Transmission Slippage??????
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Novice
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 22
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From: Los Angeles
Transmission Slippage??????
On my way home from a weekend of visiting the family in Lancaster, I was cruising on the freeway at a steady 70 MPH in 6th gear. I needed to overpass a car so, naturally, twisted the throttle to gain more speed. As I twisted the throttle, the transmission dropped to 4th gear on its own! I eased off the throttle as soon as I passed up the car and it jumped right back into 6th gear! What the hell just happened?? I continued to replicate the problem to see if it was just a one time thing and long story short, it continued to down shift on its own every time I hit the throttle all the way home. Only sudden twists of the throttle makes it drop gears. What could be happening here?
Here are a few events that happened earlier in the day that may have caused the problem:
1. I took the bike a little over 100MPH. (I was feeling a little dare-devilish)
2. I performed a poor attempt at a burn-out.
3. I let my brother borrow my bike for an hour.
Any help would be great. Thanks.
Here are a few events that happened earlier in the day that may have caused the problem:
1. I took the bike a little over 100MPH. (I was feeling a little dare-devilish)
2. I performed a poor attempt at a burn-out.
3. I let my brother borrow my bike for an hour.
Any help would be great. Thanks.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 3,789
Likes: 277
From: Hawkeye state
Definitely adjust the clutch first. The downshifting wouldn't be relative to the clutch being out of adjustment IMO. Check your shift linkage with bike off and on a jack. Manually cycle through the gears and feel for complete engagement. If it is not engaging fully then trans gurus can try to help. Thinking shifter paw or something may be messed up.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 3,580
Likes: 215
From: Illinois
Shift fork might have gotten bent.....if you are positive that it's really dropping down in the gears. Clutch wouldn't drop gears down. When you get on it hard and you think it dropped a gear get off of it (to really make sure) and up shift to really find out what gear it's it.
Now if you feel like you get on it and it's "spinning" the rear wheel or making bunch of noise and not going much then yah your clutch is slipping/smoked.
My guess is that whome ever rode it last did something wrong shifting and that's where your problem began. Not to many issues floating around on HD trans problems. They're actually pretty solid units.
Now if you feel like you get on it and it's "spinning" the rear wheel or making bunch of noise and not going much then yah your clutch is slipping/smoked.
My guess is that whome ever rode it last did something wrong shifting and that's where your problem began. Not to many issues floating around on HD trans problems. They're actually pretty solid units.
Last edited by HD Bobber; Apr 13, 2015 at 11:17 PM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 32,934
Likes: 36,032
From: Carlsbad, CA
I'm not highly qualified, but that never kept people Dom commenting in the past on this forum. So, here is my $.02.
1) running it at 100 should not cause any transmission issues.
2) a burnout or 2 as long as you used the clutch...is not necessarily a great way to long term reliability...but should not cause this type of issue.
3) really...your brother borrowed the bike for an hour? How much rear tire did he shred off? Does he know you need to pull in the clutch between gear changes?
You might want to pull the transmission drain and see how much of your transmission is attached to the plug magnet. I'm betting...a lot.
1) running it at 100 should not cause any transmission issues.
2) a burnout or 2 as long as you used the clutch...is not necessarily a great way to long term reliability...but should not cause this type of issue.
3) really...your brother borrowed the bike for an hour? How much rear tire did he shred off? Does he know you need to pull in the clutch between gear changes?
You might want to pull the transmission drain and see how much of your transmission is attached to the plug magnet. I'm betting...a lot.
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Novice
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 22
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From: Los Angeles
It's interesting that you mention that. I did notice a change in the friction zone of the clutch lever. I only have to pull the clutch lever in about half an inch in order for the clutch to disengage (or engage? I always get those two confused :/ ) Would a loose clutch cable cause the transmission to downshift on its own?
Road Warrior
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 1,800
Likes: 414
From: Ellensburg, WA
A Hondamatic in a Harley, now that's novel. JK. I would also look hard at the clutch. 1/2" to disengage is not good.
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Something is bent, shift fork or fork rod. Gears don't change on their own but if a fork is bent then 6th gear may not be getting fully engaged then you hit the throttle and it spits it out of gear and into the corresponding gear.
