What should a DL1000 ride be like?

[Antrax]

Hi,

Can anyone describe what a DL1000 should be like if possible?

I've just got mine and although I'm happy with it I seem to always be in a gear higher than required, clunk almost every gear and have to rev it slightly to before changing up or down. Its also very loud (Stock exhausts) and the rev counter at idle hunts slightly, between 1000 - 1200. There is also the odd cutout and backfire at low speeds.  

Sorry if I'm not explaining this correctly, I'm just wondering if I need to have some tuning done or something. The bike is an 08 with 15000 miles and I don't see any modifications at all on it.

Thanks,

[Abercol]

Well...it shouldn't be like you describe....

My gearbox has always been a clunk into first, but smooth as butter after that, never clunky and clutchless up/down changes are easy. Check for grunge in the front sprocket area, if its really filthy it'll need a good clear out as the clutch pushrod and slave cylinder are exposed to all the crud and can stick/leak if you ignore it too long - I had to replace my slave cylinder seal at about 16-7k due to this, its not a difficult job, but it would have been easier to just clean the area properly every now and again.

Hunting revs at idle? - the idle speed should be raised a little to 1200 - that should stop that and the cut outs you are getting. Look for a small threaded screw on the lhs frame rail just under the tank - its the adjuster.

Popping and loud exhausts are not stock traits either - mine never pops although it used to do so when it had popped an inlet boot rubber off the inlet  - mostly the rear ones pop off, you can look at the inlet rubbers under the tank, they can be reseated very easily and the clamp tightened, if you are paranoid after that you can lockwire them on as there are lugs on both the inlet body and the engine body that you can pass a wire through, takes seconds to do.

Having said that, loud stock exhausts might mean some previous owner attacked or removed the baffles, this may lead to fuel issues and popping on the overrun - and certainly make it louder than std. Its not a quiet bike, but hardly loud in stock trim compared to my Beowulfs (folk 100's of yards in front of you turn around to see the Ducati on open pipes that's making all the racket...).

[kissofdeath]

I'm with abercol, although they are not perfect they should not be like you say

[UK_Vstrom650]

Do you know when the oil was last changed? My gear changes are much smoother since putting fresh oil in (I also cleaned behind the sprocket cover too). It could also be worth checking the angle of the linkage - I think Greywolf posted it should be around/close to 90 degrees to work best.

(If you bought it from a dealer might be worth asking them to look if it came with any warranty from them?)

[Antrax]

Hi,

Thanks for the responses,

The oil was changed recently apparently. I'm going to get back in touch with the dealer to see what they say as it just feels wrong to me. I thought there would be loads of power and smooth but if feels and sounds like its missing and sluggish.

I have to get the revs up at every gear or it just feels wrong and about to stall.

Thanks

[cpjs]

When you say you need to get the revs up, how high ?
What bike were you riding before ?

[Abercol]

Shouldn't feel at all sluggish - the 1000 is very quick at real road speeds, it picks up at low speeds and flies when asked - as any decent 1000cc V-Twin should. And it should feel very muscular compared to the Divvie 600.

Having said that, if you are bimbling along at around 60 in top gear it will feel awful - top gear is a very tall overdrive for motorway/fast cruising economy.

It will feel different to the Divvie, a 4cyl 600 = lots of revs everywhere to make progress, the V twin will lope along on comparatively lower revs riding the wave of torque, typically sitting around 3-4500rpm unless you are [s:1tld99jz]having fun[/s:1tld99jz] making progress.

It should never stall, or misfire or pop on the overrun with stock exhausts and the inlet tract sealed up tight. I still think all is not right with the inlet boots, that would give erratic idle, popping and farting, but on mine, the rear was almost right off and it still went like the clappers - so it doesn't fit the sluggish/Got to rev it issue, TPS maybe?

Smooth...well, not always smooooth, it is a V-twin & lets you know it. My Pan is Smoooth like silk.

Its a pity you are so far away, it would be good to have an look at it/hear it to see what's been done to it.

[Antrax]

Hi,

Had the bike back to the dealers and they replaced the plugs and checked the throttle body balance. It seems better, but I think I need to get used to riding it in low gears for a while and see how I go.

Had it on the dual carriageway on the way back and opened her up, Wow is all I can say!

Thanks for all your advice blokes.

[Antrax]

Hi blokes,

Bit of an update now I've had the bike for a couple of months.

Had the throttle bodies balanced and still couldn't get rid of the popping and spluttering under 3000 revs so got a Power commander 5 and that has smoothed this out for me.  

I also didn't enjoy the the snatching of 1st and 2nd gear when slow manoeuvring in traffic on the way to work and the cramp in my left hand using the clutch. This was really hampering me getting used to the bike and I have almost dropped it on a number of occasions due to it stalling.  

So out came the wallet again and I bought a new chain and sprocket set and went 16 tooth up front and 43 on the rear after reading about other people doing this.

All I can say is wow! The bike is now so much easier to control and I'm loving every minute on it.

Just want to say thanks to the forum for having the information I needed to turn my bike from an unwieldy monster in to a purring pussy cat.  

[Arto]

On my 2008 Vee it was a great ride, vibey in the 3500 4500 rev range, no pops from either the stock cans or the Beowolf's, albeit the latter were a tad fruity. Gearbox was always smooth as silk apart from 1st gear from neutral which always gave a loud clonk.

Gearing change should help, +1 for checking the mess in the front sprocket area, would have saved me a slave cylinder had I done so.

None of the above issues on the Glee, but the price is limited accelaration which is fine by me these days.