stuck in second

[silverback]

Help, I went for a ride this weekend and at times when i went to shift into 3rd gear, the trans did not come out of second. I had to keep the clutch in and down shift, then up shift to third. Any ideas or do you know of a good mechanic  in the Atlanta area. I would like to take take my bike on vacation next week, but am worried about her tranny.

[fudgie]

What year, model, miles? My guess is the u-joint is bad. You not the 1st to have this problem with the u-joint. Pull it and see. Might want to be on the look out for another u joint. I hear they are back ordered. Doesn't hurt to have a spare anyway. 

[R J]

What year, model, miles? My guess is the u-joint is bad. You not the 1st to have this problem with the u-joint. Pull it and see. Might want to be on the look out for another u joint. I hear they are back ordered. Doesn't hurt to have a spare anyway. 

fudgie, what has the u-joint to do with it sticking in 2nd gear?

Ya lost me there.

[silverback]

The bike is a 01Standard with 25000 mile. It only happens when shifting from 2nd to 3rd. all the other shifts, up or down are unaffected.

[John Schmidt]

Do you perchance have a heel/toe shifter instead of the OEM lever for shifting? One thing some mechanics have found is the heel/toe shifter had a tendency to bend shifting forks internally...causing problems similar to yours. Apparently the HT shifter gives a greater mechanical advantage over the OEM lever, creating greater than necessary shifting forces, thereby sometimes bending the forks internally. I have no details on this...or proof for that matter, it's just something I read a few years back and applies across the board, not just Valks. Seems possible to me, just doesn't explain why some riders will go forever with no problems associated with a HT shifter and others will get bitten in short order.

Just tossing out the idea for consideration...nothing more. If it doesn't apply, you may want to check the shifter lever. You might simply have it installed too high, and if so....align the marks and see how it acts.

[silverback]

thanks for the info but is an oem shifter, original to bike.

[fudgie]

What year, model, miles? My guess is the u-joint is bad. You not the 1st to have this problem with the u-joint. Pull it and see. Might want to be on the look out for another u joint. I hear they are back ordered. Doesn't hurt to have a spare anyway. 

fudgie, what has the u-joint to do with it sticking in 2nd gear?

Ya lost me there.

I was under the impression 2nd gear was the only gear he can get into. Much like the Canada guy on way to IZX and couldn't shift into 5th, he thought it was tranny but was u-joint instead. Same thing happened to Hollywood in 4th-5th. Thinking it was the same thing.

[Mr.BubblesVRCCDS0008]

Also check to be sure when up shifting that your toe isn't hitting the valve cover. Try lowering the shift lever one notch and see if that helps. Also a kickshifter helps with this.

[Ricky-D]

Help, I went for a ride this weekend and at times when i went to shift into 3rd gear, the trans did not come out of second. I had to keep the clutch in and down shift, then up shift to third. Any ideas or do you know of a good mechanic  in the Atlanta area. I would like to take take my bike on vacation next week, but am worried about her tranny.

That's seem very unusual to me.

Are you getting good clutch disengagement?

There could be a chance of this happening if/when you baby the shifting action shifting into 2nd gear.

Slow motion shifting can result in the same!

The shift pawls need to always be properly positioned after a shift so that the next gear can be selected. Firm shifting is called for in a constant mesh transmission such as the Valkyrie's.

So when this happens to you and you downshift, do you go down to first gear or do you go down to neutral? Can you tell what's happening?

And lastly, how often is this happening. Is it a usual occurrence?  Maybe just occasionally!

I don't expect there is a mechanical reason for this problem although I don't dismiss the possibility that one exists.

I would not expect this to get worse and would not let it stop a ride! After all. you only need second gear shifting for taking off and all the cruising would be in top gear.

What oil are you using?  How often do you change it. Have you changed oil since the problem cropped up?

***

[Jabba]

I have complained for YEARS about my STD sometimes not shifting out of 2nd into 3rd.  For me it's like it gets about 90% of the way from 1st to 2nd... then when I try to shift to 3rd... it goes the REST of the way into 2nd.  It's worse when I am mad-dogging it.  I just got over it.  It still does it once in a  while, but if I am very diliberate while shifting, it does not do it.  I recognise it now... to the point that if, when I shift from 2nd to 3rd... I only feel a 10% shift... I hit it again, and never let the clutch out. 

The IS does not do it at all.

Jabba

[R J]

Okay Gents, I think what I'm hearing now is how Jabba wrote it.

If so, do you wear boots?   If so, can you drop your shifter down one notch on the shaft out the side of the case?

If you can't get your size 30's up in there then, go to Honda and buy the outside shfter for a ST1000, I think that is what I got to cure it.  Then I got the Kickshifter later from Rattlebars and have not missed a gear since, or had it hang up in between a gear so to speak.  I'm still running the replacement shifter I got.    I think it was Lamont VRCC#1, that put me onto that, or Dragbars.   

The harder you bang the gears in the Phat lady/Stud the better they like it......

[Red Diamond]

Do you perchance have a heel/toe shifter instead of the OEM lever for shifting? One thing some mechanics have found is the heel/toe shifter had a tendency to bend shifting forks internally...causing problems similar to yours. Apparently the HT shifter gives a greater mechanical advantage over the OEM lever, creating greater than necessary shifting forces, thereby sometimes bending the forks internally. I have no details on this...or proof for that matter, it's just something I read a few years back and applies across the board, not just Valks. Seems possible to me, just doesn't explain why some riders will go forever with no problems associated with a HT shifter and others will get bitten in short order.

Just tossing out the idea for consideration...nothing more. If it doesn't apply, you may want to check the shifter lever. You might simply have it installed too high, and if so....align the marks and see how it acts.

I have Kuryakyn heel/toe shifters on both of my bikes, no such thing as H/T shifter causing this problem. I had an 01 I/S that was hanging up just as he has stated when I first bought it, no heel/toe shifter. It turned out to be a bent shift fork from previous owner. Also, I never bang shift my bikes, I shift easy and they like it just fine.