Occasional 1st gear issue

wendyjboss · May 30th, 2016, 07:32 PM

Does anyone else experience difficulty getting into 1st gear on occasion?

I can shift well enough, but sometimes it doesn't want to shift down past 2nd. It's rare enough, but regular enough that I would like to understand if it is a peculiarity of the pre-gens, or something that needs to be fixed.

When it does this, refuses to downshift to 1st, it's like the gear shift feels stuck, it will not go to neutral. It will not go to 1st. I'm not sure what get's it going again, maybe clutching off and then on again. I just know sometimes it says "no"...

Alex · May 30th, 2016, 07:34 PM

Are you moving at the time, or is the bike sitting stopped while you are trying to get it into first?

wendyjboss · May 30th, 2016, 07:45 PM

The bike is sitting stopped while I'm trying to get it into first.

Alex · May 30th, 2016, 07:48 PM

Once the bike is stopped, there are times where the gearbox is not lined up properly to drop into 1st gear easily. Do not stomp on the lever to try and force it in. It might work, but it just as likely may bend parts along the way. Instead, just rock the bike forward or back a few inches, and it will likely drop into first very easily.

wendyjboss · May 30th, 2016, 07:55 PM

Awesome. Thank you for that info. I am way more experienced this year on the bike, and now that little gear catching incident today made me start trying to force it. Then I stopped and said to myself, "now that is not going to help at all". I will definitely remember that trick.

Motofool · May 30th, 2016, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wendyjboss

.......When it does this, refuses to downshift to 1st, it's like the gear shift feels stuck, it will not go to neutral. It will not go to 1st.....

It could also be a geometry problem with the external linkage.
This comes in two forms or a combination of both:

- The connecting rod is not as perpendicular as possible to the levers of the shifting shaft and shifting pedal.

- The back of the shifting pedal is hitting some solid point of the frame or footpeg, which limits its full stroke downwards.

Some lubrication of all moving joints always helps smoothing things out.

cadd · May 30th, 2016, 09:01 PM

What may also help is ease out the clutch so that it starts to engage the friction zone. Once you feel the bike move slightly, squeeze the clutch again and you should be able to shift to N or 1st.

yenome · May 31st, 2016, 01:35 AM

I like you have the same issue and its always happens when i stop at a light and people are behind me. I found releasing the clutch to the friction zone causes it to notice its in gear. then i can down shift. on a side note hello to another masstonian im from Lynn north of boston

wendyjboss · May 31st, 2016, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Motofool

It could also be a geometry problem with the external linkage.
This comes in two forms or a combination of both:

- The connecting rod is not as perpendicular as possible to the levers of the shifting shaft and shifting pedal.

- The back of the shifting pedal is hitting some solid point of the frame or footpeg, which limits its full stroke downwards.

Some lubrication of all moving joints always helps smoothing things out.

I will most definitely check the linkage, and I am due to clean and lubricate the bike. Thanks for the suggestion!

wendyjboss · May 31st, 2016, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yenome

I like you have the same issue and its always happens when i stop at a light and people are behind me. I found releasing the clutch to the friction zone causes it to notice its in gear. then i can down shift. on a side note hello to another masstonian im from Lynn north of boston

I'll have to give that a try. Alex also gave me a tip that if I am at a stop, rolling the bike forward or back a bit will get the gear into position for the shift.

Wow! Lynn. Charlotte is a long way from Lynn. I am originally from PA. but have been here long enough to be official Massachusan.

yenome · June 1st, 2016, 03:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wendyjboss

I'll have to give that a try. Alex also gave me a tip that if I am at a stop, rolling the bike forward or back a bit will get the gear into position for the shift.

Wow! Lynn. Charlotte is a long way from Lynn. I am originally from PA. but have been here long enough to be official Massachusan.

yea i been in north carolina long enough to be adopted by the south lol.

May 30th, 2016, 07:32 PM	#1
wendyjboss wendyjboss Name: wendyjboss Location: Massachusetts Join Date: Jun 2015 Motorcycle(s): 2015 Honda CBR 500RF (On its way), 2004 Kawasaki Ninja 250 (sold) Posts: 86	Occasional 1st gear issue Does anyone else experience difficulty getting into 1st gear on occasion? I can shift well enough, but sometimes it doesn't want to shift down past 2nd. It's rare enough, but regular enough that I would like to understand if it is a peculiarity of the pre-gens, or something that needs to be fixed. When it does this, refuses to downshift to 1st, it's like the gear shift feels stuck, it will not go to neutral. It will not go to 1st. I'm not sure what get's it going again, maybe clutching off and then on again. I just know sometimes it says "no"...

May 30th, 2016, 07:34 PM	#2
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	Are you moving at the time, or is the bike sitting stopped while you are trying to get it into first? __________________________________________________ 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)

May 30th, 2016, 07:45 PM	#3
wendyjboss wendyjboss Name: wendyjboss Location: Massachusetts Join Date: Jun 2015 Motorcycle(s): 2015 Honda CBR 500RF (On its way), 2004 Kawasaki Ninja 250 (sold) Posts: 86	The bike is sitting stopped while I'm trying to get it into first. Last futzed with by wendyjboss; May 30th, 2016 at 07:46 PM. Reason: mis-spelling

May 30th, 2016, 07:48 PM	#4
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	Once the bike is stopped, there are times where the gearbox is not lined up properly to drop into 1st gear easily. Do not stomp on the lever to try and force it in. It might work, but it just as likely may bend parts along the way. Instead, just rock the bike forward or back a few inches, and it will likely drop into first very easily. __________________________________________________ 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)

May 30th, 2016, 09:01 PM	#7
cadd cadd cadd cadd Name: Cadd Location: 41°21'13.1"N, 74°41'37.4"W Join Date: Jan 2014 Motorcycle(s): 300 Posts: A lot. MOTM - May '15	What may also help is ease out the clutch so that it starts to engage the friction zone. Once you feel the bike move slightly, squeeze the clutch again and you should be able to shift to N or 1st. __________________________________________________ Riding it like I financed it.
	1 out of 1 members found this post helpful.

May 30th, 2016, 07:55 PM	#5
wendyjboss wendyjboss Name: wendyjboss Location: Massachusetts Join Date: Jun 2015 Motorcycle(s): 2015 Honda CBR 500RF (On its way), 2004 Kawasaki Ninja 250 (sold) Posts: 86	Awesome. Thank you for that info. I am way more experienced this year on the bike, and now that little gear catching incident today made me start trying to force it. Then I stopped and said to myself, "now that is not going to help at all". I will definitely remember that trick.

May 31st, 2016, 01:35 AM	#8
yenome ninjette.org member Name: Fred Location: Charlotte, NC Join Date: Apr 2016 Motorcycle(s): 09' Ninja 250R Posts: 12	I like you have the same issue and its always happens when i stop at a light and people are behind me. I found releasing the clutch to the friction zone causes it to notice its in gear. then i can down shift. on a side note hello to another masstonian im from Lynn north of boston

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