when you can't get the bike into first, and you let the clutch out, what happens?

Once in a while this will happen on my 2009 Iron. Standing still, push the foot shift down, seemingly nothing happens, but when I let the clutch out there is a "click" sort of noise and the bike goes into first.

 

This. Unless the dogs on the gear you are trying to hit are exactly lined up with the collar, they won't link. If you roll or let out the clutch to engage a tad, then you can get them together.

Always get in the habit of shifting to match speed. If I would be driving in 1st at that speed, my transmission is in 1st even if I have the clutch out.

 

Thanks guys , seems like you guys were right the dogs on the gears werent catching. However in order to get them to catch I have to roll with the clutch disengaged. So I still have to cut the motor in order to catch it.

 

I have a brand new Iron with about 150 miles on it (all city miles to no highway) I know what your talking about it did it to me the first couple times before I realized what it is. Im used to metrics so it took a minute for me to realize. If your coming to a stop and dont downshift through every gear it will do it. So lets say your in forth and come to a complete stop. It doesnt want to go down to first. If you slow down shifting through 3rd then 2nd then first while moving no issue. If it happens to you again just let off the clutch a tiny bit in second and it will drop right down. Must be something with the syncros or something. Not and issue to me at all once I knew what to do.

 

If your in second gear and the gears are sticking try blipping the throttle lightly and it will shift into first no issue. Works when downshifting or shifting into gears from a stop. +1 on the shifting into first before you go back into neutral. Just make sure the car behind you is stopped before you take it out of gear. Rear enders hurt!!

 

No syncros in your gearbox! Harleys utilize a sequential "constant mesh" transmission. This means that all your gears are constantly in contact with each other. When you shift gears, you aren't move any gears. You're moving a plate that locks into the side of a gear engaging the output shaft with that gear.

Just FYI

 

Thanks, Im a car guy getting into the Harley world. Im still learning and learning something new everyday.

 

As others have said, this is a design characteristic of constant mesh transmissions and is very common to many, many motorcycles. Not a hardware problem.

When this happens, just ease the clutch out very slightly and downshift. You will quickly develop a feel for the necessary amount of pull you'll need to feed to the transmission input shaft via the clutch.

While riding with my younger brother several years ago, I saw him wailing on the shifter pedal of his Suzuki Gs750. I eased up beside him and explained the issue and problem solved forever. He too thought the transmission was beginning to have problems. Naw.

 

Blipping the throttle between downshifts can often help the gears locate better, especially while the bike has low miles and everything is bedding in.