T100 Intermittent Vibration/juddering?

Howdy all,

Hoping you fine folks can do some sleuthing for me and help me understand the problem I'm having.

When I'm riding my new-to-me 2010 T100 which I've had for a few months I'll occasionally feel some significant and disconcerting vibration or juddering in the foot pegs, typically the right foot peg, when I'm releasing the clutch as I accelerate from a stop. The juddering is the worst as I begin to release the clutch lever and progressively lessens the more I let the lever out. This happens maybe 1 in 10 times I take off from a stop and it's happened in a few other situations, all involving clutch operation at low speeds. When I feel it happening, I'll typically speed up my release of the clutch lever to try and power through this juddering zone. The problem never presents when I'm changing gears at higher speeds, just starting speed in first gear. I also don't hear any noticeable noise accompanying the juddering, I only feel it through the pegs.

I've looked around for users with similar issues. Closest matching descriptions are of "clutch chatter" which sounds like it was a problem with the early 00s Bonnies. I've also seen others suggest chain slack, worn sprockets, or a loose front sprocket nut for similarly described issues but I imagine these problems would present more consistent symptoms. I'm also pretty sure I'm not describing the "snatchy throttle" I'm seeing as common to our modern lean-running emissions-friendly Bonnevilles.

What's going on here? Anyone familiar with this issue? I'm fully ready to accept this is somehow an input error on my part since it only happens 2-3 times a ride and the motorcycle is relatively new to me. However the worry that something is wrong or I'm doing some damage to the bike when I experience this juddering is significantly decreasing my enjoyment from the machine.

Thanks in advance. Appreciate anyone taking the time to read that essay. Cheers!

 

Thanks for the response capt! Appreciate your thoughts here.

Been out riding a few times in the last week and I can definitely reduce the frequency of this juddering/vibration by paying super close attention to my clutch control but at least once a ride I'm still getting it.

If it's a matter of adjusting my current clutch is it worth it to just put in a new one entirely? Picked the bike up with 42 km on it and to my knowledge it still has the factory clutch.

 

Okay! Thanks again for the input!

For an update, looks like I might have solved it just by tightening up the chain. I had measured it previously as on the loose side though within tolerance but I’ve gone about two weeks since tightening her up and haven’t experienced the issue again.

I’m not 100% ready to call it solved as I can’t believe a slightly too-loose chain would cause the horrible clattering, juddering I was experiencing but here we are.