Picked up my baby this morning with the Amsoil bath. Love it. Runs great, engines not as noisy, and tranny, while still 'clunky', is quieter and smoother. Didn't even have to back up an inch to put her in nuetral. Slipped in like butter.

A lot of the old school guys still say to go with conventional oil and change it every 2k. But most of us have newer bikes, and I think the synthetic Amsoil or Mobile 1 or Redline is the way to go.

HD's have clunky tranny's, though, no doubt about it. It's part of their sex appeal

 

Thanks Old Geezer! Tried what you said about holding the clutch in for 10 seconds and it worked like a charm today, everytime I put her into 1st after she sat for awhile I held in the clutch for 10 seconds and it went right into 1st without anymore than a clunk. Thanks again!

 

Glad that worked out. Now, enjoy that new scoot!

 

my old bike takes a certan expertise to find neutral, yet it has about 60000 miles and 22 years on it! maybee the synthetic oil change will help your problem, and the clutch may also need adjusting. when i replaced my clutch cable it stretched a little and was almost impossible to get into any gear! but finding neutral and shifting into first is still difficult, but it adds charecter and makes it difficult for anyone else to try and ride it off! best of luck in your troubleshooting!

 

My engine also makes a lot of noise. I can definatly hear the valves and other things moving around in there. My tranny also shifts with a clunk as well. I can only hope it is normal as well.

 

I, too, went from a Suzuki Savage to a Harley Sportster. The Savage was a much noiser shifter than the Sportster, but he Sportster clunks, all right. Now that I learned to "shift with authority" (as someone said above), I get the clunk without any grinding. Harleys are not for the timid!

Pete