Shifting problems and shift lever

[lemmy]

When I ride I have problems shifting in to 3rd and higher. I keep trying and finally it goes. I am not sure if it is my boots or something wrong with the shifter mechanism. I have thought about getting a different lever to get it in to a better position but the only aftermarket levers I can find is IMS and MSR and I have heard both are crap. Are there any others out there? Any ideas of where I should look for problems in my shifter mechanism? It seems riding around my neighborhood with regular shoes it shifts ok, but I am short shifting because my neighborhood is so small. So I can't say for sure if it is the boots or the shifter mechanism.

To remove the shift shaft, do I have to remove the clutch basket, or will it clear it? Thanks.

 

[sr5bidder]

well try to take an extra set of shoes with ya when you ride next to eleminate that...

Also if your not returning to center after a shift it will not shift again

with boots i have found I have to remove the shifter and reinstall a few teeth up
In other words the tip of the sifter has to be moved up in order to fit the boot under it properly

 

[muddertrucker]

What kind of oil are you using? When I used synthetic 0w40 in mine I had trouble going into and out of 2nd. When I whent back to regualr eng oil the problem disapeared.

 

[Dirtymotonut]

I am finding with my xr400r that while riding in a fast and fun way my freaking boots often knock it into neutral while going fast and thus making me look stupid at the worst times! The boots are a pain but would not go with out them no matter what! It is more so my boots and lack of feeling in the toes that cause my error in shifting more than the shifter itself....causes more than a few bad words to escape my gritte :yell: d teeth!

 

[mudpack]

I had to move the shift lever up one spline (from stock location) so my boot would fit under it. After I did that, it would not go into second gear; the shifter's boss/clamp was hitting the cases. :bang:
I had to remove the shift lever and file an upper/inside corner off the boss/clamp. Then it worked fine.

 

[lemmy]

I was using Motul 10/30 Tranny oil (well, that was what was in it when I got it). But lately I have been using 10/40 car oil. Maybe that is the problem.

 

[muddertrucker]

Make sure your car oil does not say "energy conserving" Those oils have friction modifiers that may cause your clutch to slip and may also cause missed gear changes.

 

[mudpack]

Do not use automotive oil in your motorcycle's gearbox.
Use motorcycle oil; it has additives that make it compatible with the high shear forces found in a gearbox that automotive oils do not have.
MC oil in your gearbox is cheap insurance.

 

[lemmy]

I have to admit that the shift problems may have started when I started using car oil. I was planning on going to Rotella T 10W30. I have heard many people using it for motorcycles. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shell_Rotella_T

 

[sr5bidder]

Do not use automotive oil in your motorcycle's gearbox.
Use motorcycle oil; it has additives that make it compatible with the high shear forces found in a gearbox that automotive oils do not have.
MC oil in your gearbox is cheap insurance.

check it out guys shear ...viscosity breakdown???

http://www.nightrider.com/biketech/oiltest1.htm

Don't believe the bull.... I have used castrol gtx in all my bikes useually on sale at autozone or advanced for 9.98 a gallon comared to "motorcycle oils" its like a 4 for a dollar sale!!

I find that when shifting becomes stiff or sticky its time to change the oil

 

[lemmy]

I change my oil after every 1-2 rides so changing the oil is definitely not the solution.

 

[mudpack]

I find that when shifting becomes stiff or sticky its time to change the oil

You aren't changing your gearbox oil NEARLY often enough. Don't wait until the oil has broken down completely before changing it, my friend.
And, perhaps, if you used good MC oil instead of the cheapest automotive oil you can find, your shifting wouldn't get stiff/stickey....??? ;)

As I said before, good MC oil is cheap insurance.
Some folks like to use the best they can get for their beloved motorcycles....some folks like to use the cheapest they can get away with. Your bike/your choice.

 

[muddertrucker]

Your bike/your choice.

Exeactly!

 

[lemmy]

But as someone in another forum has said: (paraphrased) "some use expensive oil and change every ride, some use cheap oil and change once/year. But ultimately you hear of very very few problems with the tranny on this bike." I have also heard about car oils or synthetic oils making clutches slip for years. I have used car synthetic oil in my R6 race bike and the clutch has never slipped at all. So I am not saying it isn't true, but I have never actually seen it myself.

 

[mudpack]

I have also heard about car oils or synthetic oils making clutches slip ...... but I have never actually seen it myself.

Same here. I don't buy into the clutch-slip thing all that much, but I do know that gearboxes have different lubrication requirements than do engines. As for myself, I'll spend the extra $3, just for peace-of-mind. :cool:

Yes, back in the sixties, I put Castrol oil in my Hondas; the same Castrol I put in my Toyota and Chevy. Never had any issues with it, either. In the nineties, I put Mobil 1 (automotive oil) in my Suzuki 1100...ran it over 80,000 miles before a strange knocking noise caused me to put it out to pasture. Was that noise caused by not using a MC oil??? I don't know and never will.... probably not, but that motor was extremely under-stressed.
Today, with my modern dirt bikes, I use lubricants that I have confidence in....and I don't feel good about using automotive oil in my bikes. To my way of thinking, there is better stuff available for the application.