Clutch Shudder/ Chatter?

Hey folks. New here so I thought I would open up with a question.

I just picked up a new '08 WRR and I'm having a ball with it. 200 miles so far. I noticed when I first got it, that when riding uphill on washboards or over loose/rocky trail uphill I would feel a shuddering or chattering. This would only happen in the lower RPMs. If I got the engine up into it's power making RPM this would go away mostly. I assumed after reading here and on ADVRIDER that it was the chain slipping. Wanting lower gearing anyway, I switched to a 13/48 combo (perfect gearing BTW) but the shuddering while on loose surfaces still exists untill I get into the meat of the powerband. I'm now assuming this is some type of clutch shudder. It's deffinately not in the fueling and the sprockets and chain are new. Really feels like the clutch.

Chain is adjusted properly.
Clutch is adjusted properly.

I've felt this on some streetbikes I've owned but never on any of my dirtbikes.

Anyone else notice this? Normal for this bike?

Thanks in advance for your input.............

Nate.

Clutch chatter (called "Judder") only happens on engagement and the frequency is fast so it sounds like a squeal or howl

If your clutch were to slip it would do it only at high rpm and full throttle as would chain slippage

I would guess that you are lugging the bike and the bike is telling you to ride it different

Try flogging the thng mercilessly and see if your problem goes away, high rpm wil never hurt the bike but lugging it will

Is the engine RPM simply too low?
What bike did you just come from?

Was it brand new? It could be just some irregularity in the clutch.. it might work itself out after it gets a few miles. Are you on the original oil? ..might do an oil change, too & see if that solves things. If it still does it, probably should take it back to the dealer. There might be something loose inside.
good luck, keep us posted.

0007onWR wrote:

Clutch chatter (called "Judder") only happens on engagement and the frequency is fast so it sounds like a squeal or howl

If your clutch were to slip it would do it only at high rpm and full throttle as would chain slippage

I would guess that you are lugging the bike and the bike is telling you to ride it different

Try flogging the thng mercilessly and see if your problem goes away, high rpm wil never hurt the bike but lugging it will

Yeah, I don't think it's slipping in the classical sense. Certainly not squeeling. On smooth, dry pavement, I can drop the clutch and it seems to lock up solid. I'm guessing it's that I'm lugging the bike and it doesn't like it. Maybe rough trail or washboards just amplify the problem.

My last two dirtbikes were an XR600 and an XR250. Both of these bikes made way more torque right off idle than the WR and could be lugged all day. Although this problem is happening at a higher RPM on the WR than what I would consider lugging on either of my XRs, it may just be the lack of torque right at the bottom that makes this bike feel a certain way.

Bike is new, 200 miles, still on original oil. I'll go ahead and do a filter and oil change to see how that feels.

Thanks for the help so far guys..........keep it coming.

You can get the clutch to howl, on mine if it's hot as heck and I fan the clutch it will make a quick squeak but like I say it is only on engagement, it can't really do it afterward or it would slip severely and the clutch would be done in a matter of minutes
Ride the bike like a 125 2 stroke and see how you like it

I was thinking the same thing......"ride it like a two stroke". I've noticed it really needs RPM to be able to lift the front over rocks and such. I may have to change my riding style a bit for this bike. It's not really a chugger.