Rough shifting

[BAT]

Finally got my new bike running. The shifting is rough. I don't know how old the oil is, its getting changed shortly. Does it need any additive? If it goes into first gear rough, does that mean the clutch is going south?

[ragedigital]

It could. Your clutch uses the same oil as your engine, so changing it might be a really good idea.

[megaloxana]

If you have $90 to spare, may i suggest getting a Factory Pro Shift Kit. It's one of the best mods I've done on my fzr by far. Gives you much crisper shifts.

[demon_knight69]

If you have $90 to spare, may i suggest getting a Factory Pro Shift Kit. It's one of the best mods I've done on my fzr by far. Gives you much crisper shifts.

+10 there!

[95FZR600]

YAMALUBE 4 STROKE OIL OR ROYAL PURPLE 20W50

[BAT]

What about the Factory shift kit from dennis kirk? Its a good bit cheaper.

[DonTZ125]

I just looked at the Dennis Kirk site. Unless I'm missing something, the Kirk kit is just the spring (and gasket), while the Factory Pro package includes a revamped arm with super-duper bearings. It strikes me the arm and roller is at least half the magic in the FP kit.

[BAT]

Well, really its only the 1-2 shift that is nasty. I can't powershift to 2nd. Would this be another problem, like a bent shift fork or something? Can I fix this without pulling the motor?

[DonTZ125]

First, don't even TRY to powershift 1-2. A lot of the stock street riders who do powershifting start in 2nd gear. The neutral gap between 1st and 2nd makes it far too easy to miss the shift, for the gears to pop back out. Use your clutch, that's what it's there for.

If you have bent / worn/ broken hard parts, you're cracking the cases - these beasts don't have cassette transmissions, more's the pity.

[BAT]

Sorry I didn't exactly mean powershifting, to me powershifting is keeping on the throttle and using the clutch and shifting quickly. I ALWAYS use the clutch.

[DonTZ125]

Geez - I'd say that's might even be worse than clutchless snap-the-throttle shifting. Your revs want to go UP, when the upshift actually calls for the revs to go DOWN - and the difference is made up in your clutch and throttle...

Do your bike a favour, especially when it's already showing signs of possible damage - from 1-2, shift like the course teaches the new kids. Even if it IS damaged, that'll stretch it out a lot longer until you're ready to tear the engine down.

The alternative is to find yourself with a tranny that selects either NO gear (annoying) or TWO gears at once - meet my friend, Senor Highside!

[BAT]

Well, I guess I'm gonna have to be nice to this old thing then. Is there anything relatively easy I can do to improve the shift anyway? Like a certain weight or type of oil? The rest of the gears are ok.