shifting question
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,573
Likes: 138
From: StL, MO. USA
It sounds (by your explanation) that you are trying to bounce thru multiple gears in 'at once'.
The beauty of any 'manual' transmission is that allows you to downshift to a lower gear and use the transmission to help slowdown...going from 6th 'directly' to a MUCH lower gear (like 3rd, 2nd or 1st) isn't really a riding style that I have ever used - I (typically) end-up using my transmission to slow me down...and augment it with the brakes.
The H-D transmissions are ridiculously simple in regards to 'how they work'. There are only a few components: main gear-set, secondary gear set, shift forks and a shift drum. From my experience, the most likely 'internal' transmission part that would cause the issue you describe is the 'shift pawl' that spins the shift drum (it's inside of the transmission, connected to the same shaft that your rear shift arm is attached to) it's spring operated and 'catches' on shift drum notches when you up/down shift. I think it is very UNlikely this being the culprit.
I imagine, if there is a problem, it either your shift linkage is set too short or too long...or (as someone else stated above) your front pivot shaft just needs to be lubed-up.
All that said...based solely on your description of the issue...I would say your riding style is more to blame than anything mechanical. No offense intended...just my $0.02.
The beauty of any 'manual' transmission is that allows you to downshift to a lower gear and use the transmission to help slowdown...going from 6th 'directly' to a MUCH lower gear (like 3rd, 2nd or 1st) isn't really a riding style that I have ever used - I (typically) end-up using my transmission to slow me down...and augment it with the brakes.
The H-D transmissions are ridiculously simple in regards to 'how they work'. There are only a few components: main gear-set, secondary gear set, shift forks and a shift drum. From my experience, the most likely 'internal' transmission part that would cause the issue you describe is the 'shift pawl' that spins the shift drum (it's inside of the transmission, connected to the same shaft that your rear shift arm is attached to) it's spring operated and 'catches' on shift drum notches when you up/down shift. I think it is very UNlikely this being the culprit.
I imagine, if there is a problem, it either your shift linkage is set too short or too long...or (as someone else stated above) your front pivot shaft just needs to be lubed-up.
All that said...based solely on your description of the issue...I would say your riding style is more to blame than anything mechanical. No offense intended...just my $0.02.
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 45,429
Likes: 2,898
From: Bedford UK
Glider, I suspect that when you change down you are not raising the engine speed, to synchronise it with bike speed. To explain that: while riding along at say 2,000rpm in gear, to change down to the next gear at the same road speed, the engine speed has to be increased to a higher level. I am going to guess that is around 2,500rpm, but it doesn't matter precisely. We often call that 'blipping' the throttle.
What 'blipping' the throttle does is to raise engine speed, to take drive-line loads off the internals of the tranmission, so that the components inside it can move easily while you tread on the pedal. If you are shutting the throttle and trying to change gear, the trans is loaded up by the forward motion of you and your bike, so the trans components cannot disengage from each other.
Hope that helps! If not, we can investigate further.
Advanced
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
Ditto
It sounds (by your explanation) that you are trying to bounce thru multiple gears in 'at once'.
The beauty of any 'manual' transmission is that allows you to downshift to a lower gear and use the transmission to help slowdown...going from 6th 'directly' to a MUCH lower gear (like 3rd, 2nd or 1st) isn't really a riding style that I have ever used - I (typically) end-up using my transmission to slow me down...and augment it with the brakes.
The H-D transmissions are ridiculously simple in regards to 'how they work'. There are only a few components: main gear-set, secondary gear set, shift forks and a shift drum. From my experience, the most likely 'internal' transmission part that would cause the issue you describe is the 'shift pawl' that spins the shift drum (it's inside of the transmission, connected to the same shaft that your rear shift arm is attached to) it's spring operated and 'catches' on shift drum notches when you up/down shift. I think it is very UNlikely this being the culprit.
I imagine, if there is a problem, it either your shift linkage is set too short or too long...or (as someone else stated above) your front pivot shaft just needs to be lubed-up.
All that said...based solely on your description of the issue...I would say your riding style is more to blame than anything mechanical. No offense intended...just my $0.02.
The beauty of any 'manual' transmission is that allows you to downshift to a lower gear and use the transmission to help slowdown...going from 6th 'directly' to a MUCH lower gear (like 3rd, 2nd or 1st) isn't really a riding style that I have ever used - I (typically) end-up using my transmission to slow me down...and augment it with the brakes.
The H-D transmissions are ridiculously simple in regards to 'how they work'. There are only a few components: main gear-set, secondary gear set, shift forks and a shift drum. From my experience, the most likely 'internal' transmission part that would cause the issue you describe is the 'shift pawl' that spins the shift drum (it's inside of the transmission, connected to the same shaft that your rear shift arm is attached to) it's spring operated and 'catches' on shift drum notches when you up/down shift. I think it is very UNlikely this being the culprit.
I imagine, if there is a problem, it either your shift linkage is set too short or too long...or (as someone else stated above) your front pivot shaft just needs to be lubed-up.
All that said...based solely on your description of the issue...I would say your riding style is more to blame than anything mechanical. No offense intended...just my $0.02.
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 268
Likes: 5
From: SC
Thanks - no pressure then!
Glider, I suspect that when you change down you are not raising the engine speed, to synchronise it with bike speed. To explain that: while riding along at say 2,000rpm in gear, to change down to the next gear at the same road speed, the engine speed has to be increased to a higher level. I am going to guess that is around 2,500rpm, but it doesn't matter precisely. We often call that 'blipping' the throttle.
What 'blipping' the throttle does is to raise engine speed, to take drive-line loads off the internals of the tranmission, so that the components inside it can move easily while you tread on the pedal. If you are shutting the throttle and trying to change gear, the trans is loaded up by the forward motion of you and your bike, so the trans components cannot disengage from each other.
Hope that helps! If not, we can investigate further.
Glider, I suspect that when you change down you are not raising the engine speed, to synchronise it with bike speed. To explain that: while riding along at say 2,000rpm in gear, to change down to the next gear at the same road speed, the engine speed has to be increased to a higher level. I am going to guess that is around 2,500rpm, but it doesn't matter precisely. We often call that 'blipping' the throttle.
What 'blipping' the throttle does is to raise engine speed, to take drive-line loads off the internals of the tranmission, so that the components inside it can move easily while you tread on the pedal. If you are shutting the throttle and trying to change gear, the trans is loaded up by the forward motion of you and your bike, so the trans components cannot disengage from each other.
Hope that helps! If not, we can investigate further.
Ill try this and see. The problem is it may not do it but once per ride, maybe.
The way I shift down if im running 55mph is let off the gas, pull the clutch and start downshifting as I slow down, not trying to go directly to 1ST. Go to fifth, coast a little go to fourth, coast a little, and be in first right before I stop.
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