[mezerr]

Bike has 1000 miles on it. 2014 CRF250L. Sound is coming from gear box / clutch housing. Here's how to reproduce.

1) With the bike running, and in 1st gear, and with the clutch disengaged.
2) With your feet, roll the bike forward slightly.
3) The next time you release the clutch, and right as it starts grabbing, CLUNK.

If you do the exact same steps above, but roll backwards instead, it doesn't clunk. So everytime I come up to a stop sign to stop, then release the clutch to go again, the gearbox / clutch housing makes a clunk while clutch is engaging. The clunk seems to be the gear lash taking up slack when the clutch engaged. But I've tested another bike just like mine, and it doesn't clunk at all. Chain is in spec, fresh oil (motul 5100), chain is lubed, clutch free play is adjusted according to manual. Why would my bike do this and other's wouldn't?

Here's a video showing you the clunk noise. Thoughts?

https://youtu.be/ruy2adrEpVo

[Aussiecrf230]

G'day mezerr,

Sounds like a similar clunk when you put them into gear. If it is coming from the clutch side it might suggest that the primary gear or clutch basket are not tightened up allowing some movement.
I am afraid you will have to remove the RHS cover to check that out. Make sure you have the gasket.

[mezerr]

G'day mezerr,

Sounds like a similar clunk when you put them into gear. If it is coming from the clutch side it might suggest that the primary gear or clutch basket are not tightened up allowing some movement.
I am afraid you will have to remove the RHS cover to check that out. Make sure you have the gasket.

If it was the primary, or clutch basket, why would it not make the noise when I move the bike backwards 3 inches first? Seems to make the clunk if the bike was moved forward before clutch release. Any backwards movement, and no clunk.

[Back2-2]

Before you begin to tear into anything please check the following.
>Chain tension for proper adjustment.
>Sprockets for being loose.
>chain adjusters on the swing arm.
>Rear sprocket cushion rubbers behind the sprocket for condition - if it has them.

Be certain that you are not just hearing chain slap or sprocket movement.

Hope this helps.

[mezerr]

Before you begin to tear into anything please check the following.
>Chain tension for proper adjustment.
>Sprockets for being loose.
>chain adjusters on the swing arm.
>Rear sprocket cushion rubbers behind the sprocket for condition - if it has them.

Be certain that you are not just hearing chain slap or sprocket movement.

Hope this helps.

Thanks. I've checked all that and everything is in spec.

[Aussiecrf230]

G'day mezerr,

Sounds like a similar clunk when you put them into gear. If it is coming from the clutch side it might suggest that the primary gear or clutch basket are not tightened up allowing some movement.
I am afraid you will have to remove the RHS cover to check that out. Make sure you have the gasket.

If it was the primary, or clutch basket, why would it not make the noise when I move the bike backwards 3 inches first? Seems to make the clunk if the bike was moved forward before clutch release. Any backwards movement, and no clunk.

If you roll the bike backwards doesn't that mean the slack is now on top of the chain? Maybe this allows something to take up before actually driving the bike and producing the clunk. The hardest part is identifying for sure where noises are coming from, hence the previous post from Back2-2 about chain sprocket (look at easy stuff first). If you are happy it is from the clutch a bit of exploratory surgery is in order. Give the front sprocket a good twist and tug first though. let us all know how you go it might help others as well.

[mezerr]

Here is what I think is happening.

When rolling to a stop with the clutch disengaged, the tranny gears are not under load. Then, after stopping, and you are ready to go again, you release the clutch. It first clunks as it takes up slack in the drive line, then as it meets resistance from the gears, and the rear tire, it finishes the clutch engagement.

I had my clutch free play adjusted so is was very minimal. Because of this, I'm wondering if the clutch was disengaging so much, that the clutch output wasn't taking up the slack in the driveline after stopping with clutch disengaged. Now that I adjusted the clutch to be more in spec with the manual (15mm freeplay), when I disengage the clutch, the output will still move slightly, and take out the slack in the driveline. Then when I release the clutch, there is no clunk. But this only happens sometimes, and other times the clutch still doesn't take out the slack.

Does any of that make sense?