Just wondering if I could get some opinions on what kind of gremlins I am looking at before I take the bike to a garage at some point (probably one of you guys on LB )
I used to filter a lot, and rather aggressively - I do it a bit less now. I used to use a lot of front brake in said filtering however I realised this might have been wrong and these days use a bit more of the rear.
Anyway, I am having problems flicking it back into neutral once in gear after riding. A few months back, when this problem started appearing, a long smooth ride in the country on an A road or down the M4 would solve it temporarily, and I could always flick it back into neutral once I wanted to park up. However, pretty much 99% of the time after a half hour commute into work, or back home it’s stuck in gear and I need to stall it to get it back into Neutral. Not ideal.
When you can’t get it into neutral, what happens? Does it just skip straight past neutral, or not leave the gear it’s in? Are you testing by easing out the clutch and feeling for the power getting to the rear wheel, or just with the neutral light?
As above its probably a maintenance schedule issue. If you haven’t changed the oil in last 6,000 miles/12 months change the oil. Adjust the clutch lever free play to 2mm. Inspect drive chain and adjust chain slack as necessary. Note chain and sprocket wear are MOT inspection items so I’d expect the chain/sprocket wear to be within tolerance. I’m assuming it wasn’t an advisory on the last MOT and that the last MOT included a touchy feely inspection rather than a quick gander at the chain wear indicator.
I’m not sure it’s the oil as I change that every 1000 miles and use Castrol.
I’ll double check the chain slack and clutch lever freeplay. Will admit, neither had crossed my mind and I thought it was just the engine playing up but best to check these first. Chain is probably loose as the last garage ages ago said it was too tight and I’ve had it on the looser side of things ever since… (i.e. ignored it except lube…). I think my chain and sprocket aren’t too bad, condition wise.
If I want to park up, or if at lights and I’ve come in on 1st or second, and pull the brake in to stop, then I want to switch it to Neutral. Only problem is I can’t flick it up from 1st gear. It’s as if it’s physically stiff and just will NOT go into neutral when I push up with my foot. It’s as if I’m pushing up against something solid. When I stall it, I can then flick it into Neutral and it feels normal, no need for excessive force from my foot. On occasion, it has cut out with a horrible loud thud (maybe once every 2 months or so?) as well… the sound you’d make if you took a hammer to a kerb block - that kind of dead thud. Didn’t used to happen so I don’t know if it’s related.
If I come to traffic lights, I’ll stop, and just hold my clutch in with the gears on 1st, and wait for green, then go and flick it up to 2nd once moving, flicking it up to 2nd in such a situation doesn’t require extra force. Sometimes when downshifting, I need some excessive force to press down the gear lever as a normal amount of force won’t do. I have to literally stamp it sometimes.
Will have a look later in the week and get back - Thanks for the help
In that case an incorrectly adjusted drive chain will most probably be the cause of the gear shifting problem.
On the oil front there’s Castrol and there’s Castrol. If you’re using Castrol Power 1 4T or Castrol Power 1 Racing 4T that’s fine. If you’re using Castrol Edge or GTX then don’t. If it says ‘motorcycle oil’ on the container you’re using the right stuff. You’re throwing your money away changing the oil every 1,000 miles there really is no benefit in doing that, change it every 2,500 miles and spend the savings on a proper service schedule. A Haynes Service manual (just let mine go on eBay for less than the price of a litre of oil) replacement brake fluid, spark plug, paraffin to clean the air filter and fuel strainer, light machine oil to lubricate the cables etc.
In that case an incorrectly adjusted drive chain will most probably be the cause of the gear shifting problem.
On the oil front there’s Castrol and there’s Castrol. If you’re using Castrol Power 1 4T or Castrol Power 1 Racing 4T that’s fine. If you’re using Castrol Edge or GTX then don’t. If it says ‘motorcycle oil’ on the container you’re using the right stuff. You’re throwing your money away changing the oil every 1,000 miles there really is no benefit in doing that, change it every 2,500 miles and spend the savings on a proper service schedule. A Haynes Service manual (just let mine go on eBay for less than the price of a litre of oil) replacement brake fluid, spark plug, paraffin to clean the air filter and fuel strainer, light machine oil to lubricate the cables etc.
National Treasure
It's Castrol Power 1 Racing 4T :) - I've been changing it around every 1000 miles as that's what the manual says. One or two places online says something similar but Haynes has a higher mileage for an oil change. I did have a flick through my Haynes, but the problem really didn't jump out at me that it was something as simple as my clutch cable being the problem!!
Have fiddled with the nuts near the lever and it works like new again - can’t believe it was something so simple! Stupid me. It always works so I never thought of it as a service item but I guess you do need to look at it once in a while - I’d just gotten used to it…
Thanks for the help guys Feel embarassed and like a right idiot now :P
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Feel embarassed and like a right idiot now :P