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Shifting Issues

mcycle-nut

mcycle-nut

Forum Mentor
Past Site Supporter
Charter Member
1982 GS1100EZ. For a month or two it's been a little tough getting into 2nd from first. NOW, it's tough to impossible to shift up or down into almost any gear most of the time. It seems to be easier if I give the shifter it a little nudge up before shifting. Is it some sort of return spring, and if so, is it accesible without major surgery, (ie engine removal and case splitting)? :confused:
 
Another vote for cable.
Monday I came to a stoplight and pulled in the clutch lever. I felt a slight "pop" and at the next light I noticed the bike was pulling and hard to shift.
I think I'm hanging on by a few stretched threads so I went home, parked it and ordered a new cable.
 
AMK said:
Another vote for cable.
Monday I came to a stoplight and pulled in the clutch lever. I felt a slight "pop" and at the next light I noticed the bike was pulling and hard to shift.
I think I'm hanging on by a few stretched threads so I went home, parked it and ordered a new cable.
Click to expand...

Funny. That just happened to me. Bike worked great until a couple days ago. Noticed that shifts were getting harder as the ride went on. Stopped at a gas station and tried to adjust the clutch cable. Found that half the metal strands at the lever were cut. No adjustment left. Limped it to work and then home by shifting with no clutch as much as possible. New OEM cable is on the way. Check your cables and if everything looks good then adjust as necessary. I'd order a spare OEM cable while you have time.
 
JTGS850GL said:
Funny. That just happened to me. Bike worked great until a couple days ago. Noticed that shifts were getting harder as the ride went on. Stopped at a gas station and tried to adjust the clutch cable. Found that half the metal strands at the lever were cut. No adjustment left. Limped it to work and then home by shifting with no clutch as much as possible. New OEM cable is on the way. Check your cables and if everything looks good then adjust as necessary. I'd order a spare OEM cable while you have time.
Click to expand...

I've had this bike for a couple of months. I rode it home about 40 miles and the clutch felt overly tight.
I checked the endplay and there was none. I'm surprised I had no slippage.
Adjusted the endplay and it was after the "pop" I realized the clutch wasn't fully disengaging. I'm assuming the po tried to adjust a stretched cable at the cost of endplay.
An extra cable is a great idea.

Happy 50th by the way, JTGS850GL.
 
Last edited:
mcycle-nut said:
1982 GS1100EZ. For a month or two it's been a little tough getting into 2nd from first. NOW, it's tough to impossible to shift up or down into almost any gear most of the time.
Click to expand...

Since we are talking about 'any gear, most of the time' I assume this is while you are rolling? Are you shifting with or without using the clutch?


chef1366 said:
Cable adjustment or cable is stretched out
Click to expand...

Not if he is not using the clutch once rolling. I almost never use the clutch to shift except for the 1-2 shift while puttering in traffic and 2-1 to make jumping neutral easier and smoother. The rest of the time there is no need for it.


Mark
 
All these thoughts about the clutch, but is it hard to shift when you don't use the clutch? If it is it's not a clutch issue.
 
mmattockx said:
Not if he is not using the clutch once rolling. I almost never use the clutch to shift except for the 1-2 shift while puttering in traffic and 2-1 to make jumping neutral easier and smoother. The rest of the time there is no need for it.


Mark
Click to expand...

This is always a difficult concept to grasp.
 
tkent02 said:
All these thoughts about the clutch, but is it hard to shift when you don't use the clutch? If it is it's not a clutch issue.
Click to expand...

I agree, it's not the clutch or cable, it works and looks fine. Yes, it's hard to shift if I don't use the clutch as well. As I said before, it seems as if there is a shifter return spring not working, (ie. broken), as the shifter needs a bit of a nudge up before shifting, as if I'm putting it into the correct position before shifting. I was just wondering if anybody else has had an experience like this and can just say, "Easy fix, just pull off the clutch cover and replace your broken spring" or something like that, rather than, "oh-oh, you're screwed. You have to pull the motor and split the cases to fix that." Guess I'll just pull the clutch cover and see what's up.
 
Did you drop the bike on the left side, hit the shift lever or anything that could have bent the shift shaft or perhaps a shift fork? Did some hamfooted moron ride your bike who might have kicked the shifter Harely style? Did you change the clutch cover gasket, or have the cover off to do anything to the clutch?
 
tkent02 said:
Did you drop the bike on the left side, hit the shift lever or anything that could have bent the shift shaft or perhaps a shift fork? Did some hamfooted moron ride your bike who might have kicked the shifter Harely style? Did you change the clutch cover gasket, or have the cover off to do anything to the clutch?
Click to expand...
No, no, and my wife is hardly a hamfooted moron :lol:, and not since 2 years ago when I rebuilt the clutch basket and put in a new clutch. It has worked fine since. Still does, (clutch). It's the shifter mechanism that's hooee.
 
So what have we found? Saw that you posted, wondering what you found when you took a look at the clutch yesterday.
 
yank said:
So what have we found? Saw that you posted, wondering what you found when you took a look at the clutch yesterday.
Click to expand...

I hadn't taken it apart yet, was going to get to it on the weekend. It turns out I am a clown. :stupid: The issue was with the shifter pivot. On the 1100s of that era, the shifter is on a pivot and a linkage goes to the the shifter shaft. I had a brilliant idea to check the pivot, sure as sh*t, it was dry and red. I cleaned it up and greased it, works like a hot damn! THINK SIMPLE! It usually is something minor, I mean there was no grinding, clunking, popping in or out of gear, it just was a b*tch to shift! Thank you all for your input. :)
 
Somewhat a zombie thread, but this (failing clutch cable at the handle) turned out to be the issue with my 650G. Thanks for keeping me from opening it up.

I ordered the cable and the handle.

Cheers, Alan
 
Hey Alan,
What were the symptoms and where did you buy the parts from? I have an 81' 650g which is engauging at the very end of the lever throw and sometimes doesnt want to engage when going from 4th to 5th on freeway with the wind against the handle.
SusKatCas said:
Somewhat a zombie thread, but this (failing clutch cable at the handle) turned out to be the issue with my 650G. Thanks for keeping me from opening it up.

I ordered the cable and the handle.

Cheers, Alan
Click to expand...
 
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