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[fos41]

Hi all,

Am a new `15 CVO Street Glide owner for 24 hours now. My S.G. is used with 4375 miles love the bike, but am experiencing clutch engagement issues. The motorcycle does not begin to move until the clutch lever nearly fully released. Also there is a clunk noise that I hear and feel in the clutch lever when pulling it in to shift up and down noise is worse 2-4th gear up shifts.

Is there anything to the clutch master cylinder recall that  I read about on the internet? The dealer (during purchase) gave me a scripted line of crap, know this is a fluff statement that the "clutch is adjusted to mfg. specifications".
 
I fear  the worst is yet to come with this incompetent dealers service department. Are there any answers to these issues?

Thanks,
Donnie F.

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[1roadking]

Late release/engagement is normal it had taken me 2500 miles to get use to it. Not sure about your clunking but it is normal for Harley's to clunk on up and down shifts.

[grc]

There is no adjustment on a hydraulic clutch like there was on the old cable clutches.  It works similar to the brakes, self adjusting as the clutch plates (or brake pads) wear.  Unfortunately a large number of people with late model CVO's are experiencing an engagement point very near the end of the lever travel and don't like it, but so far there is no fix.  Harley will just tell you it's "normal" or within tolerances.  They tell people that about a lot of things.  Perhaps one day they will figure out that "normal" is not the same thing as "acceptable".  If this is your first late model Harley with a hydraulically actuated Assist & Slip clutch, there will definitely be a learning curve.  Check out some of the other threads on the site with conversations about this issue.

When does your clunk occur, when you squeeze the clutch lever or when you actually shift gears?  There shouldn't be a clunk from just squeezing or releasing the clutch lever, but during actual shifts that is usually "normal".  As you become more familiar with the bike you should find you can minimize the clunking by altering how you shift and at what rpms.


The recalls (there have been more than one) involve gas bubbles developing in the fluid, which limits the ability of the system to fully disengage the clutch.  It doesn't have anything to do with the engaging with the lever almost completely released, but it is a serious issue and you need to make sure your bike is fully up to date on recalls.  If you don't trust the dealership you've been to so far, try another.  Any of them can check your VIN for open recalls and recall history very easily.  You can also do it yourself if you go on Harley's website and register.

Jerry

[fos41]

Thanks for your response. This is my 2nd Harley with a hydraulic clutch last one was a `05 S.E.E.G. traded it Wed. 7/20 for this 16 CVO Street Glide. My `05 with 30,789 miles the clutch engagement is in the mid part of the lever travel and progressive with no issues what so ever.

This `15`s clutch is not progressive, all engagement and disengagement of the clutch is at the last 3-5 mm`s of lever travel the clutch action is either engaged or disengaged no progressive application at all. Clutch feels like a motorcycle that has worn out friction plates!

The "clunk" happens on up and down shifts consistently 2nd, 3rd and into 4th shifts and you feel it in the clutch lever strange I know. Do not notice the noise in 5th and into 6th shifts I have reasoned out the "clunk" is not coming from the clutch master cyl., but from the trans. area. There is no noise with the bike running and stopped when shifting down and up. Oh yeah forgot to mention the bike has warped ft. rotor(s) felt that when  I got close to home finally on a smooth road. The S.G. has 4375 miles on it.

The clunk on the `15  sounds a little bit like the noise made when putting the bike into 1st gear it is a different sound than my `05 that just sounded like normal Harley gear clash when stepping it into gear.

[grc]

There is a big difference between the current clutch setup and the one on our SEEG's.  The master cylinders are different, and the clutch itself is different.  The old clutch used a diaphragm spring and simple clutch pack, the new one uses coil springs and a system of ramps that supposedly allow the clutch to either slip on decel or increase pressure on the plates under heavy load (torque sensitive).  Thus the name Assist & Slip.

In "theory" the six speed Cruise Drive should shift better and quieter than the old five speeds.  They use shift rings instead of sliding heavy gears into and out of engagement.  Less inertia should reduce the shock load and noise.  That theory works for other companies like Baker btw.  If you don't know what fluid is in the trans, I'd suggest you assume it's the motor oil that Harley installed in all three holes.  Change the trans to a real gear lube, 75w90 for most climates, and you will likely feel and hear an improvement.  There are many good synthetic gear lubes that will do a fine job, some examples are Spectro, Redline Shockproof Heavy, Bel-Ray, etc.

JMHO - Jerry