Issues with up and downshifting
Road Warrior
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 1,301
Likes: 24
From: Minden LA
Lately I have ran into some issues with shifting up and down. It first started with downshifting. When slowing down before stopping it would not let me downshift to the proper gear, it almost felt like the clutch was not engaging and disengaging? Hell a few times I actually had to pull over and work the clutch and throttle to get back to 1st gear. It didn't do this all the time just on occasion. Now its happening when up shifting. When going from 2nd to 3rd it feels like I got it into gear but as soon as I let the clutch out Im still in 2nd.... Its getting annoying. When downshifting I am blipping the throttle to keep rpm sync with the tire. Coming from metric bikes to Harleys is a different ball game when it comes to clutches or at least in my experience it is. What should be the first thing to adjust? The clutch don't grab until the lever is almost all the way out. I did check the clutch packs and there all in fantastic condition. Would this be a simple cable adjustment?
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,217
Likes: 90
From: Detroit
I'd get rid of any drag in the linkage. It's a small job to remove the shifter lever, and clean and lube the pivot point. While that's apart, it will be easy to check the rest of the linkage for freedom of movement. It's typically the foot lever pivot point that gets crudded up though.
Wertz83,
I personally haven't had any issues with my Twin Cam, but I know my Buell is really picky about proper primary chain adjustment and shifting. Sounds like you may have gotten it sorted, but would be a good thing to check regardless.
Good luck.
-G
I personally haven't had any issues with my Twin Cam, but I know my Buell is really picky about proper primary chain adjustment and shifting. Sounds like you may have gotten it sorted, but would be a good thing to check regardless.
Good luck.
-G
Supporter
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 15,788
Likes: 5,625
From: along the shore of Mishigami
There are enough cautions in the service manuals about not adjusting clutches when there is any heat in the primary. They need to be at ambient temp., the fluid should be at the bottom edge of the clutch assy. when the bike is vertical. I generally use a dime for the free play at the clutch handle and a half turn on the adjustment screw.
Road Master
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 864
Likes: 56
From: U.s.
".....Begin with a correct adjustment of both the clutch pack and the clutch cable freeplay. If you don't have the Service Manual follow post #10 in THIS thread, it will walk you through the complete procedure..... "
I checked out that link, post #10. The directions he posted state to start with bike at room temperature with wheels off the ground. Do the wheels have to be off the ground to adjust the clutch? That's new to me. I'll double check my service manual when I get home. How could the wheels touching the ground affect a proper clutch adjustment? Thanks in advance!
I checked out that link, post #10. The directions he posted state to start with bike at room temperature with wheels off the ground. Do the wheels have to be off the ground to adjust the clutch? That's new to me. I'll double check my service manual when I get home. How could the wheels touching the ground affect a proper clutch adjustment? Thanks in advance!
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Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 108
Likes: 6
From: Unityville PA
I went ahead and doubled checked EVERYTHING. I drained my primary oil and put new in. Seems I did have it a tad bit overfull. I adjusted the clutch pack 3/4 of a turn and made sure the clutch lever is all good. Got to take it out for a ride and it all seemed well. Didn't have any issues up shifting this time but then again I didn't ride long. Weather her in PA doesn't want to cooperate. Hopefully this week I can take apart the forwards and clean them up a bit. Downshifting can still be a bitch coming to a stop if im not paying attention to my speed/gear. I think my next purchase is a service manual. It just baffles me last yr I had ZERO issues with this. Now I changed fluids and Wala, I got problems.....
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 10,907
Likes: 8,758
From: Galt's Gulch - MI
I went ahead and doubled checked EVERYTHING. I drained my primary oil and put new in. Seems I did have it a tad bit overfull. I adjusted the clutch pack 3/4 of a turn and made sure the clutch lever is all good. Got to take it out for a ride and it all seemed well. Didn't have any issues up shifting this time but then again I didn't ride long. Weather her in PA doesn't want to cooperate. Hopefully this week I can take apart the forwards and clean them up a bit. Downshifting can still be a bitch coming to a stop if im not paying attention to my speed/gear. I think my next purchase is a service manual. It just baffles me last yr I had ZERO issues with this. Now I changed fluids and Wala, I got problems.....
As I posted previously, I've experimented with multiple primary fluids and it does not matter what fancy name is on the label, some just don't work that well; if your bike was smooth with the Redline as you've posted and it's not with the Formula+ and Amsoil go back to Redline in the primary and transmission and see what results you get. I've settled on Redline V-Twin Transmission w/shockproof and Mobil 1 Racing 4T; butter smooth shifting...
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Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 108
Likes: 6
From: Unityville PA
After carefully going over every single damn thing I think I may have nailed it. The shifter had lots of drag when kicking it up or down gears it wouldn't come back to the neutral position very fast. So I disconnected my linkage from the foot shifter, I then shifted it by hand. It found each gear easy and had the spring back like its suppose to. The foot shifter was binding and I mean bad! So I took the whole forward control off the bike and reamed out the bushings the shaft slides threw that the linkage connects to. Gave her a good dab of axle grease and presto, I can kick it up or down and find each gear and it springs back to the neutral position like its suppose to. Im thinking it wasn't allowing itself to reset after I would shift gears hence the reason for not being able to find gears up or down. I tell ya sometimes the dumbest **** really gets you going!!!
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Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 10,907
Likes: 8,758
From: Galt's Gulch - MI
Great to hear you stuck with it, found the problem and corrected it 
Thanks for updating this thread, in that way we all get to learn from it. Many times people have problems and ask questions and then never stop back to update their results. Glad you're ready to ride!
Thanks for updating this thread, in that way we all get to learn from it. Many times people have problems and ask questions and then never stop back to update their results. Glad you're ready to ride!
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