Surge when engaging first gear from cold

Reply

Surge when engaging first gear from cold#85562

By knapdog - Mon Sep 23, 2019 3:37 pm

- Mon Sep 23, 2019 3:37 pm #85562

I always leave my Classic 500 in Neutral and place it on the centre stand once in the garage.
Once cold ( eg next morning) I'll start her up in Neutral but once I pull in the clutch and engage first gear the bike clunks or surges forward.
It doesn't stall and I always fully pull in the clutch. The biting point is around half way.
This does not happen on a second start up even if only ten seconds or so later.
Is this one of the vagaries of owning an Enfield or is there a problem?

Re: Surge when engaging first gear from cold#85564

By stinkwheel - Mon Sep 23, 2019 3:48 pm

- Mon Sep 23, 2019 3:48 pm #85564

Clutch plates sticking together and freeing off again. Happens on other bikes too to varying degrees and is usually worse the longer they sit. Most just have a slight "snatch" as you engage the gear. My GPZ500 would stall the engine when you put it in first if it hadn't been run for a couple of weeks.

If it's causing an issue, like you feel like it's going to cause you to drop it. Engage first gear, pull in the clutch and decompressor and kick it over a couple of times before you go to start it. Or push it a short distance in gear with the clutch pulled in and the engine off.

Re: Surge when engaging first gear from cold#85567

By knapdog - Mon Sep 23, 2019 3:58 pm

- Mon Sep 23, 2019 3:58 pm #85567

Much obliged, stinkwheel.
That'll do me.
Thank you for your help.

Re: Surge when engaging first gear from cold#85570

By papasmurf - Mon Sep 23, 2019 6:50 pm

- Mon Sep 23, 2019 6:50 pm #85570

Free the clutch before starting the bike, I do so every time before I start the bike.

Re: Surge when engaging first gear from cold#85579

By Boxerman - Tue Sep 24, 2019 8:06 am

- Tue Sep 24, 2019 8:06 am #85579

Standard procedure on any bike in the old days was to pull in the clutch and give the kickstart a couple of prods to free the clutch before atempting to start the engine.

Frank

Re: Surge when engaging first gear from cold#85586

By PeteF - Wed Sep 25, 2019 6:47 am

- Wed Sep 25, 2019 6:47 am #85586

Is this an old iron barrel or EFI?
If the former what oil are you using in the chain case?
It can make a difference.

Classic C5 Euro 4 at the moment.
Also CBf250.

Re: Surge when engaging first gear from cold#85588

By knapdog - Wed Sep 25, 2019 7:18 am

- Wed Sep 25, 2019 7:18 am #85588

PeteF wrote: ↑
Wed Sep 25, 2019 6:47 am
Is this an old iron barrel or EFI?
If the former what oil are you using in the chain case?
It can make a difference.

EFI.

15w50 Motul fully synth engine oil

Re: Surge when engaging first gear from cold#85589

By Presto - Wed Sep 25, 2019 7:54 am

- Wed Sep 25, 2019 7:54 am #85589

If you're using fully synthetic - or semi-synthetic - in the primary then it may be best to change to ATF - automatic transmission fluid. Heresy to use anything else!

Our hosts – who have unrivaled experience of these motors – stress time and again that the better option is to use of ATF in the primary for the very reasons, among others, that this whole thread has been about.
Avoid engine oil, especially synthetic oils.

Re: Surge when engaging first gear from cold#85590

By Presto - Wed Sep 25, 2019 7:56 am

- Wed Sep 25, 2019 7:56 am #85590

PLEASE NOTE. My remarks only apply to non-unit engines. NOT of course to EFI engines!!!

Re: Surge when engaging first gear from cold#85592

By stinkwheel - Wed Sep 25, 2019 9:40 am

- Wed Sep 25, 2019 9:40 am #85592

If it's a Unit construction engine, probably the easiest way to free off clutch plates is to stick it in gear and rock it slightly back and forth with the clutch in before starting. Always safest to hold on the front brake when engaging first anyway, then it can't go anywhere. That goes for pretty much any motorcycle, not just an enfield.