[mattsz]

Dude, four fingers on the clutch and pull it all the way to the grip.  This isn't a precision Japanese sport bike.  Pull that clutch in all the way and I bet it won't stall or lurch on the first drop into gear.  Do the same when you fan the clutch before putting it in gear.

Scott

Spank received and acknowledged.  Having never ridden a Japanese sport bike, I guess someone needs to tell me the difference!  But you'd lose the bet     - I'm afraid it has "clunked", and lurched slightly, into first gear the first time all along, regardless of whether I "two-finger" the clutch or pull it all the way in.  It's never stalled or really jumped before this morning.

I'll look over some of the other suggestions and give them a try...

[Ducati Scotty]

If no one has mentioned it already make sure the clutch slack is adjusted properly.  I believe that's a 3-4mm gap measured by the lever pivot point.

Scott

[mattsz]

Clutch cable adjustment has been discussed - maybe you were in on that?  My cable housing was adjusted "in" as far as it could go, but there still wasn't enough slack to put that 3mm gap at the lever before the arm at the engine moved.  I tried replacing the adjustment nut on the cable housing side with varying thicknesses of stacks of washers.  But introducing any more slack in the cable just caused the clutch lever to flop - the spring action of the clutch on the arm wasn't enough to pull the lever back to a solid rest position, yet the arm still moved with any clutch lever movement.

Am I making any sense?

I ended up back where I started because it worked the best - aside from this cold start bump, shifts are smooth and reliable.  Even two-fingered shifts... but I promise I won't be doing that any more... 

[Arizoni]

As others have said, the reason it clunks so loudly is because it is a wet plate clutch and after sitting overnight the oily clutch plates tend to stick to the transmission drive plates.
Once broken loose, everything returns to normal.

The next time you want to start your RE do the following:

1. With the key off, shift the transmission into a gear.  Any gear will do.
2. Flip out the kickstarter lever (assuming it has one**).
3. Pull in the clutch lever all the way in.
4. Using the kick lever, with the clutch still pulled in, kick it thru several cycles.
5. Move the transmission back into neutral and release the clutch lever.
6. Start the engine, pull in the clutch and shift into gear.  It shouldn't klunk any more than it normally does when your riding it.

I think doing this will break loose the sticky clutch plates before the engine is started.
Then again, I have been known to be wrong before. 

** If the bike doesn't have a kick starter the only other way to break loose the sticky clutch plates is to put it into gear, pull in the clutch and use the electric starter.

[mattsz]

I think doing this will break loose the sticky clutch plates before the engine is started.
Then again, I have been known to be wrong before. 

But not as many times as I have!!!  I do have a kick starter, and I will try your suggestion.  I guess I never thought of doing that, knowing that with the clutch in, the kick starter won't turn the engine.  But it makes sense now that the action would free up the plates.

I'll be looking at the recent discussion about kick starting in general - I know I saw it around here somewhere.  I'm still not quite clear about how to tell exactly when I've pushed the engine around to where it should be before the kick...

[jartist]

I'm still not quite clear about how to tell exactly when I've pushed the engine around to where it should be before the kick...

Just past the hardest point.  There are two somewhat hard to kick through spots (cams lifting valves) and one really hard to kick through spot (compression toward top dead center).  It's the just past top dead center you want.  I find anytime between the just past top dead center and the exhaust valve opening (first slightly hard spot after the really hard spot) works just as well.  In other words, get to the hardest point, slowly get past the hard point and then you're ready.

BTW, if my bike sits for a bit the clutch plates stick.  I usually kick start with the ignition off, in gear and depressed clutch to free up the plates but sometimes they are so stuck that the only thing that will unstick them is the lurch of shifting it into gear with the engine running.  Sometimes the bike stalls but that first clunk frees everything up and the restart and shift into gear is smoother.  I've racked all that up to normal wet clutch operation.

[GSS]

Simple way to unstick the clutch plate......don't start the engine......sit on the bike and get it off the stand....pull in the clutch lever and put it in 1st gear......roll it forward or back 5-6 inches with the clutch lever still pulled in......you will feel some rolling resistance and then it will suddenly unstick and roll freely.  Start it up and enjoy a clunk free cold start.

[gremlin]

Simple way to unstick the clutch plate......don't start the engine......sit on the bike and get it off the stand....pull in the clutch lever and put it in 1st gear......roll it forward or back 5-6 inches with the clutch lever still pulled in......you will feel some rolling resistance and then it will suddenly unstick and roll freely.  Start it up and enjoy a clunk free cold start.

*LIKE* it !

[mattsz]

GSS's suggestion worked well.  I've noticed the rolling resistance in gear, clutch in before, but I never thought about it beyond, "that's odd - I wonder why that happens".

Now my bike's idle is slowed down, even when it's cold and warming up - seems like it wants to run a little faster - is this the purpose of the "manual bistarter"?  What the heck does that name even mean?

Before my idle speed reduction efforts, I could kick-start it from cold maybe 60% of the time.  Now, it's never.  Once it's warmed up, no problem, but a cold kick-start is a non-starter.  Maybe I've got it a bit too low now?

[Ducati Scotty]

The manual bistarter is just another mechanism to open the throttle.  You can call it a choke if you like but that's not totally accurate since the EFI takes care of the fuel mixture enrichment, not the bistarter lever.

Scott

[mattsz]

I decided to try my idea - I recorded my idling bike from around the exhaust, and dumped the audio file into my computer.  Then I counted the pulses... almost exactly 9 per second (see pic), or 540 per minute, times two revolutions per thump = 1080 rpm.   

I still can't kick start it when it's cold...

[gremlin]

cool tool fool   

[LarsBloodbeard]

I decided to try my idea - I recorded my idling bike from around the exhaust, and dumped the audio file into my computer.  Then I counted the pulses... almost exactly 9 per second (see pic), or 540 per minute, times two revolutions per thump = 1080 rpm.   

I still can't kick start it when it's cold...

I like your style.  I can tell we'd get along well. 

[mattsz]

Since I lowered my idle speed, the decompressor clatters constantly at idle.  If I blip the throttle or run it high, maybe to double my idle speed (or about where it used to idle!), it stops the clatter, but when it drops back to idle, it starts right up again.  Only when the bike is properly hot does the idle clatter stop.  Is this ok?  I thought it was supposed to decompress at speeds lower than proper idle.

I guess Bare thinks it's ok in another thread, but I'm just checking...

When I first start mine up on a coolish morning, it clacks and rattles for awhile before it gets the RPM enough to keep it disengaged. Noisy, but no harm done. You can crack the throttle a bit to  keep it above the clacking threshold until it warms up a bit. The decompressor release is about 850 RPM as I recall. It will activate below that. You can hear the blowby when it's open and the idle slows even more.
Anyway, if that's your symptom, there's nothing wrong with it. Just a bit annoying.
Bare

And really - there is now no chance of kick-starting the bike from cold.  Two or three tries is all I get before the electric start barely works either, probably from excessive fuel introduction, based on what I've read here and on the smell of the exhaust (like gasoline) once I do get it going.  Must I exchange the kick start for a proper idle speed?

[barenekd]

When you get ready to start it on a cold morning, do all the kicking through and setting up the kick position on the kick starter. This will keep the EFI from priming the engine every time you push the starter through, flooding the engine. Or turn the key on,but leave the sidestand down until you're ready to kick. If the sidestand switch is connected and working, that will also keep the bike from priming and flooding.
Now as for the battery not handling the starting chore, it's time for a new battery. A good AGL battery can be gotten for about $70 and will handle your starting issues easily. Mine is about a year and a half old and is totally abused, draining while I work of the bike and has never been on a charger. It just keep on ticking. Never had a problem with it starting. Mine is a Deka, the predecesssor to the Big Crank EX15, which is at least as good
The stock battery is rather iffy. You know the story, the lowest bidder.
Bare