gears question

[Quickb]

Hi All
I have a question.

I have just started riding a GS500 2002 a couple of weeks ago and want to know if there could be something wrong with my gears or am I just worrying over nothing....

I am having trouble getting into first gear while in neutral. it happens regularly (once every 2 days) that I can't get the bike into first gear (with full traffic behind me!) it has happened twice where I had to push the bike over to the side of the road before I found first gear! Apart from holding up traffic I can see this as being potentially dangerous if I get shunted from behind.

Oddly enough I am having some problems finding neutral when I am in traffic also. And sometimes when I go from first to second it clicks into neutral (this is maybe just a noobie error).

so should I bring it to a garage maybe?

if some more knowledgable peeps could let me know you advice that'd be great.

thanks

B

[Slaon]

Originally Posted by Quickb

Hi All
I have a question.

I have just started riding a GS500 2002 a couple of weeks ago and want to know if there could be something wrong with my gears or am I just worrying over nothing....

I am having trouble getting into first gear while in neutral. it happens regularly (once every 2 days) that I can't get the bike into first gear (with full traffic behind me!) it has happened twice where I had to push the bike over to the side of the road before I found first gear! Apart from holding up traffic I can see this as being potentially dangerous if I get shunted from behind.

Oddly enough I am having some problems finding neutral when I am in traffic also. And sometimes when I go from first to second it clicks into neutral (this is maybe just a noobie error).

so should I bring it to a garage maybe?

if some more knowledgable peeps could let me know you advice that'd be great.

thanks

B

Try rolling her slightly as you kick down into first,

as for getting neutral from 1st to 2nd - kick her harder

as for haveing troulble getting into neutral is it just hard to find without passing neutral and into second? or is it another problem .... if just hard to find it just takes more getting used to and less of the "oh shit i cant find neutral" frustration that all new folks can be prone too

[ecoprincess]

And I thought it was just me. I am not knowledgeable but I have trouble finding Neutral and going up down gears; consulted with the more knowledgeable about me and apparently it could be because I'm a weakling woman

My solution is to double clutch and everything is fine, except still find it difficult to find neutral but getting better with practice. I just keep clutch in and keep in 1st or if I need to re start clutch in and 1st

looking forwards to reading your answers might learn something myself.

I did have my clutch checked out and everything is fine O I have an easy clutch in as well - due again to been a weakling woman

[yzfr1jon]

You need to adjust your clutch cable. Try taking the slack out of the cable up at the handlebar adjuster, if that dont work then adjust it at the engine end. Thats the easy solution others are: Clean and adjust the gear lever linkages think of all the road crud gets on it. Top up or change the oil in the bike, amazing the difference that the correct oil level makes. Are you giving the bike enough revs to select the gears?? Tick over could be to low for these cold mornings. After all that stuff your lookin at maybe clutch plates and gearbox selector probs

[Fledermaus]

Check that your clutch cable is adjusted correctly too,if it's too slack at the lever,you'll have a hard time selecting first(not so noticable when on the move,through the other gears).Should be approx 1/8 of an inch free movement at the lever before the slack in the cable is taken up.Also,check your engine oil level,top up/replace if looking tired

[magnificentduke]

Leave it in first? safer option. Stops the bike rolling away and allows you to make a quick getaway if something goes wrong behind you. That's what they teach us these days anyway.

Like you said, it stops you holding up traffic looking for first and allows some escape foute from danger behind you. Also it stops you faffing about putting your right foot down to flick the bike over to the right so you can change gear and flicking it back again to move off.

[yzfr1jon]

2 great minds

[Chester Chester Dog Molester]

Is your chain adjusted correctly? This can cause shifting problems.

[Fledermaus]

Originally Posted by yzfr1jon

2 great minds

[dan-k]

Is your chain adjusted correctly? This can cause shifting problems.

+ 1 this would be the first thing i'd check

[ecoprincess]

Originally Posted by dan-k

+ 1 this would be the first thing i'd check

Is that the same with belts??

[corkgsxr]

Originally Posted by Fledermaus

Check that your clutch cable is adjusted correctly too,if it's too slack at the lever,you'll have a hard time selecting first(not so noticable when on the move,through the other gears).Should be approx 1/8 of an inch free movement at the lever before the slack in the cable is taken up.Also,check your engine oil level,top up/replace if looking tired

+1 sounds like cutch isnt fully disengaging

[dagda555]

Defo check/change your oil. I had a similar problem with the 600 when I first got it and it turned out the oil was like piss. Change of oil and filter and she was sweet.

[ArtoDelSoreArse]

Originally Posted by dagda555

Defo check/change your oil. I had a similar problem with the 600 when I first got it and it turned out the oil was like piss. Change of oil and filter and she was sweet.

+1 what grade oil do you have in?
when bikes get hot the oil is thinned so moving through 1-N-2 range can get rough.
by the sounds of it you just need to nudge the bike forward a shade while pressing down into 1st, it should click into place then like slaon said. that is normal enough.
also if you have trouble getting into N you should try just barely nudging the lever forward/down when in 2nd, it should pop into neutral. this problem is amplified by thin oil/hot engine.

[chopper]

Originally Posted by Quickb

Hi All
I have a question.

I have just started riding a GS500 2002 a couple of weeks ago and want to know if there could be something wrong with my gears or am I just worrying over nothing....

I am having trouble getting into first gear while in neutral. it happens regularly (once every 2 days) that I can't get the bike into first gear (with full traffic behind me!) it has happened twice where I had to push the bike over to the side of the road before I found first gear! Apart from holding up traffic I can see this as being potentially dangerous if I get shunted from behind.

Oddly enough I am having some problems finding neutral when I am in traffic also. And sometimes when I go from first to second it clicks into neutral (this is maybe just a noobie error).

so should I bring it to a garage maybe?

if some more knowledgable peeps could let me know you advice that'd be great.

thanks

B

if you can get to trim ill ride it and tell you if theres a prob foc .

[Quickb]

just got a chance to check in here.. thanks a lot for all the replies.

I have a lot to look into this tomorrow morning in the light of day. i'll be reading some manuals later.

[razor blade]

had a 04 and found the same.. let out clutch lever bout half an inch and she should fall right in for ya.. ya'll get used to it in time.

[MadMac]

I had a similar prob with a bros. Had to do
the whole roll it at lights thing to get 1st
The oil was like tar with iron fillings. A quick change
of filter and oil and it was sweet.....Till something
else failed

[oldyam]

Originally Posted by ecoprincess

Is that the same with belts??

No, drive belts are a different setup ( they need to be tight )

With a bike like yours, first off I'd check how much free play there is in the clutch cable when its cold ( ie before you start it, is this correct ? ) then check later on when its warmed up to make sure the adjustment isnt changing with tempereature.

If it is you may need to make adjustments when its hot to reduce the problem.

[chopper]

Originally Posted by oldyam

No, drive belts are a different setup ( they need to be tight )

With a bike like yours, first off I'd check how much free play there is in the clutch cable when its cold ( ie before you start it, is this correct ? ) then check later on when its warmed up to make sure the adjustment isnt changing with tempereature.

If it is you may need to make adjustments when its hot to reduce the problem.

iirc her change is on the left but goes through a fuckin heap on linkages and rods to get to the selector on the right of the motor . positive selection needed

[oldyam]

Originally Posted by chopper

iirc her change is on the left but goes through a fuckin heap on linkages and rods to get to the selector on the right of the motor . positive selection needed

Like the Beemers ?

does pre-loading the shift help ?

before pulling the clutch.

[oldyam]

Do you find it a real stretch to lift the shifter far enough to get into the gears ?

Do you have the same sort of problem going down the box ( being at the end of the movement range of your ankle ) making it hard to shift ?

[chopper]

Originally Posted by oldyam

Like the Beemers ?

does pre-loading the shift help ?

before pulling the clutch.

beemers are a lot more direct

[CrankyBear]

is this the same as the 95 gs500e they can be a bit of a pig to get into gear alright

the other thing you might want to check is on the older ones the shaft for the gear selector was made of cheese and the lever used to eat the slpines off it. makin the gear change sloppy and hard to select gears. if this has started to happen fix it or get it modded so it stops now or it'll be a new engine those shafts from memory were a fortune as you couldn;t buy them on their own itwas part of a kit.

[chopper]

Originally Posted by CRAGYBAR

is this the same as the 95 gs500e they can be a bit of a pig to get into gear alright

the other thing you might want to check is on the older ones the shaft for the gear selector was made of cheese and the lever used to eat the slpines off it. makin the gear change sloppy and hard to select gears. if this has started to happen fix it or get it modded so it stops now or it'll be a new engine those shafts from memory were a fortune as you couldn;t buy them on their own itwas part of a kit.

sounds like a clutch issue if anything.

[CrankyBear]

yes and no.. the older one i had was a fooker the splines wear and the filins got into the carrier bearin for the shaft causin wear there too. had to replace the bearin and drill the shaft...

[ecoprincess]

Originally Posted by oldyam

No, drive belts are a different setup ( they need to be tight )

With a bike like yours, first off I'd check how much free play there is in the clutch cable when its cold ( ie before you start it, is this correct ? ) then check later on when its warmed up to make sure the adjustment isnt changing with tempereature.

If it is you may need to make adjustments when its hot to reduce the problem.

O christ need to tighten my belt - were not talking recession here either and I will check the cable, my bikes at home again so I can do it here ride to bike shop and check it again - mechanic can make changes for me then

Thanks

[chopper]

Originally Posted by ecoprincess

O christ need to tighten my belt - were not talking recession here either and I will check the cable, my bikes at home again so I can do it here ride to bike shop and check it again - mechanic can make changes for me then

Thanks

dont tighten it too much, realy, it'll snap .

[oldyam]

Originally Posted by chopper

dont tighten it too much, realy, it'll snap .

Think it should move about 8 - 10 mm if you push down on it in the middle of the bottom run of the belt, with ONE finger