The transmission is a constant mesh. that means all of the gears are always in contact with their counterparts.

When you shift you are moving what is called a dog between gear groups. If you look at the left gear cluster at the top you will see them. 6 around the shaft.

When they drop into the receiving cluster with torque applied that is the clunk. That clunk is Harley. Nothing wrong with it. If you want super quiet you shouldn't have bought a Harley.

 

Pull the clutch in and count to 5 before putting it in gear.

 

anyone else have this experience or is this a fluke?

 

I just got into the habit of holding the clutch for a few extra seconds before stabbing the shifter.
It still clunks, just not as bad as it did when I first got the bike and didn't know any better.
Remember a Harley tranny has a lot of big and heavy (by comparison to the average metric) steel shafts and gears in there.
So mashing them together while they are spinning is bound to have some side effects.

 

I use trick shift and mobil 1 75w140 gear oil. Yes it does quiet the clunk considerably with some very smooth shifting. Sometimes the bike will shift smoother than anything I've ever ridden. Holding the clutch when you start the bike also helps. Working the clutch in and out several times before shifting into first will also help.

 

I'd be more concerned if it didn't klunk.

 

I use Bel Ray for the trans and no wine or clunk and I can find neutral.

 

The only way to get rid of the clunk is to take it down to your dealer and trade it in on a Honda. But why would anyone want to do that ? Thats what makes it a Harley. The cold clunk doesn't hurt anything Harleys have done it forever, but I just coast mine down my sloped driveway when it is cold with the engine running and tap it into gear while moving. It shouldn't clunk hard when it is warm so no problem there.

 

I always looked at it as being part of the HD experience. Its is just one of the little HD quirks, it is part of its character.

That 60s trick...I have always been doing that, not because I knew this trick but just because I always hold in the clutch when I start up the bike, as a precaution. Now it makes sense why I do not have the clunk as much as others

 

It's Harley's "Positive Gear Selector Alarm" You hear that Clunk, You know your in Gear!!!!

And most any Gear oil (Shockproof, Belray, Amsoil) 75/140 will smooth out the Clunk a little but you will never loose it.