Finally found Neutral
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Road Captain
Joined: Sep 2005
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From: Richardson, Tx
Finally found Neutral
I bought this bike used a couple of months ago and noticed it was hard to find neutral but not bad enough to where I went looking for a cause. Did see others talking about it but just in terms of different oil helping.
I was installing some Rocker Lockers from Bikerscum last night and fired the bike up after the install. Engine was now quiet but heard another noise that wasn't right. Turned out the shift lever arm was lose rattling around. Never noticed it before. The lever won't fall off because it's up against the inner primary cover. Got an allen wrench in there and tightened it up. Amazing how easy it is to get into neutral now.
If you are having trouble easily finding neutral check yours. It's the lever hooked to the transmission. The rear shift linkage is hooked to it.
Hopes this helps someone else.
I was installing some Rocker Lockers from Bikerscum last night and fired the bike up after the install. Engine was now quiet but heard another noise that wasn't right. Turned out the shift lever arm was lose rattling around. Never noticed it before. The lever won't fall off because it's up against the inner primary cover. Got an allen wrench in there and tightened it up. Amazing how easy it is to get into neutral now.
If you are having trouble easily finding neutral check yours. It's the lever hooked to the transmission. The rear shift linkage is hooked to it.
Hopes this helps someone else.
Last edited by PTAG; Oct 10, 2015 at 07:45 PM.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 4,459
Likes: 2,895
From: Oklahoma
Hard to say how soon the arm splines would have stripped. That is a common complaint. Keep it tight and the arm should last as long as the rest of the machine. Aside from better shifting you have saved yourself a difficult job by not having to replace that arm. Keep an eye on the levers on the front shaft AND the ball joints on the rod. The ball joints are a common failure item usually starting at about 25,000 miles. Heim joints are popular replacements for the ball joints and further improve shifting.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 14,731
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From: Mountain Top, Alabama
From time to time, with my bike in the garage in neutral, I grab the shifter with both hands on each end and tug it around, sometimes putting it in and out of gear. Good and solid. If the shifter is tight, perhaps some folks just don't develop the feel of getting it in neutral with the leg/foot/boot/heel/toe combo. I go to neutral from first or second with never a problem. I use Mobil 1 V-Twin 20w50 Syn in all three holes for what it's worth, but again I believe a lot of it is just getting that feel for it.
Road Captain
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 704
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From: Billings, Montana Out in the Wild West.
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 96
Likes: 16
From: Brunswick, OH
I bought this bike used a couple of months ago and noticed it was hard to find neutral but not bad enough to where I went looking for a cause. Did see others talking about it but just in terms of different oil helping.
I was installing some Rocker Lockers from Bikerscum last night and fired the bike up after the install. Engine was now quiet but heard another noise that wasn't right. Turned out the shift lever arm was lose rattling around. Never noticed it before. The lever won't fall off because it's up against the inner primary cover. Got an allen wrench in there and tightened it up. Amazing how easy it is to get into neutral now.
If you are having trouble easily finding neutral check yours. It's the lever hooked to the transmission. The rear shift linkage is hooked to it.
Hopes this helps someone else.
I was installing some Rocker Lockers from Bikerscum last night and fired the bike up after the install. Engine was now quiet but heard another noise that wasn't right. Turned out the shift lever arm was lose rattling around. Never noticed it before. The lever won't fall off because it's up against the inner primary cover. Got an allen wrench in there and tightened it up. Amazing how easy it is to get into neutral now.
If you are having trouble easily finding neutral check yours. It's the lever hooked to the transmission. The rear shift linkage is hooked to it.
Hopes this helps someone else.
PTAG,
I purposely went outside to check mine after reading your post and sure enough it was loose as can be. The only thing holding it on was the inner primary. I actually had to use an allen key and 1 foot bar to tighten it. I had to loosen it first to even tighten it probably because there was lock tight from the factory. It is amazing how easy the shifter is to use and find neutral now with it tight. Haven't driven it yet but I am sure this has made a big difference. Thank you for posting this!!!!!
Jason
Road Captain
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 704
Likes: 62
From: Billings, Montana Out in the Wild West.
This is a common problem, some have has success by removing the allen head bolt and replacing it with a standard grade 8 bolt. Being able to use a socket wrench to tighten it up allows more torque to be applied getting the bolt tighter. You can read about it at this thread. https://www.hdforums.com/forum/touri...t-linkage.html
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Road Captain
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From: Richardson, Tx
Not if you get one of these. http://betterlever.com
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Thread Starter
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Road Captain
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 558
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From: Richardson, Tx
PTAG,
I purposely went outside to check mine after reading your post and sure enough it was loose as can be. The only thing holding it on was the inner primary. I actually had to use an allen key and 1 foot bar to tighten it. I had to loosen it first to even tighten it probably because there was lock tight from the factory. It is amazing how easy the shifter is to use and find neutral now with it tight. Haven't driven it yet but I am sure this has made a big difference. Thank you for posting this!!!!!
Jason
I purposely went outside to check mine after reading your post and sure enough it was loose as can be. The only thing holding it on was the inner primary. I actually had to use an allen key and 1 foot bar to tighten it. I had to loosen it first to even tighten it probably because there was lock tight from the factory. It is amazing how easy the shifter is to use and find neutral now with it tight. Haven't driven it yet but I am sure this has made a big difference. Thank you for posting this!!!!!
Jason
I think you will be surprised at how much difference it will make. I took a long ride today and could really feel the difference in shifiting. My bike only has 8500 miles so must have not be tightened correctly in the first place. Glad it help you.
Harold
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Road Captain
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 558
Likes: 2
From: Richardson, Tx
This is a common problem, some have has success by removing the allen head bolt and replacing it with a standard grade 8 bolt. Being able to use a socket wrench to tighten it up allows more torque to be applied getting the bolt tighter. You can read about it at this thread. https://www.hdforums.com/forum/touri...t-linkage.html