Shifting Issues

[txjames]

I'm having some shifting difficulties I did not experience on my first few rides on my new 2012 FZ6R. What seems to be happening is:

1) Starting on steep hill in first gear on my last ride, the bike stalled. No big deal; I know I'm not the first or the last to fail to give enough throttle. I go to re-start and find it is in now neutral. Is this normal behavior? (not the noob stalling on a hill part; the part where the transmission goes to neutral on it's own after stalling)

2) Up shifting - it very well be my developing coordination, but I'm finding sometimes when I upshift, when I release the clutch it is clear I'm still in the same gear. I am doing a full shift (or at least I think I am).

I'm going to check it out to make sure it isn't a technique issue, which is very well could be, but I was wondering if this might be a mechanical problem I should take back to the dealer? I'm going to let my neighbor whose been riding for 30+ years try it to see if it is just me.

Any thoughts/suggestions?

 

[ajskillz13]

On the upshifting, make sure you are fully releasing the shifter down before you shift again. It will not shift again if you have not let it all the way down. I found that I had this issue with my boots when I first got them. Because they were thicker than tennis shoes, I found myself leaving pressure on the shifter and I had the same shifting problem.

 

[txjames]

On the upshifting, make sure you are fully releasing the shifter down before you shift again. It will not shift again if you have not let it all the way down. I found that I had this issue with my boots when I first got them. Because they were thicker than tennis shoes, I found myself leaving pressure on the shifter and I had the same shifting problem.

That makes wicked sense... I'm wearing these:
Harlem WP Boot | Alpinestars

So, they are pretty thick and I could see that being the problem. I'll work on my toe flexion exercises.

 

[KeysRider3]

Sounds like the clutch needs to be adjusted. Did you have it serviced recently? If so the person performing the service probably mis-adjusted the clutch by looking only at how much free play there was in the cable. Try backing off (turn the wheel toward the front of the bike so that it moves toward the lever) the adjustment screw at the lever. If that doesn't work take a look in your owner's manual for how to adjust the cable between the lever and the clutch housing. I've found that missed shifts caused by footwear tend to occur between 1st and 2nd when you have to pass N. Always good to have a friend who's been there, done that!

 

[JSP]

Make sure your clutch lever freeplay is correct. And how many miles on the bike? Things smooth out a bit more after the first oil change.

 

[bm3schmi]

ajskillz had it right on. txjames, i sometimes get lazy and when im aggressively shifting i forget to fully release the shifter with my foot before trying to upshift again. because of this the shifter is not engaged and does absolutely nothing. Your clutch is fine, you just need to ram it into your head to always fully depress your foot off the shifter so it can become engaged again. Good luck with your spirited riding lol!

 

[Deanohh]

Bike should not jump out of any gear by itself. Since it's new, you might have accidently hit the shift lever with your toe while stalling and putting your foot down or something. Take your toe completely off the lever between shifts and give a full firm stroke and it will shift. Its easy to not feel the lever and sometimes I used to not release the lever completely and if you dont let it return completely, it will not pick up the next gear.

If it pops out of any gear by itself after you have done a proper shift, back to the dealer....that's a defect.

A lot of guys will recommend pre-loading the shifter or power shifting without the clutch. I don't see the point unless you are trying to win a race. Its your bike so do what you want but realize that if you do that you are putting extra wear on the shifting mechanism, drum, shifting forks, and gear dogs and over time it will start to pop out of gear by itself and have to be rebuilt.

 

[yfz6r]

Soon you will get used to how the bike feels when it shifts. I can always feel it in my foot/leg when it shifts. After any shift, make sure your foot is not putting ANY pressureon the lever. I raise the shift lever on all my bikes so my foot rests comfortably below the lever. Give it a little throttle when shifting up. Not much, just be at or above around 4k rpms when up shifting. Also if you shift into first before coming to a complete stop, it is smoother. Ride as much as you can and you will adapt to the bike

 

[txjames]

Resolved! Thanks!!!

Just did a test ride after 1) adjusting free play to a nickel's width and 2) ensuring I'm fully releasing the shift mechanism and the results are you guys nailed it straighter than a fast trip to the outhouse.

I've realized now that I should have noticed this before: Before I made the free play adjustment, whenever I would, while fully squeezing the clutch, shift from neutral to first, I would feel a little (very slight) kick. It was never enough to make the bike roll forward while in first and fully clutched, but clearly I could tell the transmission was engaged when in reality I should not have been able to feel the bike wanting to go forward (although not enough to actually make it go forward). Now that I adjusted the free play properly (thanks to [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtXzulJyIIg"]Motorcycle Maintenance Guide : How to Check Motorcycle Clutch Free Play - YouTube[/ame]), I just sits there purring when I downshift. I can't wait for a good ride, but since I passed a fatal accident on the way home from a meeting in San Antonio today, I think I'll skip the roads today. Way too much fog/mist.

Thanks again for all your help and I hope this helps some other new guy too. :thumb up:

By the way, there are ~220 miles on the bike and it was this way new from the dealer. In fact, I remember now the salesman spinning it at delivery to show me that it could be adjusted that way. He's probably (obviously) the one who screwed it up.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtXzulJyIIg]Motorcycle Maintenance Guide : How to Check Motorcycle Clutch Free Play - YouTube[/ame]

 

[KeysRider3]

Nice job at troubleshooting. Enjoy your ride!

 

[leprecaun jon]

have you tried vegetable oil yet? i hear that stuff fixes everything XP