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Shifting Problems...

4K views 17 replies 15 participants last post by  spdmarine 
#1 ·
Hi Guys,
Been a lurker around here for the past couple of months. So I first off, want to say thanks to everyone for all their post on the 2012 Wee, who, unbeknownst to them, weighed in heavily on my decision to purchase the Adventure model.:thumbup: To the situation at hand, I was stopped in traffic yesterday and had my bike in 5th gear. While stopped I attempted to shift down into 1st. While going from 5th to 4th, my instrument panel did not display a gear and I could not get the bike to shift. :furious: Of course traffic began to move at this exact moment...So after what seemed like an eternity, I found that if I slightly let re-engaged the clutch, it would let me down shift. BTW this is my first bike, so this maybe normal. :confused: thanks for all the help!
 
#4 ·
When the gear position indicator is blank it's between gears. I say you should be a bit more manly on your effort to shift. Bad idea to stop in high gear. Use engine braking to slow down more.

I'm noticing that my shifter toe is getting sore. I was just out at the garage and there is a knurled knob for adjusting the shifter height. I tried to turn it but it doesn't turn. :confused: Nothing in the owners manual on how to adjust without taking off the shift linkage.
 
#8 · (Edited)
Please don't be MORE MANLY with your shifter in the situation that you are in as DT recommends, you are likely to bend/break something.

As has already been recommended, you should be downshifting as you slow.
If you read your owners manual, then there are recommended speed ranges for each gear. They are not cast in stone.

The bike transmission works differently than a car transmission as far as the shifting goes, movement of the bike while shifting is the way that it should be done.

I would further recommend that with your inexperience that you:
a) take a basic riders skills course
b) find a mentor
c) read your owners manual cover to cover
d) ask questions (you've started down a good path, here!)
e) practice, practice, practice...

DT,
Don't try to turn the 'turnbuckle type' adjuster with too manly an effort, or you're likely to teat that part up, too.
I don't have the bike in front of me at the moment, but if I remember correctly there is a locknut on one end of the adjuster. You need to loosen the lock nut prior to using that adjuster and remember to 're-lock' it when you are done, otherwise it will vibrate apart while going down the road.


Looks like two nuts, actually...
 
#5 ·
...if I slightly let re-engaged the clutch, it would let me down shift.
Yes, this is normal behavior. Having said that, the guys above are right. You should be downshifting as you approach the stop such that you're engine braking as well as you have the bike in an appropriate gear so that you can speed up easily if you have to. As you approach a full stop, you'll find yourself in second or first and won't have to do the downshift shuffle while traffic is backed up behind you.
 
#7 ·
Welcome...common misstake that I still make from time to time. If you forget and find yourself stopped in a gear other than first, try this.

With each downshift while stopped let the clutch lever out just enough to slow the engine a little with each downshift. Don't stomp the shifter...no need to and its hard on the bike. If you do this with each gear she will shift like butter.

I never shift into neutral on the road. Im in 3 or 2 as I stop then downshift to 1. You never know when you will need first to get out of the way of some idiot in a car.
 
#9 ·
The gears need to be moving in order to shift. That is why letting out the clutch a little allowed you to shift. Rocking the bike back and forth works too.
When the gear position indicator is blank it's between gears. I say you should be a bit more manly on your effort to shift. Bad idea to stop in high gear. Use engine braking to slow down more.

I'm noticing that my shifter toe is getting sore. I was just out at the garage and there is a knurled knob for adjusting the shifter height. I tried to turn it but it doesn't turn. :confused: Nothing in the owners manual on how to adjust without taking off the shift linkage.
That knurled knob is for the fine adjustment of the lever but you must first loosen the jam nuts at each end. For a course adjustment, you just need to remove the pinch bolt holding the shifter on the splined shaft. Then you can slide the shifter off and reposition it.
 
#12 ·
Ditto everything said above.

I'm amazed at how well this bike slows by downshifting, I almost hardly need the brakes!

I find I'll squeeze the brake lever just so other motorist know I'm slowing down.

:yesnod:

Engine braking is excellent on this bike.

I figured out my shifter adjustment, I needed to loosen the nuts on each side of the pivots. Went for a ride this morning and the toe felt much better.
 
#13 ·
The problem is that neutral is in the middle. You can't afford to be sloppy about it. A little pressure on the gear lever, flick the clutch in, push it into second decisively, clutch out.
The casual 'give it a poke with yer toe' won't work well if you are hustling.

Better than my K6 by far ;)

Pete
 
#16 ·
Something else you may encounter. At some point, you made decide to shift into neutral prior to stopping. After doing so, it is not uncommon for the motorcycle to not want to shift into first. To get into first in this situation, apply pressure on gear shifter down and slowly release clutch while doing so. It'll pop into gear. I had this happen twice when I was a noob without knowing the trick. :biggrinjester:
 
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