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V TX 1300 shifting hard?

10K views 14 replies 11 participants last post by  eddiecohen 
#1 ·
:arrow: Hello.

Can someone help me with this question and give me some input about this topic/question about my brand new 2005 1300-C VTX:

It shifts "Hard" into 1st and then also hard up into 2nd. :( I have ridden many bikes over the years, and it really seems a lot ahrder than any other bike I have ever ridden!! However, It does go into 3rd - 5th much easier (what I would call normal). :D On the dowshift, it goes smoothly back into 4th and 3rd, but again it is pretty hard into 2nd and 1st.

One man I know (not a Honda service man) told me this was normal with Hondas and especially this Honda (1300 VTX). What do you other VTX owners have to say? :?: Is this normal? Or do I need to get it back to the shop for some work? Or will it smooth out after some more miles? It only has 450 miles on it after 12 days of ownership.

Thanks for your responses. :)
BLT
 
#2 ·
it is normal. the lower the rpm the easier it will shift. there is a "sweet spot" in it where i don't notice it as much. i also think it is there so you know what gear you are in by feel. so you don't shift down into first at 40mph and let the clutch out by accident. just my thoughts. there have been similar questions before and all seems to be fine.
 
#4 ·
Your comments sound just like mine when I first got my VTX. This is my fourth bike, (second shaft drive), and to me it sounded like the transmission was falling apart. I even took it back to the dealer, and they rode it and said it was normal. The good part is, the longer you ride it, the better it gets. Mine has approx 7000 miles, and although it's still the loudest gear change I've ever had, it's not nearly as bad as it was at first.

Eddie
 
#5 ·
I totally agree. Same with my bike.

The other day I was coming to a red light driving next to a Harley. I'm not sure what model but it had some serious cluking going on during his downshift. Also when he put her in first getting ready to take off, it clunked pretty hard. It was very noticiable and I thought to myself, sure glad I don't own one of those.
 
#7 ·
Re: Be smooth

Viral Illness said:
Sounds normal, but keep in mind that sometimes it won't shift to 1st unless you have to reliece the clatch lil' bit. Remmber to treat your bike like you're treating a woman's niple.
@#$&*()*$#@&*^(&_

I don't appreciate your idiotic comment. Now I have third degree burns on my lips and tongue from the tailpipe.

:-D

Eddie
 
#8 ·
Re: Be smooth

Pöi§ön said:
eddiecohen said:
[quote="Viral Illness":1c9rdehe]Sounds normal, but keep in mind that sometimes it won't shift to 1st unless you have to reliece the clatch lil' bit. Remmber to treat your bike like you're treating a woman's niple.
@#$&*()*$#@&*^(&_

I don't appreciate your idiotic comment. Now I have third degree burns on my lips and tongue from the tailpipe.

:-D

Eddie
Eddie....silly man - the tailpipe is the @ss - not the nipples. I think your supposed to tongue the driving lights and "greek" the tailpipe.
Do we have to buy the bike dinner first?????[/quote:1c9rdehe]
Poison Dude. Not these bikes,, they're cheap dates.
As Always peaceful Cruisin'
BLACK POWER
:tools1:
 
#10 ·
Ever ride with a Harley rider. Tell them that and they will tell you "Oh thats normal...mine is real loud". Honda definatley tried to put in a little of the characteristics of a Harley in this bike. Thats why it has a single pin crank to give it that good sound. Thats why I prefer the 1300cc over the 1800cc. 1800cc is a duel pin crank without Harley sound and has a smoother ride. If you prefer smoother go with the 1800. Clunk does get better with more miles though. I noticed the other day that I don't even notice it anymore.

Good reading about Single vs Duel for those that don't know:

http://www.sa750.com/vtwin/vtwin.htm
 
#11 ·
When shifting from 1st to 2nd I keep the engine just off idle and 'shift through neutral'. I get nice smooth shifts this way. It takes a little practice but is worth it when slow rolling around town.

Take off from stop and accelerate to about 2k rpm and pull in the clutch lever. Pull up on the shifter softer than you normally would. You'll feel the transmission shift into neutral and briefly see the green neutral light illuminate. But keep the pressure on the shifter and continue pulling it up through neutral into second gear.

When downshifting I never downshift into first until I am rolling very slow anticipating the light to change. Otherwise I downshift into neutral anticipating my stop.

I find that the clunks can be lessened a bit by more closely matching engine speed with actual speed.
 
#13 ·
I never realized just how loud the clunk on these babies can be until recently. I was riding through Wilmington, NC, about a month ago and followed along behind another VTX1300R for about three blocks. The clunks coming from the other X as he changed gears were very distracting. I'm starting to think that maybe I need to get some loud pipes to mask the clunks. I changed to AMSOIL about three months ago and have noticed very little difference.

Clunking right along...
 
#14 ·
THANKS everyone for your replies about HARD SHIFTING!

I just want to say thanks :D to everyone who took time to respond to my question about my VTX 1300-C shifting "HARD" into 1st and 2nd. I hope more of you will keep replying to give all of us even more input into this topic!

:!: Obviously (going by the comments so far) I am NOT the only person who has this concern and wondering about the Honda's HARD shift, huh?!?
:lol:


:arrow: THANKS, BLT

:eek:rac:

:pepper1:
 
#15 ·
Re: THANKS everyone for your replies about HARD SHIFTING!

scubablt said:
I just want to say thanks :D to everyone who took time to respond to my question about my VTX 1300-C shifting "HARD" into 1st and 2nd. I hope more of you will keep replying to give all of us even more input into this topic!

:!: Obviously (going by the comments so far) I am NOT the only person who has this concern and wondering about the Honda's HARD shift, huh?!?
:lol:


:arrow: THANKS, BLT

:eek:rac:

:pepper1:
Nope - you're not the only one. I bought my bike used, but under warranty. The previous owner let me ride it around a mall parking lot, and I heard the clunk immediately. This was the loudest clunk I had ever heard on a bike. I asked him about it, and he (or course) told me that it was normal for the VTX.

I thought "Yeah, right", but since it was under warranty, didn't see it as a concern. I took it to the dealer within a few days, and was reassured that nothing was wrong.

Eddie
 
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