[Paulhark]

HELP PLEASE
Bought my 2012 Victory Judge today, my last ride was a Suzuki m109r that had a shaft drive. What's worrying me, is with the gears, when you're in low gears, say going around a roundabout, you get a lot of, what I'd call back slapping, like if it was a chain drive and the chain was really loose. When your on and off with the throttle, you get the slapping and jerking with it metallic noise along with the slapping. Apart from this, it's a good ride. So I'm wondering should I be worried or II the normal for belt driven bikes.

 

[BBob]

HELP PLEASE
Bought my 2012 Victory Judge today, my last ride was a Suzuki m109r that had a shaft drive. What's worrying me, is with the gears, when you're in low gears, say going around a roundabout, you get a lot of, what I'd call back slapping, like if it was a chain drive and the chain was really loose. When your on and off with the throttle, you get the slapping and jerking with it metallic noise along with the slapping. Apart from this, it's a good ride. So I'm wondering should I be worried or II the normal for belt driven bikes.

I think what you're hearing is the mechanical compensator that is designed to take the jerkiness out of the on/off throttle response. Completely normal in Victory bikes.

You will quickly get used to it and yes, it does feel different than a shaft drive.

 

[Chattanooga_Mark]

Try running at a lower gear and a higher rpm. What you’re hearing is driveline lash. As has been said, quite normal on a Victory 106”.

Also practice smooth throttle control, easier in a lower gear as well. What you may be doing is going through a roundabout mostly coasting in too high a gear. Then when you abruptly add throttle, you hear all the slop in the drive immediately tighten up.

Also make sure your throttle cables are properly adjusted. Too much freeplay exacerbates abrupt throttle engagement thereby increasing the sound of driveline lash.

There is no mechanical ‘fix’ for it, but it’s greatly reduced by rider technique.

Congratulations on the Judge, one of my favorite models as I love the cast wheel and chubby front tire look.

And, yea, post some pictures of that beautiful Judge or we’ll immediately accuse you of lying etc. 😄

Also, what mods has the bike had, aesthetic and performance. We really enjoy making performance mod suggestions and spending others peoples money. 😎

 

[Smokier104]

Greetings @Paulhark

If you have not seen this video, I'd encourage you to watch it. When my Harley friend first rode my CCT, he advised me that he thought my drive chain was loose and I should replace it. I showed him the video below.

All that to say, in the right on-off-on situations, like a round about, the 'slap' can be very noticeable, and very normal.

Oh, Congratulations and Welcome to the VOG!

Ride safe,
Smokier

 

[NY mike]

Run your RPM a bit higher as suggested try running a gear lower maybe. No matter what I ride Harley victory Indian I rarely run under 2500 rpm

 

[Paulhark]

Thank you everyone for your advice, it has put my mind at rest, thinking there might have been something mechanically wrong. Just have to ride and navigate and approach riding a bit differently than what I'm use to.
As for mods, the previous owner replaced the stock exhaust with a custom made exhaust from here in Perth Western Australia and had it powder coated. Added a separate tacho, so you have twin gauges, add dual headlights.
The tank etc has been resprayed with a gloss finish, that is close to the original colour.
The bike needs a bit of a tidy up, little bits of slight rusting here and there, and it has 2 chips on the tank, which I'll try and get color matched. Thanks guys

 

[VicVisionBulldog]

Like others said, run a higher rpm. Vics prefer that. 3k. What you're feeling is gear lash. A timing wheel may help. I know it did on my Vision.

 

[Paulhark]

Like others said, run a higher rpm. Vics prefer that. 3k. What you're feeling is gear lash. A timing wheel may help. I know it did on my Vision.

Thanks for the advice vic

 

[BBob]

Thank you everyone for your advice, it has put my mind at rest, thinking there might have been something mechanically wrong. Just have to ride and navigate and approach riding a bit differently than what I'm use to.
As for mods, the previous owner replaced the stock exhaust with a custom made exhaust from here in Perth Western Australia and had it powder coated. Added a separate tacho, so you have twin gauges, add dual headlights.
The tank etc has been resprayed with a gloss finish, that is close to the original colour.
The bike needs a bit of a tidy up, little bits of slight rusting here and there, and it has 2 chips on the tank, which I'll try and get color matched. Thanks guys View attachment 654298
View attachment 654299
View attachment 654297
View attachment 654296

She's a beauty! Congrats!

 

[Paulhark]

She's a beauty! Congrats!

Thanks Bob for your kind words

 

[Sporty45]

Love the color!

 

[Chattanooga_Mark]

Yup, that orange Judge just does it.

Congratulations on that classic Victory @Paulhark

 

[Bikesofbrads]

Happy endings this good usually costs extra, tug tug

 

[Bikesofbrads]

going around a roundabout, you get a lot of, what I'd call back slapping

Use a lower gear / higher revs or finger the clutch if you need to get back on the positive side ie on the power, the negative side is when you’re off the gas & coasting. Vics were engineered as an muscle cruiser and they want to be ridden as such, not abused but ridden with purpose & intent, including your shift points, listen to her, know where it makes power and stay in the power, she’ll tell you how she wants to be ridden & ps, it’s everyday / all day!!

 

[Big_Cheeze]

Beautiful Bike!

 

[Chattanooga_Mark]

If you can return it to it's original and glorious single gauge and single headlight I think it would be well worth doing so.

I think even the Victory Bullet style headlight could look nice on the Judge.

IMHO, a Victory Judge has to have the early style unique seat with the oval side covers. Orange would be my color of choice as well. Though Polaris painted a few of them in a beautiful blue with a thick white stripe on the tank.

 

[RoteBarron]

Run your RPM a bit higher as suggested try running a gear lower maybe. No matter what I ride Harley victory Indian I rarely run under 2500 rpm

Welcome to the OP. I know I "knew" the stuff in the video, but never "thought" about it. Had mine apart to replace the sprag. Sadly, didn't realize the starter was the "same one" (Or just design?) as 1999. Great video, thanks or posting. Made me a wee bit smarter. Rock on! ;-)

 

[Paulhark]

Try running at a lower gear and a higher rpm. What you’re hearing is driveline lash. As has been said, quite normal on a Victory 106”.

Also practice smooth throttle control, easier in a lower gear as well. What you may be doing is going through a roundabout mostly coasting in too high a gear.then when you abruptly add throttle, you hear all the slop in the drive immediately tighten up.

Also make sure your throttle cables are properly adjusted. Too much freeplay exacerbates abrupt throttle engagement thereby increasing the sound of driveline lash.

There is no mechanical ‘fix’ for it, but it’s greatly reduced by rider technique.

Congratulations on the Judge, one of my favorite models as I love the cast wheel and chubby front tire look.

And, yea, post some pictures of that beautiful Judge or we’ll immediately accuse you of lying etc. 😄

Also, what mods has the bike had, aesthetic and performance. We really enjoy making performance mod suggestions and spending others peoples money. 😎

Another issue I have, is the previous owner added a dedicated tachometer, unfortunately the face is black where the speedo face is white, looks odd, can you buy a white tacho decal to put over the black, just wondering.

 

[Bikesofbrads]

unfortunately the face is black where the face is white, looks odd,

Should be able to paint or change the decal, maybe someone with the white background is looking to trade for the blacked out version, good luck

 

[Paulhark]

Should be able to paint or change the decal, maybe someone with the white background is looking to trade for the blacked out version, good luck

Hopefully someone may know where to buy them in America, cause there's nothing in Australia