(Split) Shifting when bike is stopped

[Lou D]

Anybody have trouble shifting into first when the bike is stopped?

 

[FreakyFastFreddie]

Anybody have trouble shifting into first when the bike is stopped?

Mine shifts fine.

 

[N4HHE]

Anybody have trouble shifting into first when the bike is stopped?

Shifting was fantastic the first 5 miles from the dealer. Then not so much, stuffing it into 1st at a stop was problematic by the time I got home (30 miles).

As miles accumulated shifting and first gear at stop got better-to-acceptable.

At 4000 miles (last week) I changed oil to Rotella T6 and now it shifts as sweet as anything, even at a stop. Best $20 upgrade ever.

 

[sarg]

Hard to get into first when stopped. Not experiencing the butter smooth shifts I've read about. Hoping an oil change and more miles will smooth things out.

 

[rbentnail]

Perhaps the clutch soak saga continues.....

 

[Warpdrv]

FWIW - a bit off topic..... I don't know if Hornet Pilot posted here since, I searched his posts and did not find anything.

I ran into him as usual on his decked out '05 at Road America for the SuperBike race...

We chatted for a few moments, didn't have much time, but he disclosed the fact he changed his slipper clutch out for the new 2016 slipper clutch.

I messaged him, hopefully he'll pop in...

Warp

 

[chivvalry]

I've had no problems whatsoever with shifting... loving the new transmission.

 

[AdamK]

No shifting issues here. Using Rotella T Triple 15w-40. I tried the T6 for a short period of time and found the shifting a bit notchy. In my experience on 2 Honda STs and now the FJR using an oil with lower than 15w feels a bit like running water in the tranny, no cushiony feeling.... Even the beloved and expensive Mobil One Racing 4T 10w-40 felt a little "thin" to me, but better than the 5w of the Rotella T6.

It's my understanding that the base stock used in synthetic oils tends to be lower viscosity. I've never like the feeling of these oils in my bikes. YMMV

 

[N4HHE]

Perhaps the clutch soak saga continues.....

It is absolutely not a clutch issue. If anything the problem is that the clutch disengages too well. Dumb luck, dog teeth on gears stop out of alignment. Stomping on the shifter will only bend the shift forks. The way to get it in gear is to release the clutch to spin the input gears, clutch again and transmission will drop into 1st as spinning gears catch dog teeth.

 

[N4HHE]

No shifting issues here. Using Rotella T Triple 15w-40. I tried the T6 for a short period of time and found the shifting a bit notchy. In my experience on 2 Honda STs and now the FJR using an oil with lower than 15w feels a bit like running water in the tranny, no cushiony feeling.... Even the beloved and expensive Mobil One Racing 4T 10w-40 felt a little "thin" to me, but better than the 5w of the Rotella T6.
It's my understanding that the base stock used in synthetic oils tends to be lower viscosity. I've never like the feeling of these oils in my bikes. YMMV

40 weight oil is 40 weight at operating temperature no matter synthetic, refined, 5W, 15W, no matter what.

 

[rbentnail]

No shifting issues here. Using Rotella T Triple 15w-40. I tried the T6 for a short period of time and found the shifting a bit notchy. In my experience on 2 Honda STs and now the FJR using an oil with lower than 15w feels a bit like running water in the tranny, no cushiony feeling.... Even the beloved and expensive Mobil One Racing 4T 10w-40 felt a little "thin" to me, but better than the 5w of the Rotella T6.

It's my understanding that the base stock used in synthetic oils tends to be lower viscosity. I've never like the feeling of these oils in my bikes. YMMV

40 weight oil is 40 weight at operating temperature no matter synthetic, refined, 5W, 15W, no matter what.

My bike has always, from day one, shifted better with 15-40 or 20-50 than it does with 10-40 or 5-anything. Just the nature of My Beast, I learned not to put Rotella in it. Heavier Valvoline works mucho gooder but of course mine is a temperamental '07 *****. YMMV..

 

[ElectricFJR]

I've had no problems whatsoever with shifting... loving the new transmission.

+1

I have zero clunk shifting from neutral to 1st with no engagement issues. I switched to full synthetic at the 600 mile service.

 

[chazglenn3]

I've had no problems whatsoever with shifting... loving the new transmission.

+1

I have zero clunk shifting from neutral to 1st with no engagement issues. I switched to full synthetic at the 600 mile service.

What weight of synthetic?

 

[N4HHE]

What weight of synthetic?

"Synthetic" is not a motor oil performance specification. The color of the bottle has about exactly the same meaning.

 

[N4HHE]

It's my understanding that the base stock used in synthetic oils tends to be lower viscosity. I've never like the feeling of these oils in my bikes. YMMV

5W-40 is a 5 weight oil which does not thin worse than a 40 weight oil at 212°F. At 212°F it is exactly the same viscosity as a straight-weight 40.

Actually thats a misnomer because 5W is not 5 weight but "pumps and pours at the same cold temperature as a straight 5 weight oil." 5W doesn't definitely say anything about viscosity between the sub-freezing temperatures of W oils and the nominal rated operating temperature of 212°F. We generally assume the viscosity plot vs temperature has no inflection points.

5W-40 is only found in synthetic because synthetic manufacturing can make oil molecules with flatter viscosity/temperature curve while using less viscosity-improver additives. Viscosity-improver additives are more delicate and break down sooner than engineered base oils.

In my GL1800 days I couldn't discern a difference between 15W-40 Rotella or Delvac. 5W-40 Rotella shifted better the first 1/2 mile when temperatures were below 70°F. After the first 1/2 mile, no difference.

My dirtbike has a definite preference for automotive 15W-50 Mobil-1 over refined SuperTech (Walmart brand) 20W-50. Less mechanical engine noise with Mobil-1 yet I notice no difference in accumulation on the drain plug magnet.

Has been a long long time since I've experienced an oil which made my clutch plates stick when cold. IIRC it was a Honda branded oil.

 

[thewrenchbender]

What Adamk said. Irrespective of the science involved. Ran T6 for 2 intervals. "Clankier" (as opposed to "clunkier") into gear. Felt notch-ier shifting-less cushion. Don't know if the trans liked it or not, but I didn't. Run T3 pretty much exclusively. If I am reading the manual properly it meets all the specs for warmer weather operation.

 

[thewrenchbender]

^^and both the 08 and the 15 occasionally didn't/don't like to shift when sitting still. The 08 being an AE seemed to make it worse.

 

[AdamK]

It's my understanding that the base stock used in synthetic oils tends to be lower viscosity. I've never like the feeling of these oils in my bikes. YMMV

5W-40 is a 5 weight oil which does not thin worse than a 40 weight oil at 212°F. At 212°F it is exactly the same viscosity as a straight-weight 40.

I agree, but it is my understanding that the additives used to make that 5w oil act like 40w oil at those temps breaks down over time and the oil starts reverting back to its 5w base stock characteristics. I've also read that if you start with a 10w or 15w base the oil won't revert, over time, to characteristics as low as the oil which starts out as 5w.

I have no claims of being an oil expert. My opinions are based on what I've read and personal experience over a couple of 100k miles of riding.

 

[C&C]

Downshift as I am decelerating usually means no problems. If not, and I'm at a stop, still in top gear (or not 'in the basement'), a simple clutch release will let the tranny shift down.