I think my new 2009 FJR1300AE has the dreaded dry clutch syndrome

[PanAmerican]

I just got the bike on Saturday 3/17. Now each morning it has a severe bucking problem when I start out on first. I called the dealer and he said I really need to give it a lot of gas when starting out. All the AE's do that. Well, I can't give it a lot of gas pulling out of my driveway. I've read about the clutch soak as a remedy. Since it's a new bike I don't want to start screwing with the innards.

My question is three fold.

1. Will a cluch soak fix the problem?

2. Would this be covered under warranty?

3. If not, what would a deal charge to do this?

Thanks in advance.

 

[garyahouse]

To the forum, while we're on the subject, does this "fix" require a new gasket in most cases?

A quick google search using "fjrforum clutch soak" brought up several results. Here's one of them CLICKY.

Sounds like you're a little apprehensive about tackling this project, but it looks pretty straight forward.

Gary

darksdier #44

 

[FJRay]

I would take it back and have them make it right if you bought it from the dealer. If you didn't buy it from a dealer then the clutch soak may be the answer It should be nice and easy on the take off and it's also a safety issue. They all don't do it.

 

[PanAmerican]

To the forum, while we're on the subject, does this "fix" require a new gasket in most cases?

A quick google search using "fjrforum clutch soak" brought up several results. Here's one of them CLICKY.

Sounds like you're a little apprehensive about tackling this project, but it looks pretty straight forward.

Gary

darksdier #44

Hi Gary,

I've done the searches. I've seen the step-by-stop pictures with pink dot and arrows. But I want to know if a clutch soak will cure the problem I am having. As a Industrial/Mechanical engineer I know better than to take something apart I have no training or skills to perform. I know my limitiations. I am wiling to have a dealer do it but I think Yamaha should pay for it. It didn't buck like that when I went on the test ride or when I picked it up.

I just want my bike to work smoothly.

 

[PanAmerican]

I would take it back and have them make it right if you bought it from the dealer. If you didn't buy it from a dealer then the clutch soak may be the answer It should be nice and easy on the take off and it's also a safety issue. They all don't do it.

This is what I'm thinking too.

Has anybody had a dealer deny fixing the problem?

 

[El Toro]

I note you're in Wisconsin where overnight temps are probably cool, at least compared to Tennessee where I'm located. I've had two AEs, and in my opinion, the YCCS works most smoothly once the oil temperature is "warmed up." Wait until 1 bar is showing on the engine temperature reading before shifting out of neutral and into 1st. Then use your brake and throttle to obtain a smooth take off.

If you still have a problem, and if your bike is one of the leftover '09s that have appeared for sale this spring (I bought one too), take it back to the dealer and let him figure it out on warranty. If you don't like his answer, ask to talk to someone from Yamaha. They should either make it right, or be able to specifically show you why its already right.

 

[yamafitter]

Y

I just got the bike on Saturday 3/17. Now each morning it has a severe bucking problem when I start out on first. I called the dealer and he said I really need to give it a lot of gas when starting out. All the AE's do that. Well, I can't give it a lot of gas pulling out of my driveway. I've read about the clutch soak as a remedy. Since it's a new bike I don't want to start screwing with the innards.

My question is three fold.

1. Will a cluch soak fix the problem?

2. Would this be covered under warranty?

3. If not, what would a deal charge to do this?

Thanks in advance.

1. A clutch soak MAY fix the problem. It could also be a problem that the hydraulics that operate the clutch need bleeding.

2. Did you buy the bike used or was it a 'non-current' directly from the dealer? Most used bikes don't normally come with any warranty. Judging from what the dealer told you I would not have that much faith in the dealer anyways. His statement about all AE's do that is dead wrong. I know, I've ridden one since 2006 and mine has never bucked at low throttle.

3. Buy a manual and do it yourself. It is not hard and you will learn more about the bike. If you must take it to a dealer I would figure about 1 hour labour to pull the clutch plates and then re-assembly. The plates may need to sit for a while in oil to soak but ideally they shouldn't be charging you shop time while the parts are soaking. Let's say 1.5 hours labour & a litre (quart) of oil. I have no idea as to what your local shop time is worth so it is hard for me to put a dollar value to this.

 

[PanAmerican]

Y

I just got the bike on Saturday 3/17. Now each morning it has a severe bucking problem when I start out on first. I called the dealer and he said I really need to give it a lot of gas when starting out. All the AE's do that. Well, I can't give it a lot of gas pulling out of my driveway. I've read about the clutch soak as a remedy. Since it's a new bike I don't want to start screwing with the innards.

My question is three fold.

1. Will a cluch soak fix the problem?

2. Would this be covered under warranty?

3. If not, what would a deal charge to do this?

Thanks in advance.

1. A clutch soak MAY fix the problem. It could also be a problem that the hydraulics that operate the clutch need bleeding.

2. Did you buy the bike used or was it a 'non-current' directly from the dealer? Most used bikes don't normally come with any warranty. Judging from what the dealer told you I would not have that much faith in the dealer anyways. His statement about all AE's do that is dead wrong. I know, I've ridden one since 2006 and mine has never bucked at low throttle.

3. Buy a manual and do it yourself. It is not hard and you will learn more about the bike. If you must take it to a dealer I would figure about 1 hour labour to pull the clutch plates and then re-assembly. The plates may need to sit for a while in oil to soak but ideally they shouldn't be charging you shop time while the parts are soaking. Let's say 1.5 hours labour & a litre (quart) of oil. I have no idea as to what your local shop time is worth so it is hard for me to put a dollar value to this.

It was a new bike with 0 miles on it when I picked it up. It had been sitting in a warehouse. Which makes me believe the clutch plates were dry for quite a while and perhaps the hydraulics accumulated air. He said when I bought it he had to bring it from their warehouse and it had never been started. The build tag says it was made in 2008. So it sat 4 years. I have the full factory warranty and sprung for the externded YES one as well.

I deserve a bike that works right.

PS

I always warm the bike up to two bars just like the mechanic told me to do.

PPS

I would feel like I made a really stupid decision buying a bike requiring me disassemble, following some internet instructions or manual, to get it to work properly in the first week I owned it. I expect more from a new Yamaha.

 

[yamafitter]

It was a new bike with 0 miles on it when I picked it up. It had been sitting in a warehouse. Which makes me believe the clutch plates were dry for quite a while and perhaps the hydraulics accumulated air. He said when I bought it he had to bring it from their warehouse and it had never been started. The build tag says it was made in 2008. So it sat 4 years. I have the full factory warranty and sprung for the externded YES one as well.

I deserve a bike that works right.

PS

I always warm the bike up to two bars just like the mechanic told me to do.

PPS

I would feel like I made a really stupid decision buying a bike requiring me disassemble, following some internet instructions or manual, to get it to work properly in the first week I owned it. I expect more from a new Yamaha.

Since the bike is under full warranty and you have YES just let the dealer fix it under warranty. I'm sure if you talk to the service manager or better yet the mechanic and just tell him you suspect dry clutch plates they will fix you up. Don't tell him you read on the forum that this is THE problem. Dealers and mechanics don't like hearing about what the forum said and it tends to piss them off. You can offer a suggestion but I would leave it at that and let them do the job they were trained to do. Some of them are actually quite good at it and work on bikes every day. Most of us do not.

 

[PanAmerican]

It was a new bike with 0 miles on it when I picked it up. It had been sitting in a warehouse. Which makes me believe the clutch plates were dry for quite a while and perhaps the hydraulics accumulated air. He said when I bought it he had to bring it from their warehouse and it had never been started. The build tag says it was made in 2008. So it sat 4 years. I have the full factory warranty and sprung for the externded YES one as well.

I deserve a bike that works right.

PS

I always warm the bike up to two bars just like the mechanic told me to do.

PPS

I would feel like I made a really stupid decision buying a bike requiring me disassemble, following some internet instructions or manual, to get it to work properly in the first week I owned it. I expect more from a new Yamaha.

Since the bike is under full warranty and you have YES just let the dealer fix it under warranty. I'm sure if you talk to the service manager or better yet the mechanic and just tell him you suspect dry clutch plates they will fix you up. Don't tell him you read on the forum that this is THE problem. Dealers and mechanics don't like hearing about what the forum said and it tends to piss them off. You can offer a suggestion but I would leave it at that and let them do the job they were trained to do. Some of them are actually quite good at it and work on bikes every day. Most of us do not.

Good Advice.

 

[03HiYoSilver]

Try Upping your Idle RPM to about 1200 RPM and see if this makes any difference. Many new bikes have their Idle set too low.

 

[HotRodZilla]

As said before...Since it's brand new and you bought from a dealer, take it to them, or another one, and make them fix it. You are absolutely right: you should not have yo take your new bike apart for it to function properly.

What you're experiencing is NOT normal, even if the bike is cold.

Good luck.

 

[Silverbullet]

For what it's worth both my AE's have done this. I also do the two bar warm-up and on the 06 I had the system bled as that was what Yamaha told the dealer to do. It made no difference. Mine only do it the first time or two when starting from a stop and only the first time the bike is ridden for the day, never again untill it sits overnight. It doesn't occur between shifts, only when leaving from a dead stop and again, only the first time or two I bring the bike to a complete stop. If I can ride it for a few miles before needing to stop, it doesn't do it a second time. I just go easy on the throttle when pulling away the first couple of times I stop the first time the bike is run for the day. I've had no clutch wear issues with either bike. I have not done a plate soak and for me I consider it the nature of the beast. YMMV

 

[Makuna]

For what it's worth both my AE's have done this. I also do the two bar warm-up and on the 06 I had the system bled as that was what Yamaha told the dealer to do. It made no difference. Mine only do it the first time or two when starting from a stop and only the first time the bike is ridden for the day, never again untill it sits overnight. It doesn't occur between shifts, only when leaving from a dead stop and again, only the first time or two I bring the bike to a complete stop. If I can ride it for a few miles before needing to stop, it doesn't do it a second time. I just go easy on the throttle when pulling away the first couple of times I stop the first time the bike is run for the day. I've had no clutch wear issues with either bike. I have not done a plate soak and for me I consider it the nature of the beast. YMMV

Similiar experience when I bought mine new in 2009; had the dealer soak the clutch, didn't fix it. They suspect that "new" clutch with the heavy rider (at the time 290lbs) might be the issue (computer tuning) and they adjusted the clutch so it slipped a little more and this helped greatly but still happened when it was cold. Problem went away for me after about 2000 miles. Could be I have learned to use the break with the throttle, could be it finally worn in, glad the bucking is gone.

 

[fastpappy]

I sometimes have the same problem when the bike is cold. I let her warm up while I'm putting on my gloves etc. and then ease her out. But if it's that new I would definately try the dealer route.

 

[PanAmerican]

Thank you for all the good advice.

As far as a clutch soak I read the pictorial directions and a thought occurred to me. Why not just remove the pressure plate, spread the clutch disks apart, and pour oil over them. Then reassemble the pressure plate and allow the oil to permeate the clutch material under pressure overnight. Less disassembly, same, if not better effect.

Any drawbacks you can see to this?

 

[BwanaDik]

Good info here

Clicky

Also, a lot of these bikes have a banging and crashing coming from the engine when cold (A models too). Like the engine is trying to run backwards for a second. Seems to be something with the air valves while still cold. Not an issue though. Lots of discussions about it, anybody have the links?

 

[Monty]

I started a thread about this a week or so ago but didn't explain it as "bucking". You explained it better. Mine only does it when cold and at slow speeds. I have to ride around in a circle in my yard out of the carport and this is when it does it. I'm beginning to think it's just the nature of the beast. It doesn't do it any more once I get it out of the driveway. :huh:

 

[brent4727]

My New 09 AE had the same problem. When I took it in for the 600 mile break in service, I talked to the tech. When I picked it up the problem was gone. He explained to me that he increased the rpm's at which the clutch ingages by 100 rpm's and set the idle up about 100 rpm's, now it does not do this any more. Rides like a dream now.