Grinding into 1st/2nd [intermittent]

[white86tercel]

About 1 in 30 times that I shift from 2nd to 1st the tranny gets stuck in neutral. When the tranny is stuck, the gears will grind when I try to leave neutral to either 1st or 2nd. When stuck, the gears will grind in both directions (down to first or up the 2nd).

A few of the times that this happened where when I was approaching a red light and downshifted from 4th or 3rd all the way to first. I now let the clutch out and engage each gear while downshifting. That said, the problem happened again today during normal shifting

I think the tranny gets stuck in neutral some of the time while shifting from 1st to 2nd as well but I am not sure.

My mechanic adjusted the chain tension and clutch cable tension(at the leaver) when I had the bike in for the fork seals to be replaced. That didn't seem to make the problem better or worse.

The bike has about 69000KM (43000 miles on it).

Does anyone have any suggestions?

[ragedigital]

Factory Pro makes a shift kit, but with 43,000 on the motor/trans, it may require more than just a heavier spring.

I would certainly practice shifting twice - once from 1st to NEUTRAL and then from NEUTRAL to 2nd, so as not to do any more damage.

An inspection of your trans is certainly in order: viewtopic.php?f=8&t=206

darrin

[kilika2]

I know this may be a mute point but something I had to do was move the lever closer to my toes. By adjusting the linkage you don't have to move your foot nearly as much to shift. I have far less misses into second now. Now this may have nothing to do with it, since you have a few more miles than I do. But it crossed my mind since you said it wasn't every time.

Chris.

[fzrbill00]

I know this may be a mute point but something I had to do was move the lever closer to my toes. By adjusting the linkage you don't have to move your foot nearly as much to shift. I have far less misses into second now. Now this may have nothing to do with it, since you have a few more miles than I do. But it crossed my mind since you said it wasn't every time.

Chris.

GOOD IDEA!

[white86tercel]

The problem went away shortly after I posted it. I hope that next I run into a mechanical problem posting on the forum will solve it...

The problem seemed like a clutch problem. The lever was adjusted properly but the bike was intermittently acting like I hadn't squeezed the clutch lever. The solution was usually squeeze and release the clutch a few times in neutral. I may try installing the shift kit and adjusting the leaver during my spring maintenance next year.

[reelrazor]

Adjust the clutch PROPERLY...which means, adjust FIRST at the actuator (down low, left side-countershaft sprocket cover), Then and only then do you fine tune the adjustment at the lever.

See:

http://fzronline.com/wiki/doku.php?id=clutch-page