Does your Milwaukee 8 shift terrible?
Road Captain
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 631
Likes: 279
From: Arkansas
My 2018 RGU most of the time will not go into 1st without feathering the clutch, then it will drop into gear, first HD I have experienced this with. I don't know if it warrants a trip to dealer or not.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 19,944
Likes: 8,038
From: poway
I just bought a 2019 SG back in March. This is my second Harley (first was 09 FXDC). Though this is only my second Harley I have a ton of riding experience. In my opinion this is the worst shifting bike I have ever owned. Very clunky. Loud when dropping into first, I can feel a clunk sometimes in the clutch lever when pulling in. Transmission whine. I switched to Amsoil in both Transmission & Primary and it made no difference. I am having the fluid transfer issue (ordered the GW rod) but even after an immediate fluid change it seems no different. Just looking for opinions of other Touring Milwaukee 8 owners.
The problem is that you have a ton of riding experience. If you have to think about your shifts,, pull clutch in,,, lift up on shift lever,,, and let clutch out, they don't shift too bad. My 17 clunked real bad. The thicker damping ring plate (in the 2019s) helped some but they still clunk.
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 1,195
Likes: 299
From: midwest
Harley’s clunk and fish swim. My beef is the 1-2 upshift cold. NEVER had an issue with HD until this, and two dealers found nothing unusual. This thing has to be nursed into second. What I don’t understand is why it behaves normally when ridden a few minutes. I’ve had new scoots, including a ‘12 flhtk I sold to pick up the ‘17, so yes I know how it should feel.
What steams me is that the dealers don’t take us seriously. If shifting takes that kind of effort something DEFINITELY ain’t right. My career was spent at 3 different GM dealers, and every customer got surveys after any warranty work was done, in addition to follow up calls from the dealer. Harley doesn’t seem to invest in customers after the sale. This crap about the customer spending hundreds of dollars for simple fluid changes on new machines, to ‘verify’ a concern is the biggest load of bs I’ve ever heard of. We aren’t stupid, and the majority of us work on our own machines.
This winter I’m gutting the trans and doing it myself. At least I can be confident it was done right. Rant over.
What steams me is that the dealers don’t take us seriously. If shifting takes that kind of effort something DEFINITELY ain’t right. My career was spent at 3 different GM dealers, and every customer got surveys after any warranty work was done, in addition to follow up calls from the dealer. Harley doesn’t seem to invest in customers after the sale. This crap about the customer spending hundreds of dollars for simple fluid changes on new machines, to ‘verify’ a concern is the biggest load of bs I’ve ever heard of. We aren’t stupid, and the majority of us work on our own machines.
This winter I’m gutting the trans and doing it myself. At least I can be confident it was done right. Rant over.
Cruiser
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 185
Likes: 0
From: North Myrtle Beach, SC
Several factors that most people don't know. The 75/80-140 will help but as the Transmission gets up to temp, they typically shift harder. These transmissions Do Not Have Synchronizers like your manual Transmission Car. The gears are spinning (at speed) and when you shift it "BANG" it goes into the next gear. Normally there's a "Sweet spot" to shift. In my case, early is quieter than pulling the clutch in and 1, 2, 3 Shift, release clutch. (My bike shifts best into second, best at 1/2.)
CLUNK Going into gear when it's First started Cold. Pull the clutch in and give it 10 or 15 seconds for the clutch to release and going from Neutral into 1st will be quiet.
CLUNK Going into gear when it's First started Cold. Pull the clutch in and give it 10 or 15 seconds for the clutch to release and going from Neutral into 1st will be quiet.
Last edited by Mcathcart; Aug 6, 2019 at 07:38 AM.
Road Master
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 1,143
Likes: 433
From: Menifee, CA
My bike makes its biggest clunk going into first from neautral when cold. I can eliminate the clunk by pulling clutch and waiting a few seconds before shifting. When cold, it takes a longer wait. When hot, shorter wait. But either way, never a problem or any resistance going into first.
Road Master
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 1,143
Likes: 433
From: Menifee, CA
What steams me is that the dealers dont take us seriously. If shifting takes that kind of effort something DEFINITELY aint right. My career was spent at 3 different GM dealers, and every customer got surveys after any warranty work was done, in addition to follow up calls from the dealer. Harley doesnt seem to invest in customers after the sale.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 19,944
Likes: 8,038
From: poway
Harley’s clunk and fish swim. My beef is the 1-2 upshift cold. NEVER had an issue with HD until this, and two dealers found nothing unusual. This thing has to be nursed into second. What I don’t understand is why it behaves normally when ridden a few minutes. I’ve had new scoots, including a ‘12 flhtk I sold to pick up the ‘17, so yes I know how it should feel.
What steams me is that the dealers don’t take us seriously. If shifting takes that kind of effort something DEFINITELY ain’t right. My career was spent at 3 different GM dealers, and every customer got surveys after any warranty work was done, in addition to follow up calls from the dealer. Harley doesn’t seem to invest in customers after the sale. This crap about the customer spending hundreds of dollars for simple fluid changes on new machines, to ‘verify’ a concern is the biggest load of bs I’ve ever heard of. We aren’t stupid, and the majority of us work on our own machines.
This winter I’m gutting the trans and doing it myself. At least I can be confident it was done right. Rant over.
What steams me is that the dealers don’t take us seriously. If shifting takes that kind of effort something DEFINITELY ain’t right. My career was spent at 3 different GM dealers, and every customer got surveys after any warranty work was done, in addition to follow up calls from the dealer. Harley doesn’t seem to invest in customers after the sale. This crap about the customer spending hundreds of dollars for simple fluid changes on new machines, to ‘verify’ a concern is the biggest load of bs I’ve ever heard of. We aren’t stupid, and the majority of us work on our own machines.
This winter I’m gutting the trans and doing it myself. At least I can be confident it was done right. Rant over.
Thread Starter
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4th Gear
Joined: Mar 2019
Posts: 8
Likes: 1
From: Syracuse NY
Thanks Steel Wheels you echo my thoughts. though this is only my second Harley (first was nice shifting) I have ridden a ton of bikes. I own an automotive repair shop that does light bike work on mostly harleys. (inspections, services, brakes ect. no engine or trans work) i test driven a ton of harleys and these M8 bikes shift like crap.
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Blue eyes 56
Primary/Transmission/Driveline/Clutch
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Mar 12, 2008 09:44 PM