Bent Shifter Fork?

[SwollenRaccoon]

Good morning, boys and girls. My 2008 FJR with 85,000 miles on it has started to have a problem shifting from 3rd to 4th gear. It is becoming more frequent. Always on the upshift from third to fourth gear....sometimes it won't shift up to fourth, and takes a couple kicks, sometimes it goes to fourth for a half of a second, then drops back into third, and occasionally just finds a false neutral. It never happens between any other gears. I am assuming it is a bent shift fork, but I have never had an engine apart to diagnose and/or fix that particular problem. I am reasonably mechanically adept, but have never worked on a transmission. I believe it could be the fork, or the bearing surface that interacts with it, but I am ignorant, and in need of education.
On the FJR, does repair involve completely dropping the engine out of the bottom of the frame, or can it be repaired by just dropping the oil pan/bottom casting(s)? On a bike this old, with that many miles, is it worth fixing?
Thank you in advance for your patience and expertise.

 

[RossKean]

I think the engine has to come out...

I wonder how many miles on this one?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3256403364...BcP9M+t/ZkRcdwN|tkp:BFBM3Kb04pZi#readMoreDesc
Great price - shipping might be problematic.

 

[Diablo1]

It could be a bent shift fork or worn sliding gear dogs. Clutchless shifts are hard on the gears and dry shifting without the engine running can bend shift forks.

 

[art miller]

I have no advice to offer on the subject but I am very interested in Diablo 1's comment about clutchles shifting. I have been clutchless shifting for years on three different FJR's and never experienced an issue with the transmissions. I only upshift clutches. Precisely what is the damage issue with clutchless shifting?? Thanks.

 

[Diablo1]

Gear dogs get damaged with the edges getting rounded off from the relative motion during a clutch less shift. Even bikes with a quick shifter experience more gear dog damage than by using the clutch. The damage is gradual over time and eventually will cause problems.

 

[SwollenRaccoon]

Just for clarity, I NEVER shift without using the clutch, up or down. And I don't perform shifts with the engine not running.

 

[Diablo1]

Just for clarity, I NEVER shift without using the clutch, up or down. And I don't perform shifts with the engine not running.

If you bought the bike new, then it’s not bent shift forks since you weren’t stomping on the shift pedal. Could still be worn gear dogs, if Yamaha QC isn’t what it should be. Try this for shifting - pull the clutch, toe up and hold the shift lever up, release the clutch and then take the foot pressure off the shift lever. See if that stops it from popping out of gear.

 

[Prosolar]

it really doesn't matter what's wrong in there, you'll have to pull the engine and split the cases. Then you can see what's causing the problem.

If you shift without the clutch and do it smoothly there will not be any excess wear on the dogs, if you hammer it in without letting off the throttle than hell ya serious wear.

 

[art miller]

Thanks to all for your comments. I will cease clutch-less shifting. Last thing I want is damage that would require taking the engine apart.

 

[RossKean]

I will sometimes do a clutch-less shift, but never when accelerating hard or at high rpm. Very light preload on the shifter and it snicks into gear when you back off the throttle. Not saying it is a good idea, but doubt it does any harm if you aren't banging it into gear. I did it more on my '07 than on the '11 and never a transmission, engine or clutch issue in the 295,000 km I had it. Still running AFIK. (No issues with the 2011 either but it is still a baby at 160,000 km)

I think that with 85,000 miles on the engine, I would probably be more inclined to try and find a guaranteed good used engine with under 50,000 miles on it and swap it out. While the engine is out of the frame, I' would go over the whole bike with a fine-toothed comb and restore it to new condition. Special attention to relay arm and steering head. Maybe wheel bearings, windshield mechanism etc. Perhaps treat yourself to a suspension and/or seat upgrade. While you're at it, get the ECU flashed or replace it with a 2010-2012 for a bit of an improvement (although '08 is better than the first two Gen II years).

 

[Diablo1]

Another solution is just to double shift, go from 3rd to fifth gear. My buddy does this all the time when he’s lazy on shifting his Super Tenere. With plenty of torque, you really don’t need 5 or 6 gears in the transmission. I remember when every bike had a 4 speed gearbox.

 

[RossKean]

Another solution is just to double shift, go from 3rd to fifth gear. My buddy does this all the time when he’s lazy on shifting his Super Tenere. With plenty of torque, you really don’t need 5 or 6 gears in the transmission. I remember when every bike had a 4 speed gearbox.

I do that too when I'm being lazy, although I am more likely to skip 2nd or 4th. Lots of torque and not hurting anything. Personally, I would want it fixed but would wait for a deal on the right engine and replace the whole thing.

 

[art miller]

I will sometimes do a clutch-less shift, but never when accelerating hard or at high rpm. Very light preload on the shifter and it snicks into gear when you back off the throttle. Not saying it is a good idea, but doubt it does any harm if you aren't banging it into gear. I did it more on my '07 than on the '11 and never a transmission, engine or clutch issue in the 295,000 km I had it. Still running AFIK. (No issues with the 2011 either but it is still a baby at 160,000 km)

I think that with 85,000 miles on the engine, I would probably be more inclined to try and find a guaranteed good used engine with under 50,000 miles on it and swap it out. While the engine is out of the frame, I' would go over the whole bike with a fine-toothed comb and restore it to new condition. Special attention to relay arm and steering head. Maybe wheel bearings, windshield mechanism etc. Perhaps treat yourself to a suspension and/or seat upgrade. While you're at it, get the ECU flashed or replace it with a 2010-2012 for a bit of an improvement (although '08 is better than the first two Gen II years).

Thanks for the comments. I now have 67,000 miles on the current bike and the transmission seems to be as good as new. I have always made upshifts correctly by backing off the throttle and lightly snicking it into the next higher gear. Never done clutch-less down shifts.
I am interested in comments about shifting without the engine running. I have shifted every bike I have ever owned into neutral or into first gear with engine not running. Never used heavy force to do it and again never had a transmission issue on any bike I have owned over 60 years of riding.

 

[RossKean]

Thanks for the comments. I now have 67,000 miles on the current bike and the transmission seems to be as good as new. I have always made upshifts correctly by backing off the throttle and lightly snicking it into the next higher gear. Never done clutch-less down shifts.
I am interested in comments about shifting without the engine running. I have shifted every bike I have ever owned into neutral or into first gear with engine not running. Never used heavy force to do it and again never had a transmission issue on any bike I have owned over 60 years of riding.

To be clear, I only (sometimes) do upshifts without clutch, never downshifts.
I don't think there is any issue shifting with the engine not running, as long as you don't try to force it into gear. I'll lightly preload the shifter, pull the clutch and if it doesn't shift, I'll move the bike forward an inch or two and it clicks in. Won't hurt anything if you don't bang on it.

 

[Diablo1]

If the engine isn’t running and the back wheel isn’t rotating, the transmission gears may not be in the correct position to allow the gear dogs to line up with the next gear’s slot. Gear dog pushing on gear dog with no place to go. If you stomp on the shift lever, the weakest part will bend, and that’s the shift fork. When I worked at a bike shop, we always cautioned customers when sitting on new bikes not to dry shift them for this reason.