Shifting Issues
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 354
Likes: 0
From: Indianapolis, IN
Shifting Issues
I've searched the site and haven't found a thread specific to my issue. Friday night I noticed it was hard to shift my bike occasionally, 3-4 four times when I was downshifting coming to a stop. Once or twice when upshifting into third it seemed like I had to stomp it pretty good. I looked it over and nothing on the shifter or linkage seemed to be grabbing. Sunday morning I went on about a 100 mile ride and didn't seem to have any issues. Sunday night it was acting really bad and I noticed at stop lights the bike was trying to pull me forward like the clutch wasn't fully engaged. All the fluids are good. My buddy and I tried to adjust the clutch based on the instructions in a service manual and it's still doing the same thing. Now, neither of us are professional mechanics, so I don't want to rule out the possibility that we didn't get it adjusted properly, but I would love some advice on what the problem could be.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 8,341
Likes: 716
most hard to find nuetral and hard to shift,are clutch adjustments.do some reading in here many have reported that they use a little different method to get it right,the clutchs on the newer bike are tough to adjust to the sweet spot.
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Tourer
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 354
Likes: 0
From: Indianapolis, IN
Both, but in doing some more reading I may try it again. The manual I have says 1/2 to 1 turn on the set screw, I went 3/4. Some other posts suggest you mayu have to go more, that it is really really sensitive and hard to find the sweet spot.
Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 629
Likes: 1
From: Lewes, DE
Right after I got my '08 SG I started having shifting issues. Turns out it was the shifter. If you look, it runs inside a sleeve on it's way to the transmission. When I took mine apart it was covered in thick, hard grease causing the shifther to bind on up shifts and down shifts. I cleaned it, re-greased it and then drilled the sleeve and put a grease fitting on it. Has worked perfectly ever since. Take a look at yours and see if it's binding.
Road Warrior
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,802
Likes: 2
From: Salt Lake City, UT. Dushore, Pa.
Sounds like the clutch basket may be worn. How many miles does bike have on it. If adjusting doesn't work I'd pull the primary cover, clutch disc. and check the inside of the basket for wear, groves etc.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 5,977
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From: Nevada
3/4 turn is fine but 1 won't hurt if you like the clutch release closer to the grip. Make sure you have loosened the cable fully before adjusting the clutch. Then be sure the set screw doesn't turn when you tighten the nut.
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Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 563
Likes: 3
Right after I got my '08 SG I started having shifting issues. Turns out it was the shifter. If you look, it runs inside a sleeve on it's way to the transmission. When I took mine apart it was covered in thick, hard grease causing the shifther to bind on up shifts and down shifts. I cleaned it, re-greased it and then drilled the sleeve and put a grease fitting on it. Has worked perfectly ever since. Take a look at yours and see if it's binding.
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 354
Likes: 0
From: Indianapolis, IN
Thanks for all the good advice. Played with it some more last night, went a 1/2 turn on the set screw and it seems to help. Another friend came over and looked it over. He suggested I start using a different oil than the Harley, other posts on here have helped. I'm gonna check out the sleeve issue listed above.