transmission not down shifting

[want2ride]

My bike sat for a month due to weather conditions and being out of town a lot. Got on it yesterday and rode for 50 miles with no issues. This morning I got up for work and started out only to find it was not down shifting when I would come to a stop. Several tries to get to move down one gear. Letting out on the clutch seems to help with the issue but it still takes several tries to get it all the way back to first gear. Had to return home and switch to the car. What do I need to check out on this issue? It is a 2009 model with 38 K on it. 

 

[RossKean]

Assuming that this is an "A" model, it is often the result of a gummed up shifter pivot and/or linkage - shifter doesn't easily return to the center position.  Might be a spring in there too which could prevent the return to center so it can ratchet for the next gear.

 

[hppants]

When was the last time you flushed and bled your clutch hydraulic system?  If you have some entrapped air in the system, then your clutch is not fully engaging, and that could affect shifting.  Presumably both upshifting and down shifting, but your transmission is a sequential gearbox and as you are likely aware, you can really upshift without any clutch if the motor revs are right.

 

[rbentnail]

My bike will do this if the engine oil is overdue to be changed, somewhat earlier if I still have 20-50 in it and it's 50*F or less.  Upshifting is fine, downshifting becomes difficult while moving.  My bike has never liked downshifting when stopped, it simply won't do it.  And, as I coast down I have to cycle the clutch a little to downshift.  Been like this from new, it's normal to me.

I say replace the clutch fluid and replace the engine oil and filter.  Go with a "lighter" oil if in cooler weather now.  5-30 worked great for me in the cold.   Worse case I think is a clutch soak/cleaning but I've never once had to do one.  And change how you downshift.

 

[dravnx]

Many transmissions don't like to be downshifted when stopped. Try letting the clutch out and then in again or make sure you're in first before you come to a stop. 

 

[MrZappo]

Normal behavior for a sequential gearbox ...  Generally you should not be in a high gear and the come to a stop and then shift down a bunch of times ... In any event clutch out a bit and back in ...  Should generally spin things up and allow them to move ..  

But IMHO, you should generally be in second gear from downshifting as you are slowing down when you come to a stop and even with that, mine sometimes binds up.  I don't give it a second thought ...  

 

[want2ride]

Down shifting while coming to a stop made no difference and then I had no choice but to shift while stopped. Up shift was smooth as silk. All fluids (clutch, brake) were completely changed out last year and no problems until this morning. Will do a oil replacement on my next day off (next week?) as 14 hours days don't leave me any other time for it. The down shift would not give the click until it finally caught.  No other problems noted on the bike except for the occasional speedometer going up on its own for no reason but that never affected performance.

 

[RossKean]

Do the clean and lube on the shifter pivot and linkage first.  (Do the rear brake pivot while you are at it.)  Bleed all the hydraulics.

 

[BigOgre]

Not 100% sure this would affect the OP's issue but couldn't hurt to service/replace the clutch lever bushing while doing it all.  (#5 in the diagram.)

 

[hppants]

Nice catch Big-O!!  When that bushing wore out on my Gen 1 bike, the clutch was "sticky".  Definitely worth a $5 try!

 

[Bounce]

And worth the 5 minutes it takes, once or twice a year, to R&R and lube the pin and the brass bushing.

 

[wfooshee]

Rosskean has it in the second post. If the shifter doesn't return to center, you can't do the next shift. For some reason, the gumminess shows worse going up the gears, or going down; you can do one but not both.

The shifter pivot needs to be cleaned to free up the centering of the mechanism. Do the brake pedal too!

It has nothing to do with fluids, bleeding, or anything like that. If you can go from neutral to first while stopped, it ain't the clutch lever bushing, either.

Clean the shifter pedal.

 

[road runner]

As RossKean said grease the shifter and brake pivot points first because easy to do and should be done. Although if it is the sticking shifter it won't shift up or down correctly.  I think it may need a clutch soak. You say it up shifts good and we all know that you can do that without the clutch. Down shifting is another story. Try this when down shifting, pull in clutch, blip throttle,  downshift, release clutch. By revving it with clutch pulled you get the clutch plates to release from each other. This happened to me and clutch soak took care of it. But by all means try the easy fixes first.

 

[art miller]

And worth the 5 minutes it takes, once or twice a year, to R&R and lube the pin and the brass bushing.

^^^^^^^  Time and effort well spent!!!

 

[want2ride]

Spent yesterday on the bike changing oil, filter and removing/cleaning the shifter linkage. It was gummy on the down shift. Getting the bolt out was difficult due to the lock tight on it. Now it is shifting free and clear. The brake bushings are cleaned and lubed twice a year along with the rear brake pedal. Never addressed the shifter linkage though..... 

Thank you all for your help!

 

[RossKean]

Good stuff.  If the linkage is too gooey to return to center, it won't shift to the next gear.  I find every year or more often for the rear brake pivot and two years for the shifter.  Don't overtighten the bolt.  If too tight, it will hang up.  A dab of blue Loctite on the thread is a good idea.