2013 FJR clutch engaged while starting

[Bluedog]

I am sure this has been discussed somewhere on the forum but I am having no luck finding it. On my 2013 FJR I have had this issue for as long as I can remember but now it is time to do something about it. When starting for the first time each day if I start in first gear with the clutch lever pulled in most of the time the transmission is engaged and the bike will jump forward. Sometimes worse than others, on days below 60 degrees it takes a good long while for the transmission to fully disengage while riding the first 10 miles or so. I have tried different oils to no avail. Any help would be appreciated. This past Saturday AM while going for a ride with my son I started the bike in first gear with the clutch and front brake pulled all the way in, my son told me the rear tire spun in place when this happened, damn!

Thanks,

Ron M

 

[mcatrophy]

Perhaps you need a clutch soak.

 

[Abercrombie FJR]

I'm no expert but I have found it to be pretty normal for clutch plates to be a little sticky when you first start a cold bike. This is one of the reasons why it is not a good idea to start the bike in gear when it is cold as it seems that it would be an added strain on the starter and related electrical components. A lot of people combat this problem by starting it in neutral, holding in the clutch and blipping the throttle a couple times to loosen the clutch plates a little before putting it in first gear.

Your bikes condition sound a much worse than normal. I would remove the clutch plates, inspect them for damage. If they are fine, have them cleaned, give them a clutch plate soak and reinstall them and you should be fine.

 

[Wemi]

I have the same problem on my 2015ES. IT IS ANNOYING TO SAY THE LEAST. This is my 5th FJR and the first one to act that way. I always start the bike in first just to keep the crashing gear sound away when I would shift into first. The way I combat the sticky plates is to rock the bike forward or backwards while in gear, clutch pulled and off the center stand. After one or two stops it normally frees up and I than start the bike.

Mine may not be as bad as yours, but I follow the same procedure even when the bike is warm as at times it even sticks a bit then. Now at that time the starter would easily overcome the block, but I have gotten used to it.

Like you, I have tried all possible oils form Mobil1 to Motul V300, all to no avail. Since the bike requires JASO MA there are plenty of choices, none of which will make any difference. The MA standard specifically defines the friction coefficient and that is what Yamaha wants. MA2 which has a lower friction coefficient than MA will most likely result in clutch slippage at high loads, speak high speeds or acceleration. So nothing gained there.

I have contacted my selling dealer and they are more than willing to tears the. Ike apart and replace/soak, the clutch assembly. I am just a little unwilling to have them tear into a brand new ( now at a little over 5000 miles) motorcycle.

It is possible for this condition to either get better or worse with increasing mileage. So I am willing to wait and see what happens. As my warranty still lasts until November 2015, aim good until then...

Good luck and keep us posted as this concerns many of us. Maybe you find a solution..

 

[Queensland Ken]

It is a coating from the steel clutch plates binding and gumming up the clutch.

A quick strip and clean will fix it, takes about an hour.

 

[MrZappo]

Everyone so far is right about this ...

1) Yours is way worse than it should be although ALL FJR's will do it a little. (Spinning the rear tire with the front brake on NO WAY)

2) You would not have to worry about starting it in neutral and clunking into first if the clutch was not sticky.

As far as "living with it" because the bike only has 5k makes no sense. Because:

1) This is a well known issue with some FJR's when they are new

2) Soaking clutch plates is not "tearing in" to the bike. It is not like a gearbox rebuild or anything like that.

3) It is a 30 minute job that will make a world of difference.

Have them open it up, clean the plates and slather them in oil. Replace them and put the cover back on ... All will be well once again ...

 

[MadRussian]

If I warm up the bike first, it shift into first nice and smooth.

If I start, wait a few second and try to put it in first, it goes in with a clunk.

 

[Donal]

Just to be different I have the exact opposite!............

I always start the bike in neutral and allow it to a warm to about two bars while I check the bike before riding. When I select first gear for the first time it goes in with just a 'snick'.

However, once it has warmed up it always goes in to first with a definite 'clunk'.

The only way I have found to avoid the clunk is to pull in the clutch, 'blip' the throttle and then it goes in quietly.

Never have any problems changing on the move (at any speed).

 

[08FJR4ME]

Wow! The video was cool. Now would I do that with my bike. Not! I would have thought there would be a shitload more oil getting up into the clutch compartment area.

No?

Dave

 

[redjay]

I started and ran my bike for the first time in 6 months yesterday.

I had no issues putting the bike in first gear and no lurching or clutch grab.

 

[08FJR4ME]

This was a common issue back in 2008 when it pretty much started I believe. I would have thought Mama Yamaha could have solved this by now. Must have been a guy subbing in that day when they put your engine together. I haven't heard many complaints from new owners as of late until now.

Dave

 

[MrZappo]

Wow! The video was cool. Now would I do that with my bike. Not! I would have thought there would be a shitload more oil getting up into the clutch compartment area.
No?

Dave

No ... You would think so (yes) ... But the truth is (no) ..

FJR does not splash much oil up into the clutch ... Does not cause any widespread issues but it is definitely light on the oil spray compared to some ....

 

[JamesW]

I do not buy new bikes to wrench on them, it would be back to the dealer. I love to ride dependable bikes, that is why I buy new. I also got the YES with my 2013.

 

[08FJR4ME]

Some of us love to tinker a bit. Not for everyone I guess. I bought YES and the extended YES and still have coverage going on. But I still like to tinker.

2 each there own,

Dave

 

[VMaxChuck]

Had the same issue on my 2013 at about 4K miles.....dealer did clutch soak and cleaned the steels. All good til about 17K when it gradually returned. Pulled it apart myself and soaked the plates overnight and it has been trouble free for the last 5K miles.

As others have said, a relatively easy job and wow what a difference. Still really loving the FJR!!

 

[garyahouse]

Thought I'd weigh in here. I've got an 05 with 43k miles. Ha - just gettin' broke in...

I often start the bike in first and just idle down the street. By the time I get to the end of the dirt road, which requires parking lot speed to navigate, the bike's warmed up and ready for some throttle.

I've never had any kind of the sticking you describe here, and I've never touched the clutch.

Gary

darksider #44

 

[Wemi]

I do not buy new bikes to wrench on them, it would be back to the dealer. I love to ride dependable bikes, that is why I buy new. I also got the YES with my 2013.

My point exactly. I would rather get rid of the bike and sell it to some other happy owner who can then do the "clutch soak" or whatever other cleaning, scrubbing, scraping he wants to do. Just a poor clutch design in my opinion.

Now, if there was a good aftermarket, slipper clutch setup out there, that might make me want to keep the bike. Otherwise, unless it heals itself, as indicated in my previous post it's probably good bye for this steed.

 

[Wemi]

It is a coating from the steel clutch plates binding and gumming up the clutch.A quick strip and clean will fix it, takes about an hour.

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The "quick strip" fix you advocate here is in contrast to the tear down/reassemble video you include here. This sounds just like the 30 minute TBS discussed elsewhere in this forum. All these well meant "fixes" require endless time and have great potential of screwing things up royally, no matter how carefully you mark the parts with little blue and yellow marks to get them back together correctly.Well intentioned for sure. But I have to go with the above post stating the reason to buy new is to avoid exactly all this nonsense.

 

[Queensland Ken]

But I have to go with the above post stating the reason to buy new is to avoid exactly all this nonsense.

It is a new bike, a common complaint with Gen3 bikes.

My bike was a 2014, 8K kms old when I cleaned up the clutch.

tear down/reassemble video you include here

What tear down/reassemble video ??? It's a video of the clutch with the motor working. Nothing to do with a tear down.

It's not rocket science to clean up the plates, only have to half handy with a spanner or two.