VFR800 hates driving rear wheel on centre stand

Hey everyone

I recently bought a 2000 VFR800 - used to own one years ago, happened to see a few weeks back, heard the whine and decided on the spot I had to get back in the saddle.. Tried a few bikes over the years but getting back onto a VFR felt like I was finally back home.

anyway

I understand that some people lube the chain by putting in in first gear on the centre stand and letting the engine drive the rear wheel round. Ignoring whether or not that's recommended from a safety viewpoint - my bike HATES doing that. It was clanking, bucking, jerking - like it was trying really hard to avoid stalling. The engine was fully warm (I'd been for a ride) and I did try giving it a little throttle to see if it would settle down, which it does, but whenever it got back to idle the same thing started happening. The bike idles perfectly in neutral.

Should the VFR be perfectly happy to quietly spin the rear wheel at idle on the centre stand? Or do they all hate it and behave the same way?
If it's supposed to be OK what are the most likely causes for the behaviour I saw?


Edited to add: I will be lubing the chain by hand, but I thought I'd try the dangerous way and I'm just concerned that the bike really didn't seem to like it.


Thanks in advance
Greg

 

Mine was pretty rough, not horrible, but not as smooth as I would have liked. Idled just fine but jerky in first gear on the centerstand just like you describe. After a maintenance day in which I changed spark plugs, they looked fine BTW, checked and adjusted valve clearance, changed oil and filter, and cleaned the air filter, the bike was very smooth on the centerstand in first gear.

I think the spark plugs were what actually made the difference even though they looked fine. They had 12,000 miles on them and I went to the NGK Iridium plugs. I don't know whether it was just new plugs or the Iridium plugs, but it definitely smoothed out.

I now have 11,000 miles on those plugs and I've noticed a bit of jerkiness on the centerstand, but just a tiny bit. Nothing like it was before, but a bit more than there was 11,000 miles ago.

Take this for what it's worth. Just a data point.

 

I too have noticed this. After washing the bike I sometimes pop the bike into gear while on the center stand to spin the water off the wheel and it seems at times as though it runs a bit rough. Not that the engine sputters but just like you mention, it clanks and bucks a bit. I think it is just because there is no load on the tire and thus the chain so with the extra slack in the chain, it bounces a bit more. If I gently apply the rear brake to apply mild resistance, the bucking and rattling stops. Could be that you have a tight spot in the chain as well. I usually lube the chain on the center stand and rotate the wheel by hand (engine off) and then gently wipe off the excess with a rag. This helps identify if there are any tight spots in the chain as well, because you can feel the links as they pass through your fingers.

It would also appear that FJ and I were typing the response at the same time.

 

The only time mine acted up like that was when the chain was bad....

 

I do it every time in first after a wash just to get excess water off. Never lube my chain with it running..just spin wheel with one hand and lube .....never had any kind of jerky problem...sounds like a loose chain

 

There's no load, so the wheel is getting "impulse drive" at idle / basically loose chatter. It doesn't sound concerning. I bet if there's a tiny friction on the tire, it would smooth out.

 

+ 1 for xorbe.
Don't forget VFR's have an off beat firing order, add chain slack plus cush drives with some wear and no load, you end up with what you describe.
If it's excesive, check for chain and sprocket wear.