Engine slack with low rpm

[CT_Ron]

Whenever I ride slow in 1st or 2nd gear and the rpm's go fairly low due to traffic speed, either the engine or final drive is slacking like hell. It's chugging along making this clattering, yanking noise. It's like someone is repeatedly yanking on a loose backrest, clattering.

I cant figure out if this is clutch, final drive, or general engine related. Anyone else experiencing this? Other than that, the bike runs fine.

[__Ray__]

It's the free play in the final drive and the lean programmed ECU due to emission demands.
You'll never get rid of it completely but on mine it was al lot less after the sabsteef flash.
In first he's nervous because that gear is short and aggressive and in seccond the RPM's are often too low and than it's the worst with the OEM programming.

[CT_Ron]

Well I'm not going tinkering on the final drive. A fresh oil bath is all it's getting...

It's a shame, because it really does take away the fun of city driving. As you said, I either have to ride aggressive in first or headbang away in 2nd... I have a feeling it has gotten worse. My bike has 105K on the clock.

[DE65Y]

If I'm going slow enough for free play to show, then I personnally would be applying the back brake (and a little bit of the front - linked brakes) in order to keep things taught.
Isn't that also supposed to help with balance.

[CT_Ron]

It is, but I'm still well balanced at 15kmph, but the slack is already there in 2nd gear, when I let the engine chuck forward

[matt28]

I had the same, then installed Booster Plug and noticed after yesterday's ride that final drive backslash is noticeably smaller, but still can feel it. 

[CT_Ron]

Originally Posted by matt28

I had the same, then installed Booster Plug and noticed after yesterday's ride that final drive backslash is noticeably smaller, but still can feel it.

I've read about the boosterplug. Is it easy to install? I'm no stranger in removing crosstourer parts, but I really don't want to deal with any computer software.

[matt28]

Originally Posted by CT_Ron

I've read about the boosterplug. Is it easy to install? I'm no stranger in removing crosstourer parts, but I really don't want to deal with any computer software.

Very easy, same work as when you replacing air filter - https://www.crosstourer.com/index.php/topic,7092.8.html