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can't shift into 1st or 2nd
Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 5:42 pm
by Kelly Cash
Hi all,
I have a '99 KLR 650. On a road trip, my bike started getting weirder and
weirder. When trying to find first gear, it only seems to find
neutral. It started out missing first only once out of 5 tries, but now I
can't get to first at all, whether moving or not. The problem's gotten
worse- I now can't get into second when moving.
This made a recent 535 mile ride home from Death Valley rather
entertaining. But I got home, by running stop signs and lights, and
slipping the clutch and revving a bit to get moving from a stop when in
2nd or 3rd. (I'm sure I'll be replacing the clutch discs sometime
sooner than expected...)
Does anyone have any experience with this? Is it something that's known,
or relatively easy to fix? Barring that, does anyone know a good mechanic
in the S.F. Bay Area who'd have expertise with this engine/trans? I know
better than to ever take anything to Grand Prix bike shop; not sure how
Bike World in Sunnyvale is.
I might be inclined to yank the motor and take it somwhere. The could fix
this problem, stop an oil leak, do the doohickey fix all at the same time.
I wish the people who made diesel KLRs were selling to the public now.
Thanks,
-K
================================================================
Kelly Cash Email: kelly@...
Web:
http://www.the-clearing.org
================================================================
can't shift into 1st or 2nd
Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 6:24 pm
by Arden Kysely
The easy stuff: If you have the stock shifter, check that it's not
cracked at either weld. It's a cheese-mo piece and sometimes gets
weak enough before breaking that it won't shift well. Also, top off
the oil if you haven't already. KLRs shift better when they have
plenty of oil.
__Arden
--- In
DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, Kelly Cash wrote:
>
> Hi all,
>
> I have a '99 KLR 650. On a road trip, my bike started getting
weirder and
> weirder. When trying to find first gear, it only seems to find
> neutral. It started out missing first only once out of 5 tries,
but now I
> can't get to first at all, whether moving or not. The problem's
gotten
> worse- I now can't get into second when moving.
>
> This made a recent 535 mile ride home from Death Valley rather
> entertaining. But I got home, by running stop signs and lights,
and
> slipping the clutch and revving a bit to get moving from a stop
when in
> 2nd or 3rd. (I'm sure I'll be replacing the clutch discs sometime
> sooner than expected...)
>
> Does anyone have any experience with this? Is it something that's
known,
> or relatively easy to fix? Barring that, does anyone know a good
mechanic
> in the S.F. Bay Area who'd have expertise with this engine/trans?
I know
> better than to ever take anything to Grand Prix bike shop; not sure
how
> Bike World in Sunnyvale is.
>
> I might be inclined to yank the motor and take it somwhere. The
could fix
> this problem, stop an oil leak, do the doohickey fix all at the
same time.
>
> I wish the people who made diesel KLRs were selling to the public
now.
>
> Thanks,
>
> -K
>
> ================================================================
> Kelly Cash Email: kelly@...
> Web:
http://www.the-clearing.org
> ================================================================
>
can't shift into 1st or 2nd
Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 6:27 pm
by a14@att.net
Most likely the weld broke on the shift lever. Simple fix.
Walt
> Hi all,
>
> I have a '99 KLR 650. On a road trip, my bike started getting weirder and
> weirder. When trying to find first gear, it only seems to find
> neutral. It started out missing first only once out of 5 tries, but now I
> can't get to first at all, whether moving or not. The problem's gotten
> worse- I now can't get into second when moving.
>
> This made a recent 535 mile ride home from Death Valley rather
> entertaining. But I got home, by running stop signs and lights, and
> slipping the clutch and revving a bit to get moving from a stop when in
> 2nd or 3rd. (I'm sure I'll be replacing the clutch discs sometime
> sooner than expected...)
>
> Does anyone have any experience with this? Is it something that's known,
> or relatively easy to fix? Barring that, does anyone know a good mechanic
> in the S.F. Bay Area who'd have expertise with this engine/trans? I know
> better than to ever take anything to Grand Prix bike shop; not sure how
> Bike World in Sunnyvale is.
>
> I might be inclined to yank the motor and take it somwhere. The could fix
> this problem, stop an oil leak, do the doohickey fix all at the same time.
>
> I wish the people who made diesel KLRs were selling to the public now.
>
> Thanks,
>
> -K
>
can't shift into 1st or 2nd
Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 6:29 pm
by Tengai Mark Van Horn
At 3:39 PM -0700 4/4/07, Kelly Cash wrote:
>I have a '99 KLR 650. On a road trip, my bike started getting weirder and
>weirder. When trying to find first gear, it only seems to find
>neutral. It started out missing first only once out of 5 tries, but now I
>can't get to first at all, whether moving or not. The problem's gotten
>worse- I now can't get into second when moving.
Is the shifter lever loose on the shaft?
>I wish the people who made diesel KLRs were selling to the public now.
That makes no sense. What does a diesel bike have to do with the transmission?
Mark
can't shift into 1st or 2nd
Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 6:50 pm
by Kelly Cash
> Is the shifter lever loose on the shaft?
I'll look. I don't think so- It shifts smoothly between 3rd-5th.
>> I wish the people who made diesel KLRs were selling to the public now.
> That makes no sense. What does a diesel bike have to do with the
> transmission?
Absoultely nothing. But it's something I've wanted, and getting a
replacement engine/trans would negate the need to fix this immediately.
Thanks,
-K
================================================================
Kelly Cash Email: kelly@...
Web:
http://www.the-clearing.org
================================================================
can't shift into 1st or 2nd
Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 7:34 pm
by Tengai Mark Van Horn
At 4:45 PM -0700 4/4/07, Kelly Cash wrote:
>> Is the shifter lever loose on the shaft?
>I'll look. I don't think so- It shifts smoothly between 3rd-5th.
I had a lever loosen up on me a couple times. It caused the lever to
contact the frame when down shifting to first. On the upshift to 2nd,
I would occasionally miss the shift because the extra slop needed me
to lift my toe higher to engage 2nd gear. For some reason, 2nd didn't
seem to want to "catch" with the loose lever. Upshifting to 3rd-5th
and downshifting from 5th to 2nd wasn't an issue.
Sometimes you can't get the lever to grab the shaft tightly even
though the screw is down tight. When that happens, you need to widen
the groove to allow it to clamp down more on the splines.
Mark
can't shift into 1st or 2nd
Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 7:44 pm
by Kelly Cash
> Most likely the weld broke on the shift lever. Simple fix.
>
> Walt
You're referring to a shift fork in the engine? I doubt it's the external
lever, as it is a heavy-duty replacement. (though I won't say it can't be; I
haven't looked at it that closely recently)
Thanks!
-K
================================================================
Kelly Cash Email: kelly@...
Web:
http://www.the-clearing.org
================================================================
can't shift into 1st or 2nd
Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 7:44 pm
by Kelly Cash
a14@... wrote:
> The external lever. It is common for the stock lever to break at the weld
> If you already replaced it with an aftermarket one they have less clearance
> at the frame and as was mentioned by someone else on the list if it is
> loose on the splines you get the same result. You may only need to tighten
> the 10mm hex head bolt holding the lever on the shaft. Check the simple
> things first.
>
> Walt
Okay, I checked. Turns out the shift lever bolt was as tight as it
could go, and yet the lever was still loose on the shaft. 1/3 of the
splines were stripped (or worn) off near the mounting bolt. This is the
Dual-Star replacement shift lever. I replaced the lever with the stock
one, and all's fine.
Apparently I must have a discussion with Dual Star. By not being able
to downshift to first in the gravel, I dropped the bike, breaking a
mount for my Jesse bags (which weren't on at the time). Cost me $40 to
get it welded out on the road.
Thanks for the advice all, and I'm glad it didn't involve going inside
the engine.
Cheers,
-K
================================================================
Kelly Cash Email: kelly@...
Web:
http://www.the-clearing.org
================================================================
can't shift into 1st or 2nd
Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 7:54 pm
by Fred Hink
The shift lever has threads in only one half of the clamp part. Your bolt could be tight because it was started in the treaded part first. Make sure the head of the bolt is facing up on the top part of the clamp starting in the untreaded half of the clamp. If the head of the bolt is facing up then check to see if there is any gap left in the clamp. If not then you can open up this gap by squeezing together the clamp in a vice and using a hacksaw to cut open this gap.
Fred
www.arrowheadmotorsports.com
----- Original Message -----
From: Kelly Cash
To: a14@... ;
DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tuesday, April 03, 2007 6:43 PM
Subject: Re: [DSN_KLR650] Can't shift into 1st or 2nd
a14@... wrote:
> The external lever. It is common for the stock lever to break at the weld
> If you already replaced it with an aftermarket one they have less clearance
> at the frame and as was mentioned by someone else on the list if it is
> loose on the splines you get the same result. You may only need to tighten
> the 10mm hex head bolt holding the lever on the shaft. Check the simple
> things first.
>
> Walt
Okay, I checked. Turns out the shift lever bolt was as tight as it
could go, and yet the lever was still loose on the shaft. 1/3 of the
splines were stripped (or worn) off near the mounting bolt. This is the
Dual-Star replacement shift lever. I replaced the lever with the stock
one, and all's fine.
Apparently I must have a discussion with Dual Star. By not being able
to downshift to first in the gravel, I dropped the bike, breaking a
mount for my Jesse bags (which weren't on at the time). Cost me $40 to
get it welded out on the road.
Thanks for the advice all, and I'm glad it didn't involve going inside
the engine.
Cheers,
-K
================================================================
Kelly Cash Email: kelly@...
Web:
http://www.the-clearing.org
================================================================
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
can't shift into 1st or 2nd
Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2007 9:05 pm
by Luke in Brooklyn
Kelly--
I ended up clearancing the "gap" in my aftermarket
shifter to make it wider, using a cutting disc on the
dremel carefully held in between... actually I may
have used the cylindrical carbide cutter attachment,
can't remember... then used a longer bolt--so long
that it pokes out significantly on the far side. I
made REAL sure it was how I like it, then cranked it
WAY down with the super strong loctite on it. With
the widended gap it grabbed really well. Then I
dabbed on a bit more loctite and backed on a nyloc nut
to the exposed threads of the too-long bolt, as a sort
of double lock nut arrangement. That was almost 20k
ago I'd say, and it's rock solid. If your splines are
already trash you're SOL, but I was able to save it in
time.
Luke
> Okay, I checked. Turns out the shift lever bolt was
> as tight as it
> could go, and yet the lever was still loose on the
> shaft. 1/3 of the
> splines were stripped (or worn) off near the
> mounting bolt. This is the
> Dual-Star replacement shift lever.
Brooklyn NY
92 CB750 nighthawk--naked simpleton
03 KLR650--fat girl with a dirty mind
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