[Vix]

I know this is going to sound really dumb but I’m not a mechanic, I am so impressed with people who know how stuff works.

New 2017 Scrambler Icon, 850 miles on it. I know there’s something about the clutch and about the shifter I don’t like.

Clutch - at first I thought it was too far away but really it’s that it doesn’t engage for the first 75% of the release. It makes my shifting really crappy until I’ve got some speed going and my hill starts are just plain dangerous because I’m rollimg back before the clutch engages. Even while releasing the rear brake which I do. I have a Suzuki SV650S with no such issues, and just sold a Kawasaki KLR 250 that I had no issues hill starting either. Is this normal for this bike? What have others experienced and/or adjusted?

Shifter - It’s clunky and seems to take too long. Like it’s a long motion to get it to shift, and it clunks when it does, especially lower gears. Twice now I haven’t quite shifted all the way and I get to 17 3/4 gear or something, I have to go back and down or up shift to go normal again. Does it have to do with sprocket size or anything? That’s kind of what I envision, a huge jump of the chain every time that is loud and laborious.

I like the bike but when the clutch and shifter aren’t working intuitively for me, it is not a smooth ride.

At first service they did add tension to the chain, they said it was loose, and that has made the throttle feel so much more responsive. Wish the shifting with clutch was more smooth. They didn’t note any problems with either, but part of that was maybe because I wasn’t able to communicate my issues in an understandable way.

Feel free to point me to relevant threads too, I just don’t know what keywords to use.

Thanks for any help.

 

[Vix]

Oh also, the dealership let me ride the demo Scrambler Cafe Racer and I thought as I was riding it I sure wish mine shifted like this. I definitely noticed the shifter was more smooth but the clutch seemed closer too. Maybe it just worked better and seemed closer. Anyway, it was good to be able to compare.

 

[Yello n Black]

Have you thought about adjusting the position of the bars and clutch lever? move the bars a little towards you and drop the lever a little, that could help. you could keep some light pressure on the rear brake as you pull away on a hill to stop rolling back, or you could get some aftermarket adjustable levers, cheap and easy to fit! that could help too.

 

[K1W1]

Clutch - at first I thought it was too far away but really it’s that it doesn’t engage for the first 75% of the release. It makes my shifting really crappy until I’ve got some speed going and my hill starts are just plain dangerous because I’m rollimg back before the clutch engages.

The first thing to do is sit on the bike with your eyes closed (NO CHEATING!) with your hands holding the handlebars as you would while riding. Now with your eyes closed reach for the clutch. Open your eyes when your fingers are extended. The clutch lever should be immediately under your fingers. If it is not rotate the clutch lever on the bars until it is in the correct position.

If you want to go back one step do the same thing but eyes closed and reach for the bars with both hands to see if what Yello n Black suggested is suitable. If the bars are under your wrists they need to go forward a bit if they are in front of your fingertips they need to go back.

The next step is to get onto Alibaba or ebay or Craigslist or Amazon and get some reach adjustable levers. The brake is already reach adjustable but get a pair and fit one to the clutch side (and the other to the brake so they match is you are into matching). You will then be able to adjust the clutch engagement point in terms of distance from the bar which might also help.

Shifter - It’s clunky and seems to take too long. Like it’s a long motion to get it to shift, and it clunks when it does, especially lower gears.

It is a European gearbox not a Japanese one. Typically European gearboxes require a slightly longer and more deliberate throw to engage gears unlike the hot knife through butter that Japanese gearboxes feel like. You will get used to it and with more miles the gearbox will loosen up.

Does it have to do with sprocket size or anything?

No.

See if you can get the bar and lever set up correct for you and then put more miles on the bike and do not be too gentle with it. Strong, positive foot movements to shift gear are what you need to train yourself to do. Give it a couple of thousand km and you won't even remember this part of the ownership.

 

[Jayswear]

The clutch on our bikes is definitely very light. I had a Streetfighter before the Scrambler and the clutch was very harsh and hard to pull. The Scrambler is so light it’s really off-putting at first! It took me quite a while to feel like I wasn’t going to stall it all the time.

 

[O2theL]

I attended a Ducati Riding Experience (highly recommended) last year in Italy on the Multistrada Enduro. The instructors were pro racers/test riders/developers and two were directly involved in the development of the Scrambler. We were talking over dinner and they asked me what things about the Scrambler I didn't like. My response; first 1/4 of throttle turn, light clutch and rear suspension. Interesting that they understood very clearly all three.
They defended the suspension saying that it is set up out of the factory for lighter weight riders and really needs to be adjusted and most people don't bother.
Throttle and clutch was something they were not happy with and was something that they were over-ruled on. The marketing people felt that the bike would be more accessible for newer riders with those features.
The throttle is well documented and fairly easy to change. The clutch is harder, but I agree with the comments above that it can be helped by adjusting the position of the bars and lever. Try some aftermarket levers also - fairly inexpensive and lots of options. I went with shorter, three finger levers - much better.

As K1W1 said, the gearbox is what it is. Very normal for a Ducati. I have 6 of them and they are all the same; long throw and clunky in low gears. Just get used to that.

 

[jkeown]

I know this is going to sound really dumb but I’m not a mechanic, I am so impressed with people who know how stuff works.

New 2017 Scrambler Icon, 850 miles on it. I know there’s something about the clutch and about the shifter I don’t like.

Clutch - at first I thought it was too far away but really it’s that it doesn’t engage for the first 75% of the release. It makes my shifting really crappy until I’ve got some speed going and my hill starts are just plain dangerous because I’m rollimg back before the clutch engages. Even while releasing the rear brake which I do. I have a Suzuki SV650S with no such issues, and just sold a Kawasaki KLR 250 that I had no issues hill starting either. Is this normal for this bike? What have others experienced and/or adjusted?

Shifter - It’s clunky and seems to take too long. Like it’s a long motion to get it to shift, and it clunks when it does, especially lower gears. Twice now I haven’t quite shifted all the way and I get to 17 3/4 gear or something, I have to go back and down or up shift to go normal again. Does it have to do with sprocket size or anything? That’s kind of what I envision, a huge jump of the chain every time that is loud and laborious.

I like the bike but when the clutch and shifter aren’t working intuitively for me, it is not a smooth ride.

At first service they did add tension to the chain, they said it was loose, and that has made the throttle feel so much more responsive. Wish the shifting with clutch was more smooth. They didn’t note any problems with either, but part of that was maybe because I wasn’t able to communicate my issues in an understandable way.

Feel free to point me to relevant threads too, I just don’t know what keywords to use.

Thanks for any help.

yeah, i'm wasn't a fan of the stock clutch pull. i adjusted it but the full range was still there, just engaged earlier (if that makes any sense). i put some pazzo levers on mine. worth the money and easy install (even if you're not mechanically minded, you can do it. good learning experience).