Transmission Shifter Question

J

jdarrough

Member

Nov 6, 2001

7

0

• Nov 29, 2004

• #1

I went riding yesterday and my 97 KDX220 would not shift out of first gear. I had been riding for over 2 hours with not problems and all of a sudden I could not shift from 1st. Nothing unusual happened and the shifter operates up and down but nothing happens. I loaded the bike up and came home. I have never had the motor apart or the clutch side case off. I looked in the Kawasaki service manual but thought I might ask for your assistance before starting to work on the bike. Where should I start? Thank you for your help. Jim

 

M

Mike McGlade

Member

Jan 13, 2000

57

0

• Nov 29, 2004

• #2

Where to start

Jim,

Try the troubleshooting guide in the back of the manual. There is a section for transmission problems and a list of possible solutions to those problems. It sounds like it may be a bad return spring on the shifting linkage-not an internal trans part. Good luck.

 

M

motorider200

Member

Nov 11, 2002

206

0

• Nov 29, 2004

• #3

You will most likely need to pull the right hand side cover off to get a look at what is going on. It could be a spring that has come loose or broke.

 

C

css_elfers

Member

Aug 26, 2004

166

0

• Nov 29, 2004

• #4

same thing happend on my 300 exc. It would shift fine cold but after it warmed up good (a couple of miles) I couldnt shift. It turned out to be the nut on the shifter wasnt tight and would slip after warming up. You might wanna check that first befor you get in it to deep.

ELF

 

J

john_bilbrey

Member

Mar 22, 2003

255

0

• Nov 30, 2004

• #5

Could also be the shifter has "moved" on the spline. When I got my bike I didn't like the way the shifter was on, so I adjusted to get my boot under it. When I got it where I wanted it, it wouldn't up-shift because of the big "chunk" on the base of the lever was hitting the case. I had to take the old dremel to it and do a little shaving. Perhaps yours hit something and moved? Just something to check.

 

J

jdarrough

Member

Nov 6, 2001

7

0

• Nov 30, 2004

• Thread starter
• #6

Thanks so much for the suggestions. The nut on the shaft is tight and the shaft is moving okay. I will remove the side cover and look to see if the return spring has come undone. Do I have to remove the clutch basket to see the spring or is it visible with the basket intact? Thanks again, Jim.

 

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motorider200

Member

Nov 11, 2002

206

0

• Dec 1, 2004

• #7

I dont rememer if you have to remove the basket to look at stuff but in order to get the shifter mechanism out you have to remove the basket. A while back I had the kips actuater pin break off and some metal fragments got in between the two plates that slide together on the shifter mechanism which caused it not to shift. Luckly it didn't cause any other damage.