Sundog: FYI, bike tranny is not synchronized. They're constant mesh with the shifting done using dogs much like a boat lower unit.

I agree with the broken tooth idea. Even though it has nothing to do with "meshing" when going into gear as they are always meshed, a missing tooth can cause this skipping affect.

 

Got to be some metal floating in there if that is the case,have you drained the primary?

 

Mine was doing that i replaced the gear, it was bad.

 

Lets start small here. At what rpm is it doing this in? If you're in too low an rpm it will do a kind of pop and a jerk, like a hesitation. Is that what it's doing?

 

In my case, it's usually just as the clutch is releasing and nearly fully engaged.

Seems more common when cold than hot. Seems more prevalent after being in neutral for a pause and then going into first, less common when down-shifting past neutral during the landing and then taking off again.

Shifting into first from neutral varies from a single-crunch fairly smooth rack to what feels like a double or treble crunch.

I think the slip happens more during the prior symptom, but I haven't found any absolute correlation.

I'm no stranger to a wrench, but I have never been in the gearbox of any bike I have had. Is changing out first gear a do-it-yourself job?

 

My wifes 02 does it as well.It is not a gear on hers I had the case of and turned the trans checking all the teeth.Another guy on here has the problem and a dealer is trying to fix it.So far no luck.He is suppossed to pm the fix to me.It feels like a split second slip then jerk.Sometimes twice in a row if you pull out fairly hard.If you baby it it won't do it.I may tear hers down all the way over winter.If I find something I will post it.If you have a decent set of tools the case can be off in a half hour or less.You will need a lift to be able to turn the rear wheel or turn the trans to check the gears.

 

I have a lift and many quality tools, but none that are HD specific. I have been studying the Service Manual, but I'm still much confused.

Your post suggests that it is possible to visually inspect the trans without pulling it entirely. Is this so and what is involved (which "case") needs to be removed and are "specialty" tools required.

Thanks for the reply and the information.