[Rainman]

I have a 1990 with 5,000 miles. Just recently, the bike has been shifting weird. It will down shift just fine but when I up shift it only shifts partly. I'll go from first to second (finding neutral sometimes by accident) and it will engage but I don't hear or feel it and then WHAM it will pop out of second and go into neutral. I took off my right side cover and watched the lever and springs while I shifted it and I could see it not fully engaging. As far as I can tell there are no adjustments on this part. Any thoughts?

 

[TW_in_BC]

I am LOST when it comes to gears and transmissions, but I know that on the TW, chain tension plays a HUGE role in shifting! I can always tell when my chain needs adjustment; shifting will become difficult...lots of neutrals, etc.

A few weeks ago, I noticed that the shifting was getting sloppy, but the chain was within limits...ended up being a worn front sprocket!

When I used a standard chain, I would have to adjust it weekly (I put a LOT of miles on!) or the shifting would suffer! Now that I have an O-ring...shifting is nice...until the sprockets wear!



Hopefully this is where your problem lies...

 

[Rainman]

I am LOST when it comes to gears and transmissions, but I know that on the TW, chain tension plays a HUGE role in shifting! I can always tell when my chain needs adjustment; shifting will become difficult...lots of neutrals, etc.

A few weeks ago, I noticed that the shifting was getting sloppy, but the chain was within limits...ended up being a worn front sprocket!

When I used a standard chain, I would have to adjust it weekly (I put a LOT of miles on!) or the shifting would suffer! Now that I have an O-ring...shifting is nice...until the sprockets wear!



Hopefully this is where your problem lies...

I am lost on transmissions too. You are absolutely correct on the chain tension, its the first thing I checked.

 

[catamount]

I took off my right side cover and watched the lever and springs while I shifted it and I could see it not fully engaging. As far as I can tell there are no adjustments on this part. Any thoughts?

Actually, there is a clutch adjustment that can be made inside the right side cover. I only know this because I've got a clutch slippage issue right now and the service manual explains how to make the adjustment.



Can you get your hands on a service manual? I think there is one online somewhere.

 

[rockiedog2]

I have a 1990 with 5,000 miles. Just recently, the bike has been shifting weird. It will down shift just fine but when I up shift it only shifts partly. I'll go from first to second (finding neutral sometimes by accident) and it will engage but I don't hear or feel it and then WHAM it will pop out of second and go into neutral. I took off my right side cover and watched the lever and springs while I shifted it and I could see it not fully engaging. As far as I can tell there are no adjustments on this part. Any thoughts?

On my KLR when the oil needs changing the shifting starts acting up like that. I haven't had enough experience with the Tdub to know if that's characteristic of it or not. Is it?

 

[Rainman]

Actually, there is a clutch adjustment that can be made inside the right side cover. I only know this because I've got a clutch slippage issue right now and the service manual explains how to make the adjustment.



Can you get your hands on a service manual? I think there is one online somewhere.

Good idea. I've done that. There is a screw and a locknut that you tighten until the clutch shaft (where the clutch cable attaches to the motor) just moves.

 

[Rainman]

On my KLR when the oil needs changing the shifting starts acting up like that. I haven't had enough experience with the Tdub to know if that's characteristic of it or not. Is it?

You may be right. I wasn't due for an oil change due to mileage, but I was running 20-50 because of the warm summer months. I was riding when it was cooler with the thick oil. I did change over to 10-40 and it seemed to be fine today.

 

[qwerty]

Switching to Mobile Racing 4T synthetic did good things for Tdub's transmission and clutch.