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Running Better.. but where's 5th

Started by Bill, April 19, 2014, 06:44:01 PM

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Bill

I have been applying Zen and the Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance to this project.  I've got it running and took it for a several mile ride.  Cautiously, cause I'd have to push it home if it breaks down and I'm over 60.  Shifted right up through the gears 1 - 4 but I was expecting a 5th gear and it wouldn't engage.  No grinding or anything else and if I didn't know better I would have thought this was just a 4 speed bike.  I wasn't going very fast when I tried to engage 5th gear.  Maybe 45 mph.  I think I'm going to need 5th gear.  I have had shift mechanism off when I removed left cover for stator replacement but didn't change any adjustments.  Checked the posts for an hour but couldn't find anyone else with this problem.  Any advice would be appreciated.

The Prophet of Doom

Try adjusting the lever height upwards a few mm.  My guess would be your shift lever is set too low and it's binding just enough to prevent that last gear change.

George R. Young

Also, with the engine off and the bike on the centerstand, you could check if it shifts up to 5th by hand.

Rikugun

#3
When trying for 5th does the lever move against spring action or resist movement altogether?

QuoteShifted right up through the gears 1 - 4...
I'm sure you meant "up" figuratively but I'd be remiss if I didn't offer up starting in 2nd would give you only 4 gear choices.  :P  :)
It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is then to persist in delusion, however satisfying or reassuring.  Carl Sagan

Bill

Yes, of course, starting in first and moving through 2nd, 3rd, and 4th until it feels like spring resistance on attempt to shift to 5th.  Tried moving through gears on kickstand, motor off, but will only go in 1st, 2nd and 3rd.  4th will not engage.  Don't know if it was working prior to my removing the shift mechanism.  I see how if positioned wrong on splines it will bump against case and I positioned just high enough to prevent this.  I have not adjusted the rod connecting the shift lever to the splined bit coming from the tranny.  It has me nervous about something wrong with tranny. Any suggestions?

QBS

On center stand with the engine off, clutch disengaged, you can help the transmission shift by gently rotating the back wheel back and forth against the transmission.

Rikugun

#6
It certainly would have helped to know if all 5 gears were functioning prior to dismantling the outside linkage. QBS suggestion is a good tip BTW for anyone buying a non-running used bike. Being able to engage all the gears in this way isn't a guarantee all is well internally. If on the other hand you encounter a scenario similar to Bill's, it's nearly guaranteed something is wrong.

Re-assembling the outside linkage exactly as it was removed is good only if it was correct to begin with. I'd think if the lower gears worked, fifth would too but certainly your point of bumping up against the case and proper spline indexing/and adjustment are important. A few photos would help.
EDIT: Just read your new thread where it's been addressed successfully....
It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is then to persist in delusion, however satisfying or reassuring.  Carl Sagan

Jimustanguitar

Quote from: Bill on April 20, 2014, 02:09:51 PMI see how if positioned wrong on splines it will bump against case and I positioned just high enough to prevent this.  I have not adjusted the rod connecting the shift lever to the splined bit coming from the tranny.  It has me nervous about something wrong with tranny. Any suggestions?

Somewhere there's a setup guide that shows the dimension to adjust the rod to and the correct angle for the knuckle that goes onto the shaft. Do that as a starting place.

I discovered that if the shifter is not adjusted well, not only do you have potential interference with the case covers, but you reach the end of the "useful" rotation on the splined shaft and simply can't reach the next gear by a degree or two.