2013 hard downshifting

jim oneill · Jul 28, 2013

My 2013 has just passed 1000 miles and I,m experiencing difficult downshifting from 4th to 3rd and 3rd to 2nd. Has anyone else experienced this? Anyone know why its happening? This is my 3rd new FJR and I,ve not had this issue on the other bikes

K/W Motoman · Jul 28, 2013

Jim: I too have a 2013 and have approx. 3000 miles on it. My shifting can be more described as sticky downshifting rather than hard. I find it a little worse when cold then it gets better as it warms up. I don't know whether it's the pivot points on the shift linkage or the actual transmission itself. I also put Amsoil in the last oil change as well but that is suppose to make shifting easier but who knows.

I will be switching back to semi synthetic and lubing the pivot points to see if that helps. If not at the second check at the dealer I will have the mechanic take it out. To anyone reading this this is a minor issue and I feel the 2013 FJR is the best bike on the road.

I've only got ST1300's to compare to and the shifting was smoother on them.

SouthernCruizer · Jul 28, 2013

mine did the same thing. I had switched to Rotella on the first oil change, and think that may have had something to do with it. Switched to Honda pro oil,and problem went away within a couple of hundred miles. Seems the clutch plates were sticking. Now at 12,700 miles, all is still well.

networkguy · Jul 29, 2013

2013 here as well, and I, like others, have the same issue. Like K/W Motoman, it really only happens when its cold.

jim oneill · Jul 29, 2013

SouthernCruizer said:
mine did the same thing. I had switched to Rotella on the first oil change, and think that may have had something to do with it. Switched to Honda pro oil,and problem went away within a couple of hundred miles. Seems the clutch plates were sticking. Now at 12,700 miles, all is still well.

I also changed from the oil I had at delivery to Rotella Synthetic at my first oil change. Why would Rotella cause the sticking? I thought that synthetic brand was supposed to help with sticking???

SouthernCruizer · Jul 29, 2013

jim oneill said:
SouthernCruizer said:

mine did the same thing. I had switched to Rotella on the first oil change, and think that may have had something to do with it. Switched to Honda pro oil,and problem went away within a couple of hundred miles. Seems the clutch plates were sticking. Now at 12,700 miles, all is still well.

Click to expand...

I also changed from the oil I had at delivery to Rotella Synthetic at my first oil change. Why would Rotella cause the sticking? I thought that synthetic brand was supposed to help with sticking???

i was using the NON syn Rotella. Been using it for years on Gen I and Gen II FJR, plus other bikes, and never had a problem. Put it in my Gen III, and plates were sticking. Switched to Honda Pro oil, and no longer have the problem.

Bungie · Jul 29, 2013

No problems here. But I haven't even done the first oil change here yet. Going with Rotella Dino like always. See if it happens to mine.

Old Guy · Jul 29, 2013

I've got 7800 miles on my 2013 and am experiencing no shifting problems at all. FWIW, I switched to 10w40 Amsoil at 600 miles, and that's all it's had since. But I wouldn't expect any oil to be a problem as long as it meets Yamaha's specs.

Warchild · Jul 29, 2013

Just shy of 10,000 miles, I don't seem to have experienced any of these symptoms.

Not doing anything different from the previous two FJRs.... Mobil One 15-50w with about a 5K interval change...

AKjitsu · Jul 31, 2013

I'm running Amsoil 20-50 syn in my Gen III and shifts slicker'n snot up or down.

Warchild · Sep 3, 2013

Follow-up: passed 14,000 miles this weekend, and went a pinch longer than usual between oil changes (~6K this last interval).

Still can't duplicate the complaint....

perhaps I'll have a different tune to sing when the weather turns colder.

Sidebar: I can't seem to find the old school Mobil One 15W-50 anymore... local Wally World only carries 10W-40 "High Mileage" formula Mobil One (which I use anyway, even on this Gen III bike)

VMaxChuck · Sep 3, 2013

7,500 miles on mine and shifts/ clunks much worse than after I brought it to my dealer at 5,000 miles. They soaked the clutch leathers overnight in oil and burnished the steels. Shifted awesome for about 2,000 miles and now it's getting clunky again. Not real happy about this.....

Oh yea, yamalube 10W40 for the first 2 changes and now running Mobil 1 4T 10W40

nankoweap · Sep 3, 2013

Only about 1100 on my 03 and it's shifting just fine. Still running Yama-Lube until the first major oil change.

SouthernCruizer · Sep 3, 2013

UPDATE: 15,500 on mine...since switching to the Honda Pro oil, still shifting the way it's supposed to, nice n slick. Guess I'll stick with this oil. On the other hand, still using the Shell Rotella dino oil on the Vstrom and zero problems.

rockmurf · Jun 25, 2014

I have 9k on my 2013 and my problem is downshifting from 5th gear. It just doesn't want to come out. The warmer the bike the better overall shifting but it clunks heartily when I first put it in first. Has anyone come up with a solution and anyone else having problems?

RossKean · Jun 25, 2014

Might try lubing the shift lever. Probably needs it. Will take you maybe a half hour to dismantle, clean, lube and re-assemble. Sometimes changing to a different oil will make shifting easier. Mine is smoother with Rotella synthetic but others may find (for them) better solutions.

Queensland Ken · Jun 25, 2014

Did a service on a FJR's clutch plates yesterday.

My mate had problems up / dn shifting, the plates were extremely dry.

Only the outer 3-4 plates had any resemblance of oil.

AKjitsu · Jun 25, 2014

rockmurf said:
I have 9k on my 2013 and my problem is downshifting from 5th gear. It just doesn't want to come out. The warmer the bike the better overall shifting but it clunks heartily when I first put it in first. Has anyone come up with a solution and anyone else having problems?

Hold the clutch in for a 5 count before you stomp the shift lever.

Allen_C · Jun 25, 2014

Bleed the clutch fluid. Possibly got air into the line and now the clutch does not disengage completely - not so much an issue when upshifting but a problem for downshifts?

2013 hard downshifting

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