Shifting

[sheadouglas]

Whenever I go out riding, and the engine starts to warm up a pretty good bit, I notice that the shifting gets stiffer, and also it is extremely difficult sometimes to get the bike into neutral. Anyone know why this happens? Thanks

[ambassador]

Shea, I have noticed this too especially trying to get it into neutral, sometimes it goes in fine other times not so much... I am using 15w-40 Rotella oil and was thinking about switching to something else on my next oil change and seeing if that fixes it???

[cycleway4]

hi shea and ambass.........I assume your difficulty with going into neutral is at a complete stop? how about if you go for neutral while rolling up to a stop? If its OK then,.....I would just make sure my clutch cable doesnt have too much free-play [I prefer to keep my free-play at a minimum, because as things get hot, the free-play seems to increase],
and then, yes, would try a different oil. The Rotella 15-40 might work great in some applications, but maybe doesnt agree with yours.

its also possible that there might be a clutch plate material, or design issue, that is not going to be easily resolved.............

I prefer Honda GN4 10-40 oil,.....but I have had many customers who swear by the benefits of synthetics [mobil 1, castrol syntec, etc.] for curing all sorts of shifting and clutch related issues.

hope this helps

Steve

[mdsuave13]

after my first ride, i can say my bike shifts wonderfully, very smooth with and without clutch. neutral comes easy and everything is working top notch.

make sure your clutch cable is lubed up well so that you arent hanging up and making the clutch not fully engage or disengage, change your oil frequently (im using castrol gtx 20w-50 (i like heavier oil because i tend to be hard on my vehicles) also make sure your clutch is adjusted properly, if its not fully disengaging when you pull the lever it can make gear changes tough. try those things and see what happens, it may be as simple as an adjustment issue or a tight cable.

[mdsuave13]

also, neutral can be found easier by moving the bike a couple inches after you get into first, then give her the halfsy tap up into the neutral.

Some bikes are finniky like that, i've had some that needed a lil bit of movement after stopping to help find neutral...

[ant]

i adjusted my clutch and it was better

[bfe71730]

I always thought 15/40 was for diesels.......

[mdsuave13]

it is, i always use 20w-50 in all my bikes, i am breaking mine in with castrol gtx for the first 100 or so miles. then im going full synthetic mobil 1.. i mean it only takes one quart of oil anyway.. whats 5 bux

[PolygonFla]

I have found that as my chain wears and/or stretches my shifting gets less precise.

[ambassador]

I'm gonna go with mobil-1 V-twin 20W-50, it's made especially for motorcycles, I was going to use up the gallon of Rotella that I have but I guess I'll just use in the old lady's car... I'm changing out the oil within the next day or 2, G/F wants me to show her how to do it as she wants a bike of her own...

[mdsuave13]

damn ambassador, lucky guy, i wish my g/f would want to ride... shes not into machines at all, although she does know how to change her own oil, rotate her tires and change her wipers (i didnt have to show her either)

about the oil, it says 15w40 is recommended, but i figure go with the heavier stuff, these engines run warm, being air cooled and all, might as well have the heavier viscosity...

[ambassador]

Funny Suave, My G/F is an actress, been in theater her whole life, didn't know a socket from a compressor...Until, we bought a house and remodeled it ourselves, I was very patient with her and she seemed to have the willingness to learn so I let her do small things on her own and now she thinks she's Bob friggin' Vila, I can't complain though, I always thought she was kinda prissy, changed my mind... Anyway, you can convert them it takes patience though, just like building a China bike....

[sheadouglas]

Originally Posted by mdsuave13

after my first ride, i can say my bike shifts wonderfully, very smooth with and without clutch. neutral comes easy and everything is working top notch..

The bike has shifted just fine, for the last 2000 miles, and neutral has always been easy to get into while stopped. It has been these last few hundred that I've noticed this. It is only when the bike warms up. I am really thinking it is probably a clutch adjustment issue.

[sheadouglas]

Originally Posted by cycleway4

hi shea and ambass.........I assume your difficulty with going into neutral is at a complete stop? how about if you go for neutral while rolling up to a stop? If its OK then,.....I would just make sure my clutch cable doesnt have too much free-play [I prefer to keep my free-play at a minimum, because as things get hot, the free-play seems to increase],


Steve

[sheadouglas]

Originally Posted by cycleway4

hi shea and ambass.........I assume your difficulty with going into neutral is at a complete stop? how about if you go for neutral while rolling up to a stop? If its OK then,.....I would just make sure my clutch cable doesnt have too much free-play [I prefer to keep my free-play at a minimum, because as things get hot, the free-play seems to increase],
and then, yes, would try a different oil. The Rotella 15-40 might work great in some applications, but maybe doesnt agree with yours.

its also possible that there might be a clutch plate material, or design issue, that is not going to be easily resolved.............

I prefer Honda GN4 10-40 oil,.....but I have had many customers who swear by the benefits of synthetics [mobil 1, castrol syntec, etc.] for curing all sorts of shifting and clutch related issues.

hope this helps

Steve

this seems to sound like exactly what the problem is. Thanks for the help. Now if I could just learn how to MAKE that adjustment.