Hi all,

Any ideas on what is causing this rubbing on the dipstick? The only thing I can see from the manual pic would be the clutch cable.
Any advice or direction on how to solve this problem would be helpful.

 

I don't know if I have ever seen that on my bikes. I have read posts about the clutch cable rubbing it in some cases. Here are a few links of guys hashing things out:

Bad transmission dipstick.

Clutch cable rubbing Transmission dipstick.

Broken transmission oil dipstick

If it turns out to be something you can't easily remedy maybe just run a plug instead of a dipstick and keep the dipstick handy for checking the level of the oil.

 

Still trying to guess what you are working on...

The quick cure is to cut that dipstick off, before it breaks off in the transmission.

Buy a new dipstick to keep in the toolbox.

 

Clutch cable.

 

Thanks for the input, I am going to drain the tranny, and pull the cover and inspect the cable, and the clutch ramp and bearings to see if I find any issues. If everything looks good, then I will get another dipstick and cut this one off.
Ride safe!

 

This is exactly what i did.

 

There is absolutely nothing wrong with your dipstick. Here are 2 with similar markings. I suspect that the marks are contact points from the chroming process. If you are paranoid about the stick breaking off, by all means buy a fancy cap or a second and cut the end off for use as a new plug. I suspect that guys breaking these either have ones with casting flaws, they manage to hook it on cable when installing or dropped the thing and cracked it. I've not have any issues but have replaced a few with custom caps that are easier to remove.

 

Damn, I just noticed 3 marks on mine today, never noticed them before and have checked it often, I am only at 4500 miles though. 19 limited. My marks appear to be just starting. wonder if this is pretty common? my 09 doesn't have them

 

My 01 I replaced with a baker dipstick or such, It looked like that. There was forum hysteria warranted or not about it braking off and falling it. At that time I thought of it as must do replacement on bikes. I can't remember if I did on 07. Not sure if I would open it up to look at cable. I probably put another 10-15k miles on it before replacing the cable with braided. Which was 35k ago.

 

I inspected my clutch cable for any frays in it, in case it could have been rubbing it. ( which actually wouldn't make sense, due to the 3 separate places on the dipstick.) There were none. So I went with the idea of getting another dip stick, and cutting the stick off the old one, and I keep the new one in the tool box for checking the trans oil. The dealership thought I could have a short causing an arc, but I took a tester and there was no short. I haven't had any problems. I just wanted to play it safe, and not have the stick break off and get into the tranny. Hope this helps.