While I am letting out the clutch and motoring away from a stop, the clutch makes a very odd groaning sound.
It happens randomly, riding single or 2 up....

Anyone else experience this?
Thoughts?

Its a 2010 with 21k miles....

 

I assume you are speaking about the noise at the handlebars, not down where the clutch is in the engine.
Mine does this I think when its hot outside.
I believe this is just fluid getting through the reseviour.

my clutch makes a groany squeal quite often from a stop.  WTH?  2011

Mine does it too. 

Mine does it not... 

It's definitely coming from the engine....
Seems to be random I posted because it did it twice today while out on a ride with the significant other....

Mine did it also. Sprayed a tad bit of WD-40 around the adjustment dial and it went away. Had this problem for years on the Goldwing and went so far as replacing the pivot bushing. Sprayed those also and the little groan/squeal went away on those as well.

It's definitely coming from the engine....
Seems to be randon, I posted because it did it twice today while out on a ride with the significant other....

That's when it happens the most with me.  It doesn't happen often but it happens.

Mine does it too. I launch that thing pretty hard sometimes.

I've had the groan too, and it definitely comes from the engine not the lever.  2010 ABS w/11000 miles.  Random and not often but it does happen every now and again.  Oil types don't seem to matter or change the randomness.  I broke mine in with Kawi oil and switched to Mobil 1 4T and I'm now running Rotella T 15-40 but it's always done it so I wrote off oil type being the culprit.  This topic comes up in a thread on here about once a year or so but there has never been a fix suggested.  I just ride on and figure it's a characteristic of the C14 motor.  Warranty and KiPass will protect me!  Sure would be nice to know why this happens though. 

With me, it manifests more with a passenger than not.  Also, it's more likely to happen on an uphill pull from standing start.  It seems to happen more if I have been holding the lever in for awhile.  It hasn't happened enough to be too terribly concerned.  More of quirk, so to speak.

Jim, that's not reflecting well on your passenger.

Jim, that's not reflecting well on your passenger.

Ouch! 

Mine has not groaned or squeaked in 18K mikes.  Single or pillion.  I have had the clutch lever make a groaning noise.......often.....very annoying and when cold sometimes feels like it needs bleeding

Aussie

Mine used to do this once a day, first thing in the morning as I turned right, slightly uphill and off camber out of my driveway onto my street. I learned to avoid it by coasting though the turn with the clutch lever held in and not releasing it until the bike was straight up.

It has not done it since I synchronized my throttle bodies.

It has not done it since I synchronized my throttle bodies.

I had my TB sync'd at 7200 miles and it still does it so I don't think there is a correlation there, but I do think it has something to do with the clutch plates and how the rider lets out the clutch in some way.  I always ride solo, and weigh 195 and she's done it maybe 15 times in 11000+ miles.  At any rate, it's more of an annoyance or "quirk" like Jim mentioned than a big concern for me.  I really think it's the big girls way of saying "let's go"! 

@restless   yes i agree its coming from the clutch and how i engage it .  i find if im more aggressive with the clutxh and throttle it doesnt do it.   not hurting aanything i think its just how the clutch plates are engaging.

@restless   yes i agree its coming from the clutch and how i engage it .  i find if im more aggressive with the clutxh and throttle it doesnt do it.   not hurting aanything i think its just how the clutch plates are engaging.

Mine does it every time on more aggressive starts. I'm not talking about a max power launch. Just that it will not do it if I purposely start slow.

im gonna play with it today ,  ill get back to u

I had my TB sync'd at 7200 miles and it still does it so I don't think there is a correlation there, but I do think it has something to do with the clutch plates and how the rider lets out the clutch in some way.  I always ride solo, and weigh 195 and she's done it maybe 15 times in 11000+ miles.  At any rate, it's more of an annoyance or "quirk" like Jim mentioned than a big concern for me.  I really think it's the big girls way of saying "let's go"! 

Maybe for mine it is a combination of a smoother idling engine plus normal clutch wear at 60,000 miles.