Mines an '87. I don't have a 5th gear. Wish I did. Maybe then it wouldn't scream at 4000 rpm when I'm going 65.

Mine is turning 4,100 at 60mph in 5th gear.

I voted normal because the issue seems like a relatively wisespread and "normal" issue. Used to be that Id shift into 5th and it'd feel like it shifted but didnt. Once or twice Id hit a hidden neutral between 4th and 5th but that was rare. For a while Id just make the shifting motion twice without letting loose of the clutch lever. If the lever didnt move the seond time I was already in 5th, if it did well...if I wasnt in 5th I would be after the second motion. I noticed that it would shift every time at highway speeds without an issue but had a 50/50 chance at anything lower than 50 in 4th to 5th. Nowadays I just keep upward pressure on the shift lever while letting out the clutch lever or shift clutchless into 5th. No problems with that so far, though admittedly I didnt solve the issue but just adapted to it

Paladin. wrote on 08/04/10 at 19:54:04:

My problem too.

Joking aside,.....
I know, them Suzy engineers are so stupid ! Too bad they aren't as smart as you guys that think these 25 hp bikes are so underdriven.

Myself, if I really thought that way, I think I'd get tired of coming here wining all the time, and either junk this thumper, and buy a real motorcycle, or else do something about it. Just a matter of a few bucks for a chain/belt swap, and you can have any gear ratio you want. Then you could be happy.........instead of a winer. :'(