SuzukiSavage.com - Anyone ever have trouble getting into 1st gear ?

Firefighter

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Anyone ever have trouble getting into 1st gear ?
10/29/04 at 13:16:24

I've noticed a few times out on the road, it just happened today too, that after sitting at a stop light in neutral, when I go to put it into 1st gear, it won't go.
Doesn't happen all the time, just some times, I can stomp the hell out of it and it still won't.

I rolled the bike back and forth a little and then it went into gear. All this while traffic is backing up behind me Embarrassed

Just curious if this happens to anyone else, or is something wrong with the bike, or what?

Thanks

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Savage_Rob

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Re: Anyone ever have trouble getting into 1st gear
Reply #1 - 10/29/04 at 13:26:40

First, I would suggest downshifting to 1st before stopping and leaving it there. It allows you to get out of that spot much more quickly should you need to. If you happen to be stopped in neutral and it doesn't immediately shift into 1st, let the bike move a tad while shifting and it should go. DON"T stomp on it. You will bend the connecting rod in the linkage and it will really quit working on you. Take a look at your linkage and see if that (roughly 6") rod is bent. If so, replace it. It's about a $6 part at BikeBandit, so a spare might even be useful. In a pinch, you could probably straighten it out and slide a piece of steel tubing over it as a temporary fix.

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Susan

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Re: Anyone ever have trouble getting into 1st gear
Reply #2 - 10/29/04 at 13:54:54

This is a known quirk of the Savage. Three things:

1. From a safety standpoint, you really shouldn't be in neutral at a light -- did you hear about the guy who got run over because he couldn't get his bike in gear fast enough? Having it in gear also allows you to get out of the way quickly if something happens around you.

2. The easiest way to deal with the quirk is to let out the clutch, bring it back in and then the bike should go into gear. It works for me everytime.

3. Stomping is bad. My husband did it to mine when I first got my bike and didn't know how to deal with the quirk. He bent the linkage so we had to replace it...

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Susan
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2004 Purple Savage

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Tony

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Re: Anyone ever have trouble getting into 1st gear
Reply #3 - 10/29/04 at 15:04:21

I experianced the shifting issue at first as well. After taking the MSF Course I learned a couple of things. 1) (as above) You should never be sitting in neutral for emergency excelleration reasons. 2) You lose a lot of points on your driving test if you are not in 1st when completing an "emergency" stop. 3) You should NEVER shift a motorcyle while it is standing still else you will have linkage problems or worse.

My personal experiance has showed me that if you very slowly release the clutch without throttle and you apply gentle force to your shift, it will drop quietly into gear.

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-Tony

......Remember;
Where ever you go,
there you are.

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Firefighter Ex Member	Re: Anyone ever have trouble getting into 1st gear Reply #4 - 10/29/04 at 15:39:55 I know your not supposed to be in Neutral at a light or stop, but sometimes we do. I did look at my linkage and it is slightly curved, not a perfect straight piece. Should it be straight?
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Savage_Rob Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Mechanically Inclined Amateur Posts: 6972 Texas (Dallas area) Gender:	Re: Anyone ever have trouble getting into 1st gear Reply #5 - 10/29/04 at 15:43:01 Yes. Stomping has bent it. I did that too.
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Kropatchek Serious Thumper Offline Why more than 1 cylinder? Posts: 1457 Alphen a/d Rijn Netherlands Gender:	Re: Anyone ever have trouble getting into 1st gear Reply #6 - 10/29/04 at 16:19:09 That's the trick: 3) You should NEVER shift a motorcyle while it is standing still else you will have linkage problems or worse. Greetz Kropatchek
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cphilip Ex Member	Re: Anyone ever have trouble getting into 1st gear Reply #7 - 10/29/04 at 17:03:00 As previously mentioned.... let the clutch out a bit and then right back in and it will go right in. You have to get the plates spinning again. This is NOT just a Savage thing. It's a constant mesh clutch thing... But do get to first for a stop. Stay in first. Safer that way
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Savage_Greg Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Don't go around your ass to reach your elbow... Posts: 7844 SW Washington State Gender:	Re: Anyone ever have trouble getting into 1st gear Reply #8 - 10/30/04 at 04:40:58 Looks like everyone covered this one for you. All correct answers. Don't stomp and don't be in neutral at a light. The MSF course will be very specific about this, if you take it. I also have a problem getting it into 6th gear sometimes
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Susan Serious Thumper 2004 No Login Offline Been AWOL but I'm back... Posts: 682 Eastern PA Gender:	Re: Anyone ever have trouble getting into 1st gear Reply #9 - 10/30/04 at 06:42:56 Savage_Greg wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:10: ...I also have a problem getting it into 6th gear sometimes You too?? I thought it was just me!
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Firefighter

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Re: Anyone ever have trouble getting into 1st gear
Reply #10 - 10/30/04 at 07:06:48

Savage_Greg wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:10:

Looks like everyone covered this one for you. All correct answers.

Don't stomp and don't be in neutral at a light.

The MSF course will be very specific about this, if you take it.

I also have a problem getting it into 6th gear sometimes Shocked

I have taken the MSF course. Took it this year.

Like I said, I know it's not the safest to do, but sometimes we do put it into neutral while at a light .

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klx650sm2002 Serious Thumper Offline The more I learn the less I know. Posts: 2041 Cumbria,England Gender:	Re: Anyone ever have trouble getting into 1st gear Reply #11 - 10/30/04 at 09:38:24 6th me too. Clive W
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Gitarzan Serious Thumper 2004 No Login Offline ! Posts: 827 Columbus, Oh, Earth, Solar Sys Gender:	Re: Anyone ever have trouble getting into 1st gear Reply #12 - 10/30/04 at 18:04:56 I don't neutralize mine much anymore, now that Susan pointed that out several weeks ago. It does make good sense to be ready to react. Sometimes you gotta, you know, to adjust the helmet, to adjust the mirror, to adjust your shorts...
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Savage_Greg

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Re: Anyone ever have trouble getting into 1st gear
Reply #13 - 10/31/04 at 02:40:12

klx650sm2002 wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:10:

6th me too.

Clive W Cheesy

Your bragging again 8)

I saw a KLR 650 at a restaurant yesterday. The bike was from out of state. The bike had hard bags and looked well ridden (used, but not abused). The street knobbies were really worn down too. But what caught my eye was he was sporting an Iron Butt Association license plate holder.

Most people do the Iron Butt on sportbikes, cruisers, and tourers, not enduros. That says something.

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Savage_Greg Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Don't go around your ass to reach your elbow... Posts: 7844 SW Washington State Gender:	Re: Anyone ever have trouble getting into 1st gear Reply #14 - 10/31/04 at 02:42:29 Gitarzan wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:10: .... to adjust your shorts... Get a Vista Cruise Lock and you can do that while moving too 8)
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