riding riding riding..oh, wait.. where's my shifter?

jezebel · July 11th, 2011, 10:45 AM

So I was riding, just about an hour long ride, slow at the base of a hill and gear down to first at a light, to make a left turn up a hill. Turn complete, go to gear up to take off - but my foot doesn't hit anything - no shifter. I look down, it's literally dangling off the bike - the main bolt came loose and fell off on the road.

Pulled over at the nearest parking lot, went back and found the bolt, put it back on, and away we go - but now I'm terrified it'll happen again, when I'm not fortunate enough to have been in 1st gear.

Anyone have this happen? Locktight, or just always recheck bolts?

kkim · July 11th, 2011, 10:48 AM

it's happened to a lot of folks before. clean off the threads of the bolt and use some blue locktite when you reinstall. don't over tighten it, thinking that will solve the problem. over tightening can strip the threads.

Alex · July 11th, 2011, 10:51 AM

Yup, you're not alone...

Thread 1

Thread 2

SpeedDemon · July 11th, 2011, 10:51 AM

Never had this happen to me (knock on wood) i wud hit it with some loctite and just give it a check maybe like once a week when ur doing all the other inspections

egutierrez90 · July 11th, 2011, 10:51 AM

Dang pretty crazy for such a thing to happen!! Glad you found the bolt though! Using some Loctite should help, just gotta have it set for a certain amount of time it says. Haven't had this happen to me yet, but I will check every so often for loose bolts now. Glad your safe though!

SpeedDemon · July 11th, 2011, 10:54 AM

We need some real time display in here ^^^ thats wut i get for typing slowly on a cell phone lol

rockNroll · July 11th, 2011, 11:00 AM

A thin spot of lube there where the shifter pivots on the bolt helps, so that shifting isn't trying to spin the bolt. I just use grease

And yeah, use some thread locker (medium strength).

Snake · July 11th, 2011, 12:28 PM

Yup, I had this happen to me on the way to work. I pulled over into a parking lot and lucky for me the bolt was resting on the foot peg. How lucky was that? I lifted the seat off, got out the bikes emergency tool kit and reinstalled the bolt. When I got home I took the bolt out and reinstalled with lock tight on the threads.

alex.s · July 11th, 2011, 12:39 PM

+1 to me as well. i also had my kickstand springs come off

both are pretty nerve-wracking events to deal with when you're going 65+. at least having the shifter come off doesn't instantly kill the bike

jezebel · July 11th, 2011, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alex.s

+1 to me as well. i also had my kickstand springs come off

both are pretty nerve-wracking events to deal with when you're going 65+. at least having the shifter come off doesn't instantly kill the bike

oh sh*t, the kickstand came off? turned your bike right off at 65mph? what on earth did you do to fix that one?

Cuongism · July 11th, 2011, 04:49 PM

Alex, I keep forgetting to ask you what springs you got. They look sturdier and mine have came off a few times already too. I probably should worry the bike will cut off midturn...

alex.s · July 11th, 2011, 05:00 PM

generic springs from home depot which was right around the corner. i believe they're from a screen door assembly? they were kinda a bitch to get on... i don't think they're coming off, but just in case i crimped them down a little more than they were. i have extras if you'ld like them next time i see you. just remind me, i keep them in my backpack

CC Cowboy · July 12th, 2011, 08:17 AM

I've never had anything (but a passenger, once) fall off any of my bikes. Loctite and safety wire anything you can.

alex.s · July 12th, 2011, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CC Cowboy

I've never had anything (but a passenger, once) fall off any of my bikes. Loctite and safety wire anything you can.

forgot the safety wire on the passenger, eh?

Snake · July 12th, 2011, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CC Cowboy

I've never had anything (but a passenger, once) fall off any of my bikes. Loctite and safety wire anything you can.

Quote:

Originally Posted by alex.s

forgot the safety wire on the passenger, eh?

Putting Locktite on the seat would also work.

jezebel · July 12th, 2011, 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snake

Putting Locktite on the seat would also work.

Lol you guys are funny.

Undid it, added lube and loctite at the end. Lets hope it never happens again.

PHMCS · September 11th, 2014, 12:47 AM

I just had my shifter come off a week or two ago as well, and the kickstand spring about a year back. Shifter was hanging off on one side thankfully, but never did find the kick stand spring. I too went with the loctite method for the shifter.

psych0hans · September 11th, 2014, 03:48 AM

This happened when i installed vortex rearsets and didn't use loctite...

Sirref · September 11th, 2014, 05:22 AM

rule #1 of shifters on pregen (and newgen?) 250s, loctite...use it

300 doesn't seem to have the same problem though

BlownWideOpen · September 11th, 2014, 06:40 AM

I think I'll pull my bolt off and loctite it, just in case.

nickjpass · September 11th, 2014, 06:41 AM

LOCTITE

,

duct tape over it if you think it'll come out anyway?

Worldtraveller · September 11th, 2014, 07:27 AM

This has happened to me once. The first time I really rode my Ninjette.

I had purchased it about 3 weeks before, stripped all the body work off, replaced with race body work (hadn't cut the sidestand tab off the frame at this point). I was rushing to get that done before my first track day, and didn't have time to really go over the bike and check everything. About my second lap around, coming out of turn 4, tried up shifting and.....nothing! Yikes. I got my hand up and pulled to the right (off the raceline) and slowly made my way back around the track and into the pits.

That is now part of the standard part I check before I load the bike up for a race weekend. I don't locktite those nuts, although I should, now that I have the rearsets on, and have the shifter adjusted to where I like it.

July 11th, 2011, 10:51 AM	#3
Alex ninjette.org dude Name: 1 guess :-) Location: SF Bay Area Join Date: Jun 2008 Motorcycle(s): '13 Ninja 300 (white, the fastest color!), '13 R1200RT, '14 CRF250L, '12 TT-R125LE Posts: Too much. Blog Entries: 7	Yup, you're not alone... Thread 1 Thread 2 __________________________________________________ Montgomery Street Motorcycle Club / cal24.com / crf250l.org / ninjette.org ninjette.org Terms of Service Shopping for motorcycle parts or equipment? Come here first. The friendliest Ninja 250R/300/400 forum on the internet! (especially Unregistered)

July 11th, 2011, 10:51 AM	#4
SpeedDemon ninjette.org member Name: Jon Location: Brampton Join Date: Jun 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2009 Ninja 250 Posts: 190	Never had this happen to me (knock on wood) i wud hit it with some loctite and just give it a check maybe like once a week when ur doing all the other inspections __________________________________________________ Never ride faster than your guardian angel can fly

July 11th, 2011, 10:54 AM	#6
SpeedDemon ninjette.org member Name: Jon Location: Brampton Join Date: Jun 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2009 Ninja 250 Posts: 190	We need some real time display in here ^^^ thats wut i get for typing slowly on a cell phone lol __________________________________________________ Never ride faster than your guardian angel can fly

July 11th, 2011, 11:00 AM	#7
rockNroll . Name: rock Location: greenville, south carolina Join Date: Jun 2009 Motorcycle(s): black Posts: A lot.	A thin spot of lube there where the shifter pivots on the bolt helps, so that shifting isn't trying to spin the bolt. I just use grease And yeah, use some thread locker (medium strength). __________________________________________________ Always get a second opinion because most of these people are makin' this stuff up

July 11th, 2011, 12:39 PM	#9
alex.s wat Name: wat Location: tustin/long beach Join Date: Sep 2009 Motorcycle(s): wat Posts: Too much. Blog Entries: 5 MOTM - Oct '12, Feb '14	+1 to me as well. i also had my kickstand springs come off both are pretty nerve-wracking events to deal with when you're going 65+. at least having the shifter come off doesn't instantly kill the bike __________________________________________________

July 11th, 2011, 10:45 AM	#1
jezebel ninjette.org member Name: Canada Location: Vancouver Join Date: Jun 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2008 Ninja 250r Posts: 62	riding riding riding..oh, wait.. where's my shifter? So I was riding, just about an hour long ride, slow at the base of a hill and gear down to first at a light, to make a left turn up a hill. Turn complete, go to gear up to take off - but my foot doesn't hit anything - no shifter. I look down, it's literally dangling off the bike - the main bolt came loose and fell off on the road. Pulled over at the nearest parking lot, went back and found the bolt, put it back on, and away we go - but now I'm terrified it'll happen again, when I'm not fortunate enough to have been in 1st gear. Anyone have this happen? Locktight, or just always recheck bolts?

July 11th, 2011, 10:48 AM	#2
kkim Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: Too much.	it's happened to a lot of folks before. clean off the threads of the bolt and use some blue locktite when you reinstall. don't over tighten it, thinking that will solve the problem. over tightening can strip the threads.

July 11th, 2011, 10:51 AM	#5
egutierrez90 Eddie Name: Eduardo Location: Colton, CA Join Date: Jul 2010 Motorcycle(s): None. Posts: 53	Dang pretty crazy for such a thing to happen!! Glad you found the bolt though! Using some Loctite should help, just gotta have it set for a certain amount of time it says. Haven't had this happen to me yet, but I will check every so often for loose bolts now. Glad your safe though!

July 11th, 2011, 12:28 PM	#8
Snake ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Rick Location: Alexandria, Louisiana Join Date: Jan 2009 Motorcycle(s): 05 Blue Ninja 250 Posts: Too much. MOTY - 2017, MOTM - Jan '19, Oct '16, May '14	Yup, I had this happen to me on the way to work. I pulled over into a parking lot and lucky for me the bolt was resting on the foot peg. How lucky was that? I lifted the seat off, got out the bikes emergency tool kit and reinstalled the bolt. When I got home I took the bolt out and reinstalled with lock tight on the threads.

July 11th, 2011, 04:49 PM	#11
Cuongism ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Cuong Location: San Diego Join Date: Jul 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2008 Ninja 250r, 2007 Daytona 675 Posts: A lot.	Alex, I keep forgetting to ask you what springs you got. They look sturdier and mine have came off a few times already too. I probably should worry the bike will cut off midturn...

July 11th, 2011, 05:00 PM	#12
alex.s wat Name: wat Location: tustin/long beach Join Date: Sep 2009 Motorcycle(s): wat Posts: Too much. Blog Entries: 5 MOTM - Oct '12, Feb '14	generic springs from home depot which was right around the corner. i believe they're from a screen door assembly? they were kinda a bitch to get on... i don't think they're coming off, but just in case i crimped them down a little more than they were. i have extras if you'ld like them next time i see you. just remind me, i keep them in my backpack __________________________________________________

July 12th, 2011, 08:17 AM	#13
CC Cowboy ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Whodat Location: Ware Is.,MA Join Date: Jan 2009 Motorcycle(s): I pass the wind! Posts: A lot. MOTM - Mar '13, Jun '14	I've never had anything (but a passenger, once) fall off any of my bikes. Loctite and safety wire anything you can. __________________________________________________ If everything seems under control; you're just not going fast enough!

September 11th, 2014, 12:47 AM	#17
PHMCS Phoenix Salvage Name: Mac Location: AR Join Date: May 2014 Motorcycle(s): 2007 Ninja 250R Posts: 71	I just had my shifter come off a week or two ago as well, and the kickstand spring about a year back. Shifter was hanging off on one side thankfully, but never did find the kick stand spring. I too went with the loctite method for the shifter. __________________________________________________ See my current inventory of used parts for sale here

September 11th, 2014, 03:48 AM	#18
psych0hans ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Hansveer Location: Bombay, India Join Date: Jan 2012 Motorcycle(s): Ninja 250r - Track whore, Ninja 300 - SOLD, KTM RC390 - Orange Hulk, Ducati 899 Panigale - Red Devil. Posts: A lot.	This happened when i installed vortex rearsets and didn't use loctite... __________________________________________________ GETTING BACK INTO RIDING? Read this.

September 11th, 2014, 05:22 AM	#19
Sirref Private Joker Name: Ben Location: Towson, MD Join Date: Nov 2012 Motorcycle(s): '99/'01 Ninja 250 "sketchy", '13 Ninja 300 "yoshi", '03 GSXR 600 "merlin" Posts: A lot. MOTM - Mar '14	rule #1 of shifters on pregen (and newgen?) 250s, loctite...use it 300 doesn't seem to have the same problem though __________________________________________________ I see you over there seeing me, do you see the me I think you see?

September 11th, 2014, 06:40 AM	#20
BlownWideOpen ninjette.org guru Name: Artie Location: Canada Join Date: Mar 2013 Motorcycle(s): Stuff Posts: 284	I think I'll pull my bolt off and loctite it, just in case. __________________________________________________ Paint side up, rubber side down!

September 11th, 2014, 06:41 AM	#21
nickjpass #squid Name: nickypoo Location: Five Guys Join Date: Jul 2011 Motorcycle(s): Track dedicated 2008 ZX6R Posts: A lot. MOTM - Jul '16	LOCTITE , duct tape over it if you think it'll come out anyway? __________________________________________________

September 11th, 2014, 07:27 AM	#22
Worldtraveller ninjette.org sage Name: Lane Location: Medford, OR Join Date: May 2014 Motorcycle(s): Ninja 250 (trackbike), CBR600RR, GS500F Posts: 588	This has happened to me once. The first time I really rode my Ninjette. I had purchased it about 3 weeks before, stripped all the body work off, replaced with race body work (hadn't cut the sidestand tab off the frame at this point). I was rushing to get that done before my first track day, and didn't have time to really go over the bike and check everything. About my second lap around, coming out of turn 4, tried up shifting and.....nothing! Yikes. I got my hand up and pulled to the right (off the raceline) and slowly made my way back around the track and into the pits. That is now part of the standard part I check before I load the bike up for a race weekend. I don't locktite those nuts, although I should, now that I have the rearsets on, and have the shifter adjusted to where I like it.

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