Shifting lever completely limp

[BoKing]

2007 250 Ninja

I was driving home from a friend's house and about 5 miles from home, while changing gears, I noticed I had zero resistance on the shifting lever when I popped my toe up. My bike was stuck in first gear, and it took me an hour to get back home, putting along between neighborhoods at 7 mph in the cold

I get home and look at it, and the lever is completely limp. It will move all the way up, arc over, and fall the other way as if it were backward.

I'm not a mechanic, and I'm not exactly sure what needs to be down there. I imagine some screw came loose, or some pin or something attaching it to the shifting mechanism is gone or came off.

I've been reading what I can on the internet about it, and other people were speaking of "false neutrals" between certain gears. Occasionally when I would gown down for first gear, then up for second, it would pop me into neutral instead of going all the way up to 2nd gear. I'm not sure if that's relevant but that's the only issue I've been having. As far as putting the bike down, I did minorly a few times over 6 months ago, but it was on the right side and the lever is on the left.

What I need to know:

1) Is there a picture that shows everything that needs to be down there that I can compare to my bike?

2) In your opinion (and I won't hold you to this), what do you think the likely cause of this is?

3) Is this a huge $$$ issue? I need to know what to budget to get up and running again.

Many thanks, and thanks in advance.

- Bo King

[alex.s]

first of all post a photo of your current setup on the shift mechanism... is the linkage from the lever to the external shift shaft still there? there should be the lever which is attached to the rear set and that is connected to a rod that runs forward to a little clamp on another rod that goes into the engine... is all of that still there?


if everything is still there and its still rotating the external shift rod that goes into the engine then its a bigger problem and the engine will have to be opened up. if this is the case, the external shift rod goes across the engine to the other side where it is connected to two hooks which manipulate the shift drum. the shift rod would have to be come disconnected from these shift hooks because they would not have enough room to rotate freely in the case.

it sounds though like you lost your connecting rod between the external shift rod clamp and the shift lever

[BoKing]

I'll work on getting a photo up. Don't have a camera that loads to a computer, so it may be later today.

That being said, while I'm working on that - If I am merely missing the connecting rod, is this a simple repair, or a costly one?

[alex.s]

depends how much is gone. could be a $2 fix. could be a $10 fix. could be a $25 fix. doesn't sound like it would be more than that if its just external shift linkage stuff missing.

[BoKing]

Many thanks. Anything under $50 is a good deal to me. I'll work on getting a photo or short video up later today.

[DaBlue1]

Originally Posted by BoKing

....What I need to know:

1) Is there a picture that shows everything that needs to be down there that I can compare to my bike?

2) In your opinion (and I won't hold you to this), what do you think the likely cause of this is?

This video may give you a hint.

Link to original page on YouTube.

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by BoKing

2007 250 Ninja...........I'm not a mechanic, and I'm not exactly sure what needs to be down there. I imagine some screw came loose, or some pin or something attaching it to the shifting mechanism is gone or came off.
.........

Follow the link:

http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/How_do_...the_shifter%3F

[adouglas]

They have these little blue pills that can help if you've got a limp lever.

[alex.s]

Originally Posted by adouglas

They have these little blue pills that can help if you've got a limp lever.

you forgot the "ask me how i know"! :P