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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Trouble going into First gear while stopped
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Message started by ChicagoRider on 05/25/08 at 19:07:26

Title: Trouble going into First gear while stopped
Post by ChicagoRider on 05/25/08 at 19:07:26

Hi all,
My 2007 s40 has 3500 miles. I recently noticed a problem thats starting to get annoying.

When I’m rolling to a stop I can shift down into First gear with no problem.
But if I come to a complete stop and then try to shift into First, often I cannot.
I have to try to rock the bike back and forth, or just end up taking off in Second gear.

Anyone experience this? Is there some kind transmission adjustment I can make, if so how?

Thanks

Title: Re: Trouble going into First gear while stopped
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 05/25/08 at 19:14:46

When the Guzzi did that I would have to let the clutch oput in neutral & give it a light goose, then clutch & drop into first.

Title: Re: Trouble going into First gear while stopped
Post by Cornerstore3000 on 05/25/08 at 19:24:44

I just roll back about 3-4 inches and it drops right in every time.

Title: Re: Trouble going into First gear while stopped
Post by Ed L. on 05/25/08 at 19:31:00

Try taking the shift arm off of the shaft coming out of the gearbox and moving it one or two notches, I think clockwise is the direction to move it. That will change the angle of the shift rod and should make it easier to get into first. I had to adjust it on my bike when I first got it and it made a big difference.

Title: Re: Trouble going into First gear while stopped
Post by Sandy Koocanusa on 05/25/08 at 19:32:26

I shift into first as I'm coming down through about 3 mph, right before the stop. Otherwise, I often have the same problem. If already stopped, I let the clutch out slightly while pressing down on the shift lever.

Title: Re: Trouble going into First gear while stopped
Post by Dj12midnit on 05/25/08 at 19:36:30

I let it out a bit then pull it back in and it goes into first.

Title: Re: Trouble going into First gear while stopped
Post by Ed L. on 05/25/08 at 19:54:02

A bit of double clutching on the down shift into first gets the gears lined up. Don't wait till you come to a full stop before you shift into first gear. Try downshifting when you are at walking speed, don't stomp on the shifter, you will bend the shift rod. :-/

Title: Re: Trouble going into First gear while stopped
Post by Rustbucket on 05/25/08 at 22:57:54

Echoing what others have said already.. I have the same issue on my 05 S-40 Just shift it into first while you're still rolling. Or, If you're stopped let out the clutch just enough to feel it engage slightly then pull the clutch back in and it'll go into first.

Title: Re: Trouble going into First gear while stopped
Post by joebothehobo on 05/26/08 at 10:14:54

Otherwise, you can just sit there in neutral, and when youre ready to take off, do everything as if you were already in first, except hold steady, firm, downward pressure on the shift lever. When the clutch gets into the friction zone, the gear should click in and you should be able to take off without any rocking back and forth or jockeying of levers.

I hope that makes sense. In other words, just wait till the light turns green and start moving with your left foot holding the lever down.

Title: Re: Trouble going into First gear while stopped
Post by ErminM on 05/26/08 at 19:31:48

I had this when I just got mine, it was clutch cable that was too lose.
it would happen only when engine was hot, in slow moving traffic.
as soon as I adjusted the cable I was fine.
That made one exciting first ever ride from dealership...

Title: Re: Trouble going into First gear while stopped
Post by Jerry Eichenberger on 05/27/08 at 08:11:00

My 06 will do this every now and then, if I fail to get into 1st before coming to a complete stop. I presume it's common, since the synchro in the tranny can't work (obviously) at a dead stop.

Letting the clutch out till it hits the friction zone, then pulling it back in allows the gears to rotate inside the tranny just enough that it'll then pop into 1st. I don't put any down pressure on the shifter while letting out the clutch. I allow a monent's wait for the rotating gears to stop before I put it into 1st. Much easier on the tranny that way - no grinding or other signs of abuse.

Title: Re: Trouble going into First gear while stopped
Post by T Mack 1 on 05/27/08 at 12:38:16

It's a pretty old school tranny. Sometimes you need to have the gears line up and to do that you have to rotate something.

My tranny with 10460 miles
http://www.users.fast.net/~tommack/Tranny.JPG

Title: Re: Trouble going into First gear while stopped
Post by Hard Corps on 05/27/08 at 14:27:04

Hey Chi-town,
I had this problem, too. In fact, it's how I laid the bike down the first night I had her. Was making a right hand turn from a stop and opened the throttle a bit too much. Thought i was in first (was still in second). Bike shot right out from under me when I let out the clutch.

Now I always try and shift down before I stop. Or I kick into neutral just to be sure of where I'm at so I can reset to first before taking off. You might check the clutch cable adjustment just to be sure, but it seems to be a pretty common issue. Just have to get to know the bike.

So where in chicago you from? I spent almost 9 years on the lower east side as a kid.

Title: Re: Trouble going into First gear while stopped
Post by ChicagoRider on 05/27/08 at 18:42:45

Thanks everyone for all the advise. I really dig this forum.
I’ll try to work around the problem using the suggestions.

Good to hear its not a tranny problem, but rather a "characteristic" of an antiquated tranny.

Hard Corps - I'm in the west suburbs of Chicago.

Title: Re: Trouble going into First gear while stopped
Post by furious70 on 05/28/08 at 07:14:35

we're in the NW burbs, a couple savages out here (my wife's and a friend of ours)