09 gear bow trouble already?

[Schuey1]

All,

After many miserable miles on my Ducati, I finally switched over to the FJR and love my 09 hoping many trouble free miles were ahead with the FJR.

Well, recently (past hundred miles or so) I've been having trouble selecting gears,some times 1st, other times 3rd. I have come to a stop once and while sitting at the light I'm trying to put it in 1st but nothing, I'm just short of stomping on the lever, I let it move forward some in 2nd and try again, nothing, leaving me to start off in 2nd.

I'm now having similar issue with getting into 3rd. I had to adjust my gear shift lever (yes it happened before the adjustment)so today I took it out and thought maybe the lever was the problem, I rode around without a problem until about an hour into my ride, I had problems getting into 3rd.

As I mentioned, letting the clutch out and trying to shift up then down makes no difference. After a break for lunch, I get back on the bike and it's shifting fine, it really has no certain point when it'll decide to stop working. I haven't noticed any significant issues with the bike as far as operating temperature or anything that would influence the gear box negatively.

The bike is just past the 500 mile mark and I was planning on bringing it in for the first service but seeing it is pretty intermittant I don't know if they'd be able to find my problem with out keeping it and riding it for a while.

Do I have the new bike break in blues or is this something to start worrying about? Outside of the shifting issue, the bike runs great,

Any thoughts on what could be happening?

 

[bramfrank]

I wonder if it couldn;t be bent shifter forks.

Did you blow a shift from first to second at any point?

You DO use your clutch when shifting, no?

 

[GAPS]

I wonder if it couldn;t be bent shifter forks.
Did you blow a shift from first to second at any point?

You DO use your clutch when shifting, no?

 

[ceddec]

Before pulling the panick button, get your first service and see how she works out.

 

[2WheelTiger]

I'm suspecting break-in blues. It's not unusual for new FJRs to have a little clutch drag. Notice all the threads about soaking clutch plates in oil? I suspect the problem will to away in about 500 miles.

 

[v65]

I'm suspecting break-in blues. It's not unusual for new FJRs to have a little clutch drag. Notice all the threads about soaking clutch plates in oil? I suspect the problem will to away in about 500 miles.

+1, you could try taking it to the dealer and see if they will soak the clutch plates for you. That seems to do the trick.

 

[Schuey1]

Thanks for the replies,

I did see all the threads on soaking the clutch plates but I am hoping it's just the break in blues. At the rate I'm going, I'll be at the 600 mile mark here shortly. I may stop by the dealer prior to the service to give a heads up and will mention the part about soaking the clutch plates.

No blown shifts so far but of course it was a wake up call when I thought I went to the next higher gear but in fact stayed where I was.

I always use the clutch, pretty much have been babying it so far during the break in period but trying to follow the break in steps outlined in the manual and from other riders on this forum. I did get a new pair of boots and thought that was my problem but switched back to the old ones for a test and still had this problem so I'm trying to eliminate all the obvious.

I did notice shifting was getting harder recently but again wrote it off to break in.

Thanks again for the replies, I'm looking forward to many carefree miles with this bike....hopefully.

 

[Bogus]

You'll be fine! When i got my '08 in Feb. of '08, it was the first non Honda that I had for 35 years of riding. I thought that this tranny was a real POS at first. On cold mornings I had a hard time shifting from first to second, or maybe later from second to third. I never tried to soak the clutch plates as suggested on this forum, but instead gave the bike time for parts to "mate" to each other. I now have about 9500 mi. on her, and since about 3000 mi., it has only got better and better! Make sure you have the idle set at 1100--don't baby her too much--but don't beat the shit out of her either. As someone here said, "miles are your friends".

 

[PA1195]

Anybody with miles and shifting issues ever take the clutch apart to check for sufficient oil on the plates?

Would be nice to know if the clutch ever gets lubed, and how long it might take.

Gary in Fairbanks

 

[JamesK]

Thanks for the replies,
I did see all the threads on soaking the clutch plates but I am hoping it's just the break in blues. At the rate I'm going, I'll be at the 600 mile mark here shortly. I may stop by the dealer prior to the service to give a heads up and will mention the part about soaking the clutch plates.

Why not just do the quick, easy and non-invasive workaround of leaving the clutch on over night as mentioned in some of the "clutch soaking posts"?

 

[Schuey1]

Just got done reading many threads on the clutch soaking solution. I must say that taking a wrench to a bike with 500 miles on it doesn't exactly thrill me no less wrenching on the clutch. I'll have the dealer check it out when they do the 600 service.

This will obviously be the first time using the dealer for service so no idea on their responce to soaking the clutch but that will be the avenue I pursue. I've heard good things about my dealers service and if it is anything like the sales folks and owner, I should be in good hands.

Even if they say it's a break in thing I'll still request an inspection on the clutch plates and refer to these threads. I'm still soar from the experience with the Ducati dealership so hopefully this will be much easier.

I'll say for now that I'm cautiously optomistic and look forward to getting this settled.

 

[PA1195]

Why not just do the quick, easy and non-invasive workaround of leaving the clutch on over night as mentioned in some of the "clutch soaking posts"?

I tried that method on my new, old-stock '08. Ran it up to 5 bars in gear at idle with the clutch disengaged four times, and then let it sit overnight with the clutch disengaged. Out of boredom due to icy roads, I removed the clutch pack last week to check for oil. None anywhere except on the most inner and outer plates. Soaked them overnight, although I suspect just a dip in oil would have been sufficient. No goo on either the friction or metal discs either. Just dry metal and friction pads.

Without lube oil what we have is a dry clutch assembly that's going to have high friction, may eventually cause rough shifting, and will end up wearing the mating surfaces unnecessarily in my opinion.

I wonder if a dry assembled clutch ever gets oiled enough to operate properly. My Dealer said the dry condition was from my bike sitting in a crate for a year. I doubt that was the case.

Gary in Fairbanks