I have an 03 fatboy with a 5 spd , last night I noticed I couldn’t down shift , no clanging or anything . Shifter is stuck ,no wiggle at all . This morning i moved it around a little and was able to run the gears down to first, ran the gears again and it got stuck in 5th , all while the bike is off . Any suggestions? A buddy of mine told
me it may be a fork stuck in a gear? Please help

 

Did you try cleaning the inside of the sleeve and the shaft at the shifter lever? Sometimes crap gets built up in there. I had to take mine apart and clean it because the lever wasn't returning to position. Maybe you have extensive build up or damage on either the shaft or sleeve.

 

It's a good idea to check the shifter linkage for free movement, dirt, and possible binding of the shift linkage joints... As mentioned above, there is a bushing that the foot shift lever shaft goes through that can need cleaning, lubing and sometimes replacement.

You can also disconnect the shift linkage from the transmission shift shaft, and try to manipulate the gears with just that shaft... it should tell you if the issue is in the trans or the linkage.

If it's something that just happened all of a sudden, it's possible there is damage to the trans shift mechanism. You can pull the top cover and check the detent arm #20 and detent arm spring #21, etc for issues.... if that spring broke, it would affect your ability to shift.




You can inspect other possible issues with the trans cover removed... but I suggest you get a factory service manual and maybe a friend familiar with a 5-speed trans before further disassembly/adjustments...

 

Should not try to shift with it off unless you have rear wheel off ground and moving tire or rocking bike fwd and back.


The shifter forks are always engaged. They are in sliding splined drives with dogs on each side that engage gears. All gears freewheel unless one is engaged.

Hopefully, something has got loose binding external linkage. However forcing shifts without gears freewheeling from clutch oil windage will tear things up in transmission. But internally, they are tough.

 

I had the same problem a few years ago. I don't know where it came from or how it got there but there was a bolt down the hole where the transmission linkage is and it was jamming up the gears. I pulled it out with a magnet and problem solved.

Because of that experience, every now and then I poke a long magnet down there just in case.