Taking off from a stop, normal take off, I'm getting a clanking/clapping sound coming from the rear of the bike when I release the clutch. Around the tranny, rear wheel area. Any idea's what this could be?

 

First check your drive belt tension. Then check the fasteners on your rear drive pulley to see if they are tight. Then check the fasteners on your rear axle and brake rotor. Then work forward to the primary chain tension, clutch hub, compensator bolt. Just for kicks check the rubberinsulator on your jiffy stand to make sure it is contacting the stand when it is in the up position and the jiffy is not slapping against the frame when you start off from a stop. (mine did that)

 

Thanks, I'll start there.

 

my 08 SG does it too. it's less noticeable if i finesse letting the clutch lever out. i'm not worried about it.

 

Well if all of your critical fasteners are tight and it's not your jiffy stand...you want to check your compensator since you are in warranty. If it's just loose it can be tightened real easy. Waiting until it craps out can do some real damage.

 

Coast along at 5 mph and repeatedly pull the clutch in and out. It will clank each time, I bet. Just slop in the drive train. My 07 Custom does it. I normally load the clutch up at a stop light just priorto releasing it. Just enough to take up the slop. Perfectly normal.
Ron

 

+1, Never heard it until I saw another post about it here. Guess what next ride I duplicated the noise. [sm=why.gif][sm=wtf.gif]Its a rare occurrence for me but I can definitely make the noise at will.
My guess is that it is the primary chain tensioner.
If you find something wrong please do let everyone know!




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While the auto adjuster will compress slighty on decel creating a temporarily loose chain for a split second when the load is reversed again for accel, I would attribute the majority of slack to be within the dogs and gear lashof the tranny. The dogsneed plenty of clearance to shift easily and it's all normal for this gear box. Did you notice that the sound is the same as the clatter that many of 07 owners compained about prior to the ids install, but only one clack?
Ron

 

Mine must be pretty tight because I get no noise when I coast and then accelerate.