Does my 1980 XS400 Special have 6 gears?!?!

[leeburton]

I know, this is dumb, but you have no idea the lengths that I've gone to to find this out. Last stop...

Every site online says that the 1980 Yamaha XS400 Special is indeed a 6 speed. The dumby stamp on the tranny cover plate indeed says 6 speed. But, I do not have it, can't shift into it. I first thought I lost 6 gear, damaged, whatever, and needed to pull apart my tranny and inspect, and I'm glad I didn't do that yet!

I called around a few shops and they insist that it is not a 6 speed, and that I, and the entire internet world, are retarded for thinking so.

So, dumb question? Do I have simply have a different cover plate that original? Does anyone else in the XS400 community have 6 gears?? Haha

 

[leeburton]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/32697170@N05/5013370588/in/set-72157613367194012

 

[drewpy]

yep, should be 6 gears.

I would check the gear change shaft pawl. Its inside the clutch cover on the left side behind the lickshaft.

You will need to drain the oil out first so its best to do when you service the bike.

it might just need setting up or there may be an issue with return spring. either way, you won't know till you look.

 

[Joshwuh]

Nice photo!

 

[HoughMade]

I guess I'm an idiot...and so is my bike. We both think it has 6 gears.

 

[Ebola Monkey]

It's a 6 speed.

Most of the Jack asses that work at the bike shops have never worked on anything more than a few years old, and half of them have never worked on anything but dirt bikes.

I NEVER get any kind of help from the shops on my older bikes, so I don't even bother anymore.

A service manual, and a web browser will get you better help than any shop.

 

[leeburton]

Thank you gentlemen! I knew it too! Haha I love the internet.

So...next question. What do you think the problem is, not letting me get in there? I've tried it while going, and stopped, no dice.

I guess I know what I'm doing this week, taking it apart and finding out!

 

[HoughMade]

What does it do when you try to shift into 6th? Grind? Nothing? What rpm are you turning at 55 mph?

 

[drewpy]

let the gear pedal rest before moving up to 6th, still say the pawl is not moving over!

 

[01ps]

I know, this is dumb, but you have no idea the lengths that I've gone to to find this out. Last stop...

Every site online says that the 1980 Yamaha XS400 Special is indeed a 6 speed. The dumby stamp on the tranny cover plate indeed says 6 speed. But, I do not have it, can't shift into it. I first thought I lost 6 gear, damaged, whatever, and needed to pull apart my tranny and inspect, and I'm glad I didn't do that yet!

I called around a few shops and they insist that it is not a 6 speed, and that I, and the entire internet world, are retarded for thinking so.

So, dumb question? Do I have simply have a different cover plate that original? Does anyone else in the XS400 community have 6 gears?? Haha

Don't take this the wrong way but you know first is down, the rest are up?

1 N 2 3 4 5 6

If you've never had a bike before maybe you don't know.

 

[Joel]

Another seemingly obvious observation: does your tach work? I know when I test drove my bike it was at night and the tach light didn't work. I thought it was only running on 5 gears just because gears 5 and 6 are so close together it's not all that noticeable unless you look at the tach.

 

[HoughMade]

Another seemingly obvious observation: does your tach work? I know when I test drove my bike it was at night and the tach light didn't work. I thought it was only running on 5 gears just because gears 5 and 6 are so close together it's not all that noticeable unless you look at the tach.

That's one reason I asked what the rpm was at 55 mph.

 

[leeburton]

Hey, sorry for the delaid response, and thanks for all the input.

At about 80-90km/hr, in 5th gear, I count all the way from 1st, 1st being before nuetral I know, I rev to about 4500-4800. I can't really push it much farther than that, or at least, I don't know if I want to, haha. And there is no way that its going into the supposed 6th gear.

It just doesn't feel like its there, no grinding or anything.

I'm going to take a look at it this weekend and see else I can find out.

 

[leeburton]

Is it possible that there is dirt and grim build up that is not allowing the selector, main drive gear, pawl, whatever you call it, to move over to 6th gear position.

 

[Joel]

I'm at about 5,000 RPM at 90 km/h in 6th. I wonder if you're skipping 5th somehow.

 

[Travis]

I stole your 6th gear when you weren't looking!

 

[HoughMade]

If you are doing 90 kph (55mph) at under 5,000 rpm, you are probably making it into 6th gear...as mentioned above, some other gear may be missing.

I turn just under 5,000 rpm at 55mph in 6th gear with a 16 tooth sprocket to a 37 tooth rear sprocket and 18" wheels.