3rd gear engagement issue??
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Tourer
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 497
Likes: 8
From: New Egypt, NJ
3rd gear engagement issue??
This is an old issue to which I have not found an answer. When upshifting without disengaging the clutch, third gear seems to not fully engage. I believe what is happening is that the dogs are not fully engaging with their respective slots. What happens is when accelerating after shifting into third the gear "slips", then grabs, then slips, then grabs, etc. It feelsblike the dogs are "jumping" from one slot to the next, probably because they are not fully engaging. This only ever happens following the 2-3 upshift, and NEVER happens if I pull the clutch lever in, even very slightly. It NEVER happens after a downshift from 4-3, and NEVER happens in any other gear when upshifting without the clutch. Anyone have any idea why this happens? When it does happen, the only way to stop it is to shift to another gear and do over using the clutch lever. Then it's fine.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 17,548
Likes: 7,164
From: Oxford, Nc
You need an air shifter which kills the spark for a millisecond during up shifts in order to unload the pressure on the gears when shifting without the clutch. That's why you're not 'fully engaging.'
Or you could just use the clutch like the rest of us ....
Or you could just use the clutch like the rest of us ....
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Tourer
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 497
Likes: 8
From: New Egypt, NJ
It seems to me that some of "the rest of you" routinely shift without the clutch, based on some of what I've seen on here regarding the AIM clutch setup. Some complain that during higb rpm shifts the AIM clutch is near impossible to disengage. The solution I saw offered by another user on this forum was to "put pressure on the shifter and blip the throttle" without touching the clutch lever.
So, with that said, I am contemplating the purchase of one of these clutch setups for several reasons, but wanted to address this third gear upshift issue before I find myself in a situation where I have spent $400, have problems with the $400 component, and still don't have a solution to a clutch issue. Based on the foregoing, I'd say the contributor who made that suggestion doesn't have an air shifter -if he did, he wouldn't have to put pressure on the shifter and blip the throttle - and I gathered he doesn't have this 3rd gear issue when upshifting. Since several other chimed in with agreement to the above technique, it would seem that there are at least a few "of us" who at least occasionally shift without using the clutch.
Part of the beauty of an air shifter, used when drag racing and nowhere else that I've ever seen, is that it isn't necessary to "blip the throttle" when shifting; momentarily killing the ignition handles all that for the rider. It sort of removes some.of the human error from drag racing. Very much like the use of a "delay box" and trans brakes in drag cars. The driver holds his foot to the floor and flips a switch when the tree turns green (or just before, like right after the last yellow with a bracket tree, or right after all three yellows on a pro tree). I don't need all that, I'm not drag racing. Just hot rodding around the streets on my daily commuter/touring bike.
Anyone have any useful input?
So, with that said, I am contemplating the purchase of one of these clutch setups for several reasons, but wanted to address this third gear upshift issue before I find myself in a situation where I have spent $400, have problems with the $400 component, and still don't have a solution to a clutch issue. Based on the foregoing, I'd say the contributor who made that suggestion doesn't have an air shifter -if he did, he wouldn't have to put pressure on the shifter and blip the throttle - and I gathered he doesn't have this 3rd gear issue when upshifting. Since several other chimed in with agreement to the above technique, it would seem that there are at least a few "of us" who at least occasionally shift without using the clutch.
Part of the beauty of an air shifter, used when drag racing and nowhere else that I've ever seen, is that it isn't necessary to "blip the throttle" when shifting; momentarily killing the ignition handles all that for the rider. It sort of removes some.of the human error from drag racing. Very much like the use of a "delay box" and trans brakes in drag cars. The driver holds his foot to the floor and flips a switch when the tree turns green (or just before, like right after the last yellow with a bracket tree, or right after all three yellows on a pro tree). I don't need all that, I'm not drag racing. Just hot rodding around the streets on my daily commuter/touring bike.
Anyone have any useful input?
If you have shifted without the clutch for awhile I can assure you that your dog teeth are rounded and even if you spend the money for an ignition kill unit the problem will progressively get worse to the point that third will not stay engaged at all. Tear the trans down replace the third main gear and check the counter gear. If the third gear dog teeth are wasted then the second gear pair more than likely look the same. Replace the gears, the fork as well, install a kill unit and get back to racing.
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 497
Likes: 8
From: New Egypt, NJ
Thank you Mark, that was helpful. I guess I was thinking I may have a misaligned or bent shifter fork or something not moving the sliding gear far enough, or something. I suppose I will just have to keep using the clutch regularly. I'm not digging into this trans until I have the money for a 6 speed, which I would really like to have where I now live. My commute to work now includes about 30 miles of straight, boring highway with a 70 mph legal limit, which means I run it at 80+... I couod really use an overdrive!
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 21,095
Likes: 12,639
From: South Carolina
[QUOTE=moonraker;10769224 its only done just over 5k miles from new[/QUOTE]
Please clarify.
Also model and year.
Please clarify.
Also model and year.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,354
Likes: 1
From: S.W. Florida
Exactly, I have a Pingel electric push button shifter with an adjustable ignition delay that came off a 2011 model. I'll sell it you cheap if you have an FLH model.
PM me of you might be interested.
PM me of you might be interested.
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