popping out of gear into nuuetral

[05fjrBluedevil]

Just a question, I have been experiencing a random thing the last few days.

It seems that when I hit 55.5-6 rpms my bike is popping into nuetral, I do not think this happening in all gears and will start paying more attention to see exactly whihc gear I am in, however when it has happened I have had other things on my mind.

Now, I may be bumping the shifter with my boot while accelerating which would inticate I am in first gear.

I really do not think this is the cause.

Any thought what if I am not physically causing this?

What is the failure?

Thanks need to resolve before EOM.

 

[Geezer]

I have never found a false neutral on the FJR, though I have heard of one rider finding one, one time, during very spirited riding with very fast shifting.

If you are sure that you shifted fully into gear and you haven't nudged the gear shift lever to make it shift out of gear, then you have worn parts in the gearbox. There are dogs on the gears which can get rounded off and then they are subject to slipping out of engagement. Not cheap to fix.

If you determine that it is you either not shifting fully into gear or nudgung the lever out of gear, better change your habits or you will wear those engagement parts.

 

[ionbeam]

+1 to what Geezer said. It could also be a bent shift-shaft. Same end results to fix though, engine is gonna come apart for the repair. If either the worn dogs or bent parts are to blame you will find it to pop out of gear in only one gear during high transmission loading situations.

Hmm, I recall a '03 FJR rider that actually fragged the engine case around the transmission. Root cause was a weak area in the case where the self admitted engine abuser said there should have been a gusset in the casting.

 

[05fjrBluedevil]

I have never found a false neutral on the FJR, though I have heard of one rider finding one, one time, during very spirited riding with very fast shifting.
If you are sure that you shifted fully into gear and you haven't nudged the gear shift lever to make it shift out of gear, then you have worn parts in the gearbox. There are dogs on the gears which can get rounded off and then they are subject to slipping out of engagement. Not cheap to fix.

If you determine that it is you either not shifting fully into gear or nudgung the lever out of gear, better change your habits or you will wear those engagement parts.

:blink:

I road it again today, what a great day for a ride to work, no issues other than that usual first of the ride clunky shifting, then all seemed well again, get to a light start off, no issues get ready to pass overtaking a vehicle in the right lane, then pop goes the *&*^&*!, I was not touching it, however it always seems to happen under load, acceleration around 5-6 k, I am starting to get use to it, so it is almost becoming second nature to quickly grab the clutch and shift it up to second. The first few times it happened it sure does send a rush through me, I guess i will have to makle sure i am not causing this be not completely engaging/disengaging the clutch. Maybe I am anticipating the shift and my foot is starting to move before the clutch is in postion to do so.

btw, it appears that my great day has turned into a monsoon out there!

Glad I have an hour before leaving, it figures just as i decided to remove the side bags, which all the rain gear is in, only having the top case which the helmet and mesh gear are in. :lol:

It going to be a great ride home!

 

[Randy]

Had the same symptoms on my F4i. Under no load and not hammering on it, no problem. If I was on it, it would pop out. first time it happened was in the middle of a turn...very high pucker factor. Turned out to be a bent shift fork. Had to split the cases to repair.

 

[ionbeam]

Click here. This thread was about a different problem than yours but post #4 should show you the little bugger that is likely to be your problem. When the ends of the teeth round or the shift fork gets bent and can't hold the dogs in the driven gear it will pop out leaving no gears attached to the spinning side of the transmission. Since this is a wear issue it will get worse.

Geezer and I may have jumped the gun just a bit.... Take the rubber boots off the shift rod and make sure the hemi rod ends are lubricated. If you are more mechanically inclined with a well stocked tool kit remove the foot peg and lube the shifter pivot point. This needs to be done even if you have to have a dealer do it. Check the alignment of the shift lever (it's in the owners manual). The odds of this being the root of the problem is fairly low but so is the effort to check it.

 

[05fjrBluedevil]

Click here and scroll down to post #4. This thread was about a different problem than yours but post #4 should show you the little bugger that is likely to be your problem. When the ends of the teeth round or the shift fork gets bent and can't hold the dogs in the driven gear it will pop out leaving no gears attached to the spinning side of the transmission. Since this is a wear issue it will get worse.
Geezer and I may have jumped the gun just a bit.... Take the rubber boots off the shift rod and make sure the hemi rod ends are lubricated. If you are more mechanically inclined with a well stocked tool kit remove the foot peg and lube the shifter pivot point. This needs to be done even if you have to have a dealer do it. Check the alignment of the shift lever (it's in the owners manual). The odds of this being the root of the problem is fairly low but so is the effort to check it.

So is this sometihng that yes should cover?

the bike only has just under 13000 on it and unfortunately, I do find myself needed to shift to nuetral while stopped at lights. have since i got this since it seems the pull and hold of the clutch makes my hand hurt.

 

[ionbeam]

I do find myself needed to shift to nuetral while stopped at lights

Hmmm, new information. Tell me more....
Yes, Yes. Your problem isn't normal and it isn't routine maintainence by a long shot. It's not obvious abuse by the rider is it? If no then Yes.

 

[PerfectBlueride]

I do find myself needed to shift to nuetral while stopped at lights

Hmmm, new information. Tell me more....
Yes, Yes. Your problem isn't normal and it isn't routine maintainence by a long shot. It's not obvious abuse by the rider is it? If no then Yes.

I would never intensionally abuse my ride , do not do wheelies, stoppies or burn outs.

It seems to happen sometimes than not other times, however I notice it seems to happen at the most inopportune times.

holding in the clutch gives my hand a crap, at lights so i shift to neutral, then first once the light changes green.

when i roll on the throttle and reach about 5-6 k it will pop to nuetral, almost at the same time i would pull the clutch in to shift thus the over reaving of the motor, you would hear, then I pop it up in gear while still holding in the clutch or reclutching, sometimes it is okay other times it does not go in gear or pops back out, thus I pull it isn and do it again then it stays in gear.

So I think it would be a yes thing, however I do not want to take it in if I can not get it back before EOM,

 

[PerfectBlueride]

Well rode again this morning, decided that I would not shift to nuetral at any stops, So I roll out of the drive way go about 4 tenth of a mile in second gear, decided to just leave it in second at that first rolling/yielding stop sign, then rode as normal 3.2 mile of nice country road with plenty of twists, it is great that my access road has 3 90 degree turns and about 3 45-60 degree banks on it. I get to run these every day i ride.

Of course i am in deer country and they run accross my road all the time. Heck I even have a petting zoo that allows the public to visit for free on my access road. Thye have almost everything possible for a private facility, that they can manage based on our year round weather.

Well, ride as normal to the next stop sign, at hwy 42. decided to leave it in 2 there as well.

Hit almost every light coming out to the highway 264 about a 8 mile ride. decided to shift down to first at all lights on 42.

Then on the high way for my ride to work, only takes about 20mins once I hit the highway.

Everything was fine no popping out of gear.

So maybe it just wasn't getting in gear, Guess i find out if everything is okay on the ride home.

 

[05fjrBluedevil]

Had the same symptoms on my F4i. Under no load and not hammering on it, no problem. If I was on it, it would pop out. first time it happened was in the middle of a turn...very high pucker factor. Turned out to be a bent shift fork. Had to split the cases to repair.

So what did it turn out to be warn or bent????

Yep, mine continues to do this 2 gear, no load smooth keeping under 3/3.5 rpm okay once I accelerating to 4 or slightly higher it pops back to neutral!

I am starting to do two things to combat this until I give up the bike for the riding =season.

put slight upward pressure on the shifter, seems to keep it from popping out. unless really accelerating or just shifting to 3 before past 3 grand on the tach.

Does anyone see an issue with doing either of these two things for the next 4-6 weeks????????

 

[jestal]

Sounds like you might not be getting it totally into the gear on the last shift. Try maintaining slight pressure on the shift shaft after the shift. Just hold it lightly after the shift instead of relaxing your foot. Then relax the throttle slightly while you are still holding pressure on the shift lever. If you feel it go further into engagement then the initial shift wasn't going all the way into full engagement of the shift dogs. Try a little more purposeful shift into that gear.

 

[05fjrBluedevil]

Sounds like you might not be getting it totally into the gear on the last shift. Try maintaining slight pressure on the shift shaft after the shift. Just hold it lightly after the shift instead of relaxing your foot. Then relax the throttle slightly while you are still holding pressure on the shift lever. If you feel it go further into engagement then the initial shift wasn't going all the way into full engagement of the shift dogs. Try a little more purposeful shift into that gear.

I will try again on the way home, however, it only seems to happen when there is load on the bike, so I forgot to hold my boot under the shifter this morning, It shifts in fine than will pop out if I twist the throttle!

I find if I put slight pressure on the shifter it will stay in gear, unless I am really trying to accelerate, then it will try to pop out anyway.

At this point I do beleive it is sometihng mechanical.

I'll try to get through the next few weeks then put it in the shop.

Thank s for your input,advise etc.

Should I just write off the season and go ahead and put it in the shop ?

Will squeezing out a few more weeks of riding do more harm?

 

[Randy]

If you choose to continue to ride a few more weeks, go ahead, but, be careful. As I stated earlier, when I had these symptoms on another bike, it would pop out of gear while accelerating through a turn. Not many things worse than finding a false neutral while cranked over then freewheeling through the turn.

 

[05fjrBluedevil]

If you choose to continue to ride a few more weeks, go ahead, but, be careful. As I stated earlier, when I had these symptoms on another bike, it would pop out of gear while accelerating through a turn. Not many things worse than finding a false neutral while cranked over then freewheeling through the turn.

Yep, it diffenently changes the way one would run through the sweepers!

Now, I have to really focus, which is a good thing.

I aprreciate everyone opinions/ suggestions on this very disturbing topic!

I think i'll report it soon, I tried the forcefull shift and it seemed top work somewhat, so that probably means something is worn, hope yes covers it! :huh:

 

[odot]

Click here and scroll down to post #4. This thread was about a different problem than yours but post #4 should show you the little bugger that is likely to be your problem. When the ends of the teeth round or the shift fork gets bent and can't hold the dogs in the driven gear it will pop out leaving no gears attached to the spinning side of the transmission. Since this is a wear issue it will get worse.
Geezer and I may have jumped the gun just a bit.... Take the rubber boots off the shift rod and make sure the hemi rod ends are lubricated. If you are more mechanically inclined with a well stocked tool kit remove the foot peg and lube the shifter pivot point. This needs to be done even if you have to have a dealer do it. Check the alignment of the shift lever (it's in the owners manual). The odds of this being the root of the problem is fairly low but so is the effort to check it.

+1 with ion. Relube the shifting rods. Weird things can happen when the shifter doesn't come back all the way. In minneapolis I noticed my abs light blinking...shit..in heavy stop and go traffic. Got to my buddies house and lubed the rear brake lever. Problem solved. My harley used to pop out of gear till I made it a point to lube the shifter mechanism.

 

[radman]

+1 with ion. Relube the shifting rods. Weird things can happen when the shifter doesn't come back all the way. In minneapolis I noticed my abs light blinking...shit..in heavy stop and go traffic. Got to my buddies house and lubed the rear brake lever. Problem solved. My harley used to pop out of gear till I made it a point to lube the shifter mechanism.

I have fixed several Cruise no-engage complaints doing this. The lever sticks, brake light stays on, no cruise. people would be amazed how sweet a broken in Feej shifts with the linkage cleaned and lubed. It's now part of my oil change service.

 

[05fjrBluedevil]

+1 with ion. Relube the shifting rods. Weird things can happen when the shifter doesn't come back all the way. In minneapolis I noticed my abs light blinking...shit..in heavy stop and go traffic. Got to my buddies house and lubed the rear brake lever. Problem solved. My harley used to pop out of gear till I made it a point to lube the shifter mechanism.

I have fixed several Cruise no-engage complaints doing this. The lever sticks, brake light stays on, no cruise. people would be amazed how sweet a broken in Feej shifts with the linkage cleaned and lubed. It's now part of my oil change service.

I tihnk tht was covered on the last oil change, spray grease, yeh it was even had to pull the peg cover to get to the lower.

I really think this is an issue since if I hold it up, it will stay, and if I really twist the throttle I can feel it trying to drop down out of 2nd and into Neutral.

After EOM, I guess it will be taken to the shop for yes coverage.

I would find it hard to beleive it would not be covered since this is the clunkiest shifting bike from 1-2 that i have ever ridden.

I am sure if it developed an issue it would have been from those first few miles of shifting when starting the ride.

 

[ionbeam]

Good luck getting this fixed after EOM! From your first post you described such a classic symptom of mechanical trans problems that we jumped right on internal parts and totally skipping the KISS part (Keep It Simple, Stupid). It sounds like you have already KISSed the problem -- lube, adjustments and operator technique. Popping out of gear is almost always the gear dogs or shift shaft. Which it is doesn't really matter, they all mean that your dealer has to go gear diving in your engine. Hopefully they will positively ID the culprit(s) and can get parts quickly. Sounds like you may want to look into a temporary hobby for a week or two to divert your attention