SuzukiSavage.com - shifter rod broke ?!?!

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shifter rod broke ?!?!
07/05/09 at 07:09:41

Hello, well like the title says... shifter rod broke yesterday in a really bad part of downtown Chicago right after we rode 2 up to watch the fireworks. I parked the bike in a overnight parking garage and I am abot to go drive 50 or so miles now to get it.

How come it broke ? Its split right down the middle of the rod in half. The front piece is still attached to the selector, and the rear piece is hooked up to the selector on the trans. I am thinking of removing the shifter off my Honda RC51 just so I can ride it home vs towing it.

How do I prevent this from happening again ? Trans on this bike shifts ok, but it doesn't feel as smooth as a Honda. 5th gear in particular doesn't even feel like it "clicks" in ever, it just engages without much feel to it while selecting it. Few times it popped out on me into neutral when goin from 4-5th.

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srinath Serious Thumper Offline I love YaBB 1G - SP1! Posts: 5349	Re: shifter rod broke ?!?! Reply #1 - 07/05/09 at 07:33:18 Happened 2 times on my savages. The front is left thread if I remember. I also have had it break on a bike that wasn't left thread. So dont recall which way the saveg it. But yes it can break. Cool. Srinath.
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justin_o_guy2

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East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.

Re: shifter rod broke ?!?!
Reply #2 - 07/05/09 at 08:56:52

You could have it welded. You could even have it reinforced. You sure it wasnt bent?

If I had a bike stranded w/ a busted shifter, what would I take with me?
I would like a split, hollowed out wooden dowel, some epoxy, a couple of small hose clamps. Id get it home. Shouldnt take more than 15 minutes to patch it & let the epoxy cure.

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The people never give up their liberties but under some delusion.- Edmund Burke.

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Stimpy - FSO Serious Thumper Offline SuzukisSavage Int'l Division Posts: 1203 Germany - formerly SD, SoCal Gender:	Re: shifter rod broke ?!?! Reply #3 - 07/05/09 at 11:28:56 Yup, they break allright. Mine was exactly as justin says "welded and reenforced" with a 2nd, parallel rod; now is fixed x ever Good luck
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JohnBoy Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 825 Gender:	Re: shifter rod broke ?!?! Reply #4 - 07/05/09 at 12:08:05 I have never owned a bike in which the shift linkage "broke"...come loose, yes, stripped, yes...but Broke??? Is this an issue I need to be thinking about? Thanks for the input guys.
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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: shifter rod broke ?!?! Reply #5 - 07/05/09 at 12:13:30 Not necessarily, give it a look & make sure its straight, grab it & see if it flexes too easy, dont stomp it into gear..
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bill67 Serious Thumper Offline old tired Posts: 8517 genoa city wisconsin Gender:	Re: shifter rod broke ?!?! Reply #6 - 07/05/09 at 13:33:48 I think people must be banging on them,I've had a lot a motorcycles over the years and never had one break or come lose.
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Ed L. Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline "We All go a Little Crazy Sometimes" Norman Bates Posts: 2808 Sunny Florida Gender:	Re: shifter rod broke ?!?! Reply #7 - 07/05/09 at 16:46:25 Yeah they are made out of some pretty crappy metal and break when stomped on. Get an extra to carry in your bag just in case.
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serenity3743 Serious Thumper Offline Striving to better, oft we mar what's well Posts: 778 Black Mountain, NC Gender:	Re: shifter rod broke ?!?! Reply #8 - 07/06/09 at 10:35:59 I've had one to bend and break. It bent first, probably from some rough riding (by me). I didn't know it was bent, so when it later broke, I took it and had it welded back together as a U-shaped rod. Only later when I was looking at a parts microfiche did I notice that it was supposed to be straight.
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DasTeknoViking

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Re: shifter rod broke ?!?!
Reply #9 - 07/06/09 at 21:05:36

I ordered up 2 rods today.... my friend works @ a machine shop and will make me one out of titanium just incase. We where pretty lucky, I send my RC51 seat out to Spencer's in FL for customization (highly recommended) and it didn't get back to me in time for our 400 mile ride out for 4th of July. If we went out that weekend, the bike would have broken down somewhere else faaar from our house. Since we are planing a few milti-hundred miles this summer, I need the bike to be reliable and able to run 80MPH all day long on the intestate.

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Yonuh Adisi FSO Serious Thumper Offline Savage Jedi (Knight) Posts: 3622 Pilot Valley NV, aka Tatooine Gender:	Re: shifter rod broke ?!?! Reply #10 - 07/06/09 at 23:45:51 Why do you need it to run 80mph when the interstate speed limit is 70-75?
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DasTeknoViking YaBB Newbies Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 15	Re: shifter rod broke ?!?! Reply #11 - 07/07/09 at 16:04:26 Most states are just fine with 5 over the limit, which brings you up to 80MPH. On top of that, my bike doesn't like it slow. She doesn't want a sport bike, if that was the case she would be on a Interceptor. Honda signs my paychecks, I'm partial to the company.
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Charon

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Re: shifter rod broke ?!?!
Reply #12 - 07/07/09 at 20:31:37

The S40/Savage, in stock form, tops out in the area of 85 mph. If you really want to run 80+ mph, it isn't the bike for you. Yes, it can be modified to run faster. Generally speaking such modifications will reduce reliability and/or longevity. I think you would be a long way ahead to just find a faster bike. Others will, of course, disagree. I would point out (although you say Honda writes your paycheck and sportbikes aren't your thing) that the Kawasaki 250 Ninja is cheaper, faster, and burns less fuel. And its engine is smoother, too.

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Eschew obfuscation.

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DasTeknoViking

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Re: shifter rod broke ?!?!
Reply #13 - 07/08/09 at 17:17:03

Oh don't get me wrong, I like the Savage... its light and really simple design. But I am partial V twins, and I am into sport bikes- shes not.

I almost got her a Ninja 250, but 5K OTD price was pathetic for such POS. For that kinda price I can think of ALOT of diff bikes that are much better to ride. MPG isn't a concern for us, my RC51 gets 30-35MPG when I ride solo and 40 if I ride with her following me at slowish pace.

I believe the shifter rod will be in tomorrow, gonna order up a diff carb, cam and do all the tricks to it. My girl picked out the S40 at a dealer out of a sea of all kinds of Ducati, Triumph, Hondas, Suzukis and Yamahas. I got it for her because she loves it, and I respect that. I have ridden it quite a few times myself, but I find it uncomfortable as its too small for me. I guess I might be resposible for the shifter rod damage, I did give it quite the workout the day before on the way to and from work.

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Topher YaBB Newbies Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Well, of course. Posts: 14 Durham, NC Gender:	Re: shifter rod broke ?!?! Reply #14 - 07/08/09 at 17:29:33 Too funny for me. Earlier today I posted how my shifter rod broke right after I finished fixing my bigger problem. When it rains...
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