I have a new clutch cable and I adjusted it at both the handle and the side cover, contrary to what I have read all over this forum I do not have any issue shifting into neutral under any circumstances, but I did notice every so often, when I go from fourth to fifth gear in won't engage, almost like it's in neutral, but that seems to be a common problem? My question is... When at a stop light should I be in neutral? Or in first with the clutch disengaged? Is it causing undo stress on the components if you have it in first. Also I often down shift when slowing rather then squeezing the clutch in and coasting, that is the only time I have trouble downshifting is if I had coasted to a stop in a high gear then trying to get it into first. Finally is it normal for the clutch to engage at the last 25 percent of releasing the lever? Mine is adjusted exactly as the manual prescribes. Please understand this is my first motorcycle so I'm a little new to this, but for 300 bucks and some work it is awesome.
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Dumb shifting question
- Thread starter Nate7504
- Start date
Mine does that too; 1978 SOHC. I seem to have a "second neutral" between fourth and fifth that I find on occasion. Other than that I don't have any issue with the transmission.
You don't need to be in neutral at a stop light. You can just hold the clutch in and stay in first. I only generally shift to neutral if I am at a long light so my hand doesn't get tired. No, it is not causing any excessive wear to the components.
I downshift and slow one gear at a time more often than not to use engine braking in combination with the brakes. I actually don't recommend "coasting" from, say, fifth gear all the way to a stop and downshifting once you've stopped.
Shifting down and putting the bike in lower gears as you slow means you will always be in the right gear at the right speed. Imagine you've stopped and you're still in fifth because you haven't shifted down yet. Now imagine a car is driving straight at you. You don't want to be fumbling with the transmission in that situation. You want to already be in first so you can get out of the way. On a motorcycle you're a bee. You advantage in safety despite being exposed is that you are small and fast; use that to your advantage as much as possible.
I've always been engine-braking on all my motorcycles and my cars. My current car is on 90,000 miles (from brand new) with the original clutch and brakes and I always use engine braking to slow down. One thing you'll want to learn about, however, is rev-matching your down-shifts.
Additionally, engine braking can be combined with the brakes for some blisteringly quick stops, but this requires some expertise to execute under stress in an emergency. It's something that needs to be practiced a lot ahead of time.
The point at which the clutch engages when you release the lever can be adjusted. You can use the adjustment at the lever or on the case to fine tune this. You can test it while the bike is off. Tune the tension on the cable while the bike is in first and off. Walk the bike with the clutch pulled in while in first gear and the engine is off. Slowly let the clutch out while walking and when it engages first gear will stop the bike rolling.
The engagement point is up to preference. I like mine to engage "late" personally. There is no "correct" adjustment so long as everything works as it should.
You don't need to be in neutral at a stop light. You can just hold the clutch in and stay in first. I only generally shift to neutral if I am at a long light so my hand doesn't get tired. No, it is not causing any excessive wear to the components.
I downshift and slow one gear at a time more often than not to use engine braking in combination with the brakes. I actually don't recommend "coasting" from, say, fifth gear all the way to a stop and downshifting once you've stopped.
Shifting down and putting the bike in lower gears as you slow means you will always be in the right gear at the right speed. Imagine you've stopped and you're still in fifth because you haven't shifted down yet. Now imagine a car is driving straight at you. You don't want to be fumbling with the transmission in that situation. You want to already be in first so you can get out of the way. On a motorcycle you're a bee. You advantage in safety despite being exposed is that you are small and fast; use that to your advantage as much as possible.
I've always been engine-braking on all my motorcycles and my cars. My current car is on 90,000 miles (from brand new) with the original clutch and brakes and I always use engine braking to slow down. One thing you'll want to learn about, however, is rev-matching your down-shifts.
Additionally, engine braking can be combined with the brakes for some blisteringly quick stops, but this requires some expertise to execute under stress in an emergency. It's something that needs to be practiced a lot ahead of time.
The point at which the clutch engages when you release the lever can be adjusted. You can use the adjustment at the lever or on the case to fine tune this. You can test it while the bike is off. Tune the tension on the cable while the bike is in first and off. Walk the bike with the clutch pulled in while in first gear and the engine is off. Slowly let the clutch out while walking and when it engages first gear will stop the bike rolling.
The engagement point is up to preference. I like mine to engage "late" personally. There is no "correct" adjustment so long as everything works as it should.
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You can leave it in first at a light. Slowing the bike down by down shifting is normal and not a bad thing to do. If the bike has a lot of miles on it or was abused in the past there may be some wear and or damage to the shift drum causing your fifth gear problem. I may be when your shifting with your foot you are not pushing hard enough to get it fully into gear. I notice with older bikes this can happen. Has the bike sat for a lot time? Yes these clutches don't disengage until the last bit.
I have rotella 15w40 in there now, but it's cold as hell still, plus my feet are cold so it's possible I just didn't engage the shifter hard enough, every other aspect of the Trans operation is spot on and smooth.
It's quite normal if the bike has been sitting that long that you just have to beat the cobwebs out of the system. I'd say put another few 100's of miles on it and then see if it still happens.
All 3 old bikes I've had since starting up again 3 years ago have been tricky shifters and several times I've found myself absent mindedly sitting at a stop in 3rd, 4th or 5th. It can be embarrassing. Firstly, because if the bike doesn't stall right away, it bucks. Secondly, after it stalls, it is VERY hard to shift down into 1st or, even harder, into neutral.
That is why it is always best to shift into neutral just before you come to a complete stop. Especially while learning to ride. And that is why the old owners' manuals used to give beginner instructions on how to shift gears.
Sure enough, Yamaha recommends, in writing, to coast to a stop and get it into neutral while still moving.
I agree with BC that being in 1st at a stop is prudent so you can take off instantly (if you don't panic and forget to open the throttle enough - see above re: bucking). And I agree that you should practice matching revs - if not to employ engine braking, then for a smooth downshift so you can accelerate out of turns (great fun). However, I found that while learning to ride (again), there was so much to pay attention to and get right, that more often than not, I would coast to stops and get it into neutral-then-first while still rolling.
All thanks to the "instructions" in my sr250 manual:
That is why it is always best to shift into neutral just before you come to a complete stop. Especially while learning to ride. And that is why the old owners' manuals used to give beginner instructions on how to shift gears.
Sure enough, Yamaha recommends, in writing, to coast to a stop and get it into neutral while still moving.
I agree with BC that being in 1st at a stop is prudent so you can take off instantly (if you don't panic and forget to open the throttle enough - see above re: bucking). And I agree that you should practice matching revs - if not to employ engine braking, then for a smooth downshift so you can accelerate out of turns (great fun). However, I found that while learning to ride (again), there was so much to pay attention to and get right, that more often than not, I would coast to stops and get it into neutral-then-first while still rolling.
All thanks to the "instructions" in my sr250 manual:
Attachments
Yes, old transmissions do change gears much easier when the rear wheel/transmission is spinning. A lot of times when people are working on one of these in the garage or something they think the transmission has become "stuck" in gear when all it takes is a spin of the wheel to persuade it to change gears. I worked on a '75 Honda CB360 that did the exact same thing. It didn't want to change gears unless the rear wheel/transmission was spinning.
I also rescued a lady on a Harley that was stuck at a light because of this. She couldn't get the thing to change gears. All I did was walk the bike forward and change gears at the same time; easy! It does happen though.
I also rescued a lady on a Harley that was stuck at a light because of this. She couldn't get the thing to change gears. All I did was walk the bike forward and change gears at the same time; easy! It does happen though.
Recreateme
XS400 Addict
I have found that if i simply walk my bike forward/backwards after a shift but before the next it will shift MUCH easier.
For example - I am sitting at a stop in 3rd, and i want to be in first. I can shift down to 2nd, roll the bike back/foward a bit and then kick down to first. Without doing this i find that i will push down and it wont engage, the roll is what helps it click in. 90% of the time it works every time.
For example - I am sitting at a stop in 3rd, and i want to be in first. I can shift down to 2nd, roll the bike back/foward a bit and then kick down to first. Without doing this i find that i will push down and it wont engage, the roll is what helps it click in. 90% of the time it works every time.
Dblokxs4
XS400 Member
My bike goes backward walking it but if I Tryon go forward the back tire locks up even when I have the clutch in
