[299745]

Hey all
Still waiting on the British weather to let me out on the shadow but had me thinking all very nice smooth and love little OD purple light that comes on in 6th etc but there is no definite clunk on gear change. I didn't miss any gears and it was an effortless change and the gears went on for ever it felt like.

All my other bikes have a very positive clunk or a feel on the pedal this shadow I pull in the clutch move the shifter with ease an no resistance then let the clutch out and I'm there. It had me ready to grab the clutch and double check but it was always there.

Is that normal for 1983?

 

[chucke]

The only time my 2007 750 Shadow makes a clunk is when I put it in first gear. If I could hear over the noise, the rest are clicks.

 

[KC_97Shadow1100C]

Hey all
Still waiting on the British weather to let me out on the shadow but had me thinking all very nice smooth and love little OD purple light that comes on in 6th etc but there is no definite clunk on gear change. I didn't miss any gears and it was an effortless change and the gears went on for ever it felt like.

All my other bikes have a very positive clunk or a feel on the pedal this shadow I pull in the clutch move the shifter with ease an no resistance then let the clutch out and I'm there. It had me ready to grab the clutch and double check but it was always there.

Is that normal for 1983?

First gear on my '97 Spirit w/~20K miles has a solid thunk, 2nd is virtually non-existent, 3-5 have a very mild thunk I can feel (not hear).

 

[Tod 15 VT750C ShadowAero]

First gear only clunk for me too.

 

[cyclejohn]

there is no definite clunk on gear change.

All my other bikes have a very positive clunk

Is that normal for 1983?

Just for 'whatever':

Your '83 Shadow has round gear dogs with the option to mate with almost twice as many 'round'ish' female slots on their opposing mating gear surfaces as later years of Honda Shadows. Later years of Honda Shadows have squared off, flat surfaced, curved oblong, shaped gear dogs. The increased (and fewer available hook-up points) friction of the squared off surfaces slamming into the female slots produces a pronounced 'clunk'.

It is not anymore complicated than that.

Honda switched over to the later Shadow engagement dog design because so many 'Johnny speed shifters' were wreacking havoc on the rounded cogs of engagement.

 

[krispycreamdonuts]

Hey all
Still waiting on the British weather to let me out on the shadow but had me thinking all very nice smooth and love little OD purple light that comes on in 6th etc but there is no definite clunk on gear change. I didn't miss any gears and it was an effortless change and the gears went on for ever it felt like.

All my other bikes have a very positive clunk or a feel on the pedal this shadow I pull in the clutch move the shifter with ease an no resistance then let the clutch out and I'm there. It had me ready to grab the clutch and double check but it was always there.

Is that normal for 1983?

First gear only for me. All others just a small click is felt.

 

[299745]

Many thanks guys, I might have something to look out in the future then.

 

[freebyrd78]

My 84 was always quieter when shifting into OD.

 

[oldguy]

pretty normal to "clunk" going into 1st at a stop, output side is stopped, input side is spinning until you pull clutch in and clutch dis-engages, is spinning down as you move the shift lever. When the gear dogs engage, the input shaft comes to a stop, most of the time with a clunk. Then the disconnect between engine and wheel is the clutch plates being dis-engaged. If your clutch is working perfectly and there's no drag at all when disengaging, it may not clunk as loud. Holding the clutch in in that case and not shifting to 1st for a few moments, it may spin down to where the gear dogs are not aligned and wont go in until you slightly release the clutch to get the input shaft to turning so the gear dogs can engage again. The fluid drag usually keeps things turning a bit in neutral.

Edit: And note all those little intricate parts in the shift linkage, Think about them before every time you stomp the shift lever,,,