Have always had the same problem. Don't think it is the clutch nor the fluid just cranky.

 

i had a tougher time when I had a little too much oil in my primary. It is also more difficult if I have allowed the bike to rock backwards instead of forward after i stop.

 

They haven't addressed the issue????? Well, that's only because there isn't one.

There does not need to be a big clank going into gear. Again, that might be usual and common for you....... BUT IT IS NOT NORMAL!

When the service schedule is met, and the items fully and CORRECTLY addressed, the issues vanish.

Now........... you said what you said to try to justify yourself.
I am saying what I am saying so that you know it can be better. Especially in the case of the OP. I do not want him to think, ........"well, that's just how it is". It might be how it is for some, but his bike can click in and out of gear as beautifully and easily as mine. That's my motivation.

 

Maybe ur right, I based my answer on the bikes I've heard around here but have not actually put any special care in trying to get rid of it since I found it normal, but now that u say it it possible, I'll give it a try and see how if anything improves...
I but the bike used and it supposedly has a kevlar clutch in it, or something like that because the previous owner burnt the original cluth during a burnout... but I haven't actually seen it so...
But then again my dad's RK does the same thing, even out of the dealer recently bought... geez.. I have to look into both of them for that matter and it will be another reason to lose trust in my dealer :S

 

Irongear,

I hear you! But this IS 'normal' for many of us, even though you may think otherwise. If the clunk and difficult neutral can be adjusted out, it falls outside my ability to do. And I have tried until I'm blue in the face! I haven't found a mechanic who can get it just right either.

So if there is a secret, kindly share it. You could soon find you have a new army of supporters!

 

Graham,
I think your '90 has a different clutch than my '86. I know the throwout mechanism/arm is completely different, with mine like 1936-1986 and your's "like a Sportster." But... In general, if it is all adjusted according to the book with the right free play at the handlebar control, and no "easy pull" gizmo in there (cost me a clutch on the Sportster), then that's about as good as you are going to get adjustment wise. After that, try the different fluids. I used only HD primary and transmission fluid for like 22 years in my bike, then when HD discontinued the primary fluid, I changed to the Mobil 1 ATF for the primary and Mobil SHC630 for the transmission, and my bike now shifts better than it ever has, including when it was brand new (I opened the box myself.) I don't know which or if both fluid changes made the most difference, but I'd say that the primary ATF was probably best for the clutch fully disengaging/finding neutral, and the SHC630 best for smooth shifts under way. The SHC630 is an industrial lubricant made for lifetime fills of heavy equipment, fully synthetic, lasts 6x longer than conventional gear lubes. Just not too good for syncromesh boxes, which is why I had some extra laying around. Lotus used a slightly modified SHC630 (SHC630M) that most likely had a friction modifier added to slow the syncros down. I refer to it as "Magic gear oil" because that's how they managed to keep the UN1 gear box together at 50% over it's design HP. Lotus now specs Castrol TAFX or something instead of Mobil SHC630M because Mobil doesn't make the 'M' stuff anymore. The TAFX is a Europe only item and is not sold here outside of Lotus dealers.

 

I do not think otherwise. I know this is a common issue. It is not a "normal" condition for the clutch to be super clunky, and difficult to select neutral.
But I understand fully that many do think it is "normal", so they are accepting of it. And then some try to tell others that it should be like that, as this makes it ok for theirs to be that way.

For starters, I run the factory lube, so nothing special there.
The lubrication of the clutch cable is essential. Now you might think that would not matter, but it really does.
Wear and tear at the pivot point is your enemy.
So we have a well lubed cable(very light oil, never wd 40, or your local equivalent, as they actually dry out, and are penetrants, not lubricants)
and the lever pivots , and cable loop end, well never seized.
Irrespective of the release mechanism style, the key to effective release is making sure you have the maximum lateral movement in relation to lever movement.
Now on the ramp style, this occurs when the release ball bearings are well and truly centered.
So after you have wound the cable adjuster into itself, so as to make lots of cable freeplay (which you have to do to lube the cable anyhow), you need to set the ramp throw.
(a note here; if you are backing off the adjuster to get a little more cable exposed to make it easier to lube, be careful about pulling the lever, as you could throw the ramp "over centre", meaning you can accidentally rotate it too far, and that is bad, as it may require disassembly to correct)
This needs to be kept to a minimum freeplay, as in half a turn backed off.
You break the lock nut, and turn the screw in until it seats (and you do not have to do that lightly in this case, it is not a carb idle screw).
You can turn it right home so as to be sure that the ramp is fully seated(several times to get the feel), then back it off no more than half a turn. Tighten the locknut.
(another note here; cable routing is important. The cable should pass over the handlebar, and travel down the steering neck as close to parallel as possible. This ensures constant clutch operation, even when turning the bars. HD have been getting a bit lazy about that lately. When I bought my latest bike new, the cable was incorrectly routed, so I told them, and told them why. They never changed it, and the clutch was awful. I rerouted it, and was a big improvement)
Time to adjust the cable.
The stock cable is very strong. This is a very good thing, as all the lever movement is transferred to the release ramp(weak cables flex, and this is movement lost)
With a strong cable, you can easily be fooled into allowing too much freeplay.
Adjust the cable to a minimum freeplay at the point where the cable enters the "perch". Some say a dime(I do not, as I live in a dime free environment), or an 1/8 of an inch(too much for my money)
Things do expand, so if you were to notice that all your adjustment was gone when hot, then it would be too tight. But even at a 1/16, that would never happen.
To correctly assess that amount, you have to hold both the lever and the cable, and move them back and forth together (with hands both facing same way, handlebar style, whether facing the bike or not)
Otherwise you will think you have the cable adjusted well, and it will be loose as a goose.
Idle speed.
Once upon a time, idle speeds were much lower than today, 600 -800. If your idle is 1200, for example, that will not help you.
There is talk of lack of lube with low idle.
What is true is that the faster the engine speed, the more oil pressure.
What is untrue is that if your idle is 1000, then you will not be pumping enough oil, and you engine will blow to bits.
The bike is cold, and it is the first start.
NEVER place the bike in gear to start it, so as to avoid a clunk. I have seen people post this, and it is (clearly) crazy. We also do not want insane engine blipping when cold. But a few mild blips, timed perfectly with the pulling of the clutch lever, will help to throw that overnight oil off.
The moment in time when you have just blipped the engine, and the clutch lever was pulled in, and the revs have just fallen, is the point of least grab between the plates. Seize your moment. If you wait a few seconds, stiction
will rise.
When it is all warmed up, you do not need to blip. as such. but always coinciding with the initial pull in of the lever will help, rather than hinder.
If you inspect the shifter ramp in the transmission, you will see that selecting neutral from second is a lot less likely.
If you have been sitting idling for a while, and you are thinking to yourself, Hmmmmmmm, things might be a little hot and sticky, wish I had gotten into neutral a little sooner, the bump and release will solve your issues.
Make as if you are about to take off, but in such a way that there is no noticeable movement, as in......
Slight raising of revs, slight release of lever, until it "bumps", then whip the lever back in and grab neutral(you will get it with practice)

These things are true.......
I have been working on motorcycles for 30 years
I have owned more than 25 HD personally
I won't say that I have adjusted thousands of clutches(like some who have owned 2 bikes and once poorly adjusted a friends clutch are prone to do), but there have been a few
I am very familiar with the bikes, and can easily find neutral on any clutch dragging wreck

This is also true.......Careful set-up, and attention to detail and lubing will give you a good result. Normal is when the clutch works like a dream, not a nightmare.

I hope you are helped by this.

 

I have HD primary fluid in the case. I adjusted the clutch some and it either made things worse (bike shut off after putting it in 1st) or still couldn't get it into neutral. The bike also wants to pull away when I put it in 1st even though I have the lever pulled in. I'm starting to think my belt is a little too tight.

 

That's not your belt, Tomcatt78. It's your clutch. Not adjusted or something else wrong. It's dragging, as we have all been saying.

 

Your clutch is poorly adjusted, at the least.