax gen 1 Pulls forward shifting from neutral to first gear

[Landon]

Hey everyone,

New to Vmaxs, picked my 05 up in January. Bike has 17k miles and is clean and seamed very well maintained. I couldn’t find anything on this topic.

Every time I kick the bike into first gear from neutral the bike pulls forward just a bit. It will do this hot or cold. Clutch seems to fully disengage when pulled in, doesn’t pull forward in gear with the clutch pulled in. The bike has shut off twice now when kicking into first from neutral. I’ll admit shifting from first to second and second to third doesn’t always feel the smoothest at high rpms but not sure if all of the above is just the way these bikes are.

I’m going to completely bleed the clutch and put new Dot 4 in her. Anyone input from you guys would be really appreciated. Thank you

 

[Fire-medic]

On the right track examining the clutch. What color is the fluid? If it looks opaque, you're past the 'useful service' date. Also, the brake fluid should be (my preference) to the upper line on the sight glass.

Your bike may have aftermarket friction discs, and not OEM. Nothing the matter with OEM, even on a larger-displacement bike, or one w/a power-adder. I've had Barnett discs on an old bike (a Kawasaki H1 500cc triple two-stroke) that would need to be broken-free every day, at the first start of the day. After that they wouldn't stick-together, where I had to hold the brake on as I put it into gear for the first time that day. That was how I got the friction discs unstuck.

Another thing that may affect your clutch operation is a leaking master cyl or a leaking slave cyl. The master cyl can be leaking internally or externally. Leaking externally, the brake fluid leaks past the seal at the clutch lever side of the master cyl and will eventually drip off the end of the lever, causing damage to any paint with which it comes into contact. Leaking internally, the lever moves as-if fluid is being displaced to operate the clutch, but no sufficient pressure is produced to operate the connection to the slave cyl, to make the clutch pressure plate fully release. A leaking slave cyl drips in the vicinity of the left front footpeg, underneath the left side of the engine case. Placing a piece of paper to catch the drip will help to identify that.

One or more of these could happen. Then there's the worn-thin friction discs, the blued (overheated) 'steelies' on the clutch pack, separating the friction discs, or problems with the friction disc or wear on the clutch basket or the clutch hub. Notches on the clutch basket 'fingers' interfere with smooth travel of the friction disc tabs as the pressure plate is released or allowed to pull the friction discs together to transmit power. The diaphragm clutch can lose its tension over time, and those weaker diaphragm discs are actually valued by the guys who use the 'double-disc' method of clutch enhancement. Two diaphragm discs can be tough to pull-in, but if one is weaker because of prolonged use, it still allows more clamping pressure than a single diaphragm disc does.

 

[MaxMidnight]

Start with the simple things first, i.e. bleeding the clutch.
Suggest you reverse bleed as this is the easiest way to get all of the air. Tie the lever back overnight which allows any air still in there to migrate out.
I see no advantage of using Dot 4 fluid as the higher boiling point will be of no benefit in the clutch. You would also need to replace more regularly as it it is more hydroscopic.
Issues with the friction and/ or the steel discs or the diaphragm usually manifest as clutch slip so are unlikely to be the issue here.

 

[Maxnewby]

Does it act the same with eng hot/cold, syn oil or ?

 

[TastyCrust]

Hey everyone,

New to Vmaxs, picked my 05 up in January. Bike has 17k miles and is clean and seamed very well maintained. I couldn’t find anything on this topic.

Every time I kick the bike into first gear from neutral the bike pulls forward just a bit. It will do this hot or cold. Clutch seems to fully disengage when pulled in, doesn’t pull forward in gear with the clutch pulled in. The bike has shut off twice now when kicking into first from neutral. I’ll admit shifting from first to second and second to third doesn’t always feel the smoothest at high rpms but not sure if all of the above is just the way these bikes are.

I’m going to completely bleed the clutch and put new Dot 4 in her. Anyone input from you guys would be really appreciated. Thank you

Hi Landon- my 1997 Vmax has done this same thing since new. A little lurch forward when shifted into first gear, then easily rolled back and forth with the clutch lever still pulled in. I rode my Vmax in sunny California yesterday and it did the same thing- whether it's hot or cold. I have used Spectro Golden 4 synthetic blend 10W40 since the first oil change. Since this was a normal occurrence with mine, I never thought it to be a problem. Hope this helps.

 

[brian hicks]

My Vmax and Suzuki gsx650 both give a kick when shifting into gear with a cold engine but once the engines are warmed up it doesn't happen. It may just be a design thing. Sticking plates when the oil is cold.

 

[MaxMidnight]

If a bike with a wet clutch has been stood for a while it is not uncommon for the clutch discs to wring together.
As a result the first shift can cause a lurch forward before the discs separate.
After that you don't normally have any issues.

If it still jumps forward it is indicative of a dragging clutch.