Can't change down & lever in first gear floppy

Fireskull said:
Have you looked at how much insurance is for a 750 GSXR? I love my Suzuki's but if I was to get a 600 it would be a ZX6R most likely, and going for the 750 will feel like a really big jump in power compared to a Hornet, and will wee all over a STR ;):D
Click to expand...

Just had a quick look now and one of the insurance companies is offering insurance on the 750 Moto GP edition for £100 LESS than the 600. I love it when insurance companies make absolutely NO sense. This is on the Moto GP edition, so would be even cheaper if I just told them it's a standard GSXR with some addons (which it is).

So, yes a 750 is an option! :D

Fireskull said:
Yeah definitely sounds like a selector fork has borked.....

Yeah a 2013 ZX6R would be sexual, in WSBK colours, yes please.

I didn't factor in what year GSXR's you have been looking at? just assumed newer ones if you were looking at a STR also.
Click to expand...

Hmmmm how would I confirm that's the issue & is it easy to fix myself? Or one of those things best just left to a garage to do?

I'll check out the ZX6Rs now. They're not bikes I've ever really looked at. v nice from the pics though

Also, I'm currently looking at new, 2015 models.

Thanks.
 
Last edited:
Craig321 said:
*SNIP*

Hmmmm how would I confirm that's the issue & is it easy to fix myself? Or one of those things best just left to a garage to do?
Click to expand...

If its a selector fork its not an easy fix, take it to the nearest garage for diagnostics and a quote. I'd advise you to get it looked at ASAP.
 
Wucked said:
If its a selector fork its not an easy fix, take it to the nearest garage for diagnostics and a quote. I'd advise you to get it looked at ASAP.
Click to expand...

:(

I'm going to have a better look tomorrow as I'm off work and see if I can see anything obviously wrong once the front sprocket etc. is exposed. If I can't see an issue I guess I'll take it to the local garage.

wazza300 said:
but its a Honda,it never goes wrong?

maybe it will fix itself
Click to expand...

True, I might just pretend that's how you're supposed to change gear and absolutely nothing is wrong :D
 
Yea its not an easy fix mate, its a gearbox drop out of the bike, which is a ballache, its easier to drop the whole engine :D

But as said I would explore all the other possibilities listed here but if everything else works fine and it still wont select a gear then its definitely internal, it really does sound the same symptoms when my selector fork and a few dog bones on certain gears were gone.

Good news on the 750 being cheaper to insure :D
 
how many miles has the hornet done and when was last oil change?

i think there's a return spring inside the gearbox attached to the lever isn't there? not sure
 
Sounds expensive, but I still have hope! I still think something is just loose or something more simple is broken.

It'll go into gear every time and when changing gears there is absolutely no problem, but to get the gear lever to actually click up or down, I first have to move it, almost like taking the slack off.

So to change down I gently lift the gear lever, then it'll change down (or if I'm in first already then it'll go 'solid'). To change up, I gently push the lever down, then it'll change up no problems.
 
wazza300 said:
how many miles has the hornet done and when was last oil change?

i think there's a return spring inside the gearbox attached to the lever isn't there? not sure
Click to expand...

Hornet has done about 32k now I think, it's a 2005.

Last oil change was April 2014 and it's done probably 2k miles since then I reckon, definitely not a lot of miles.

It was nice Castrol Power 1 Racing 4T 10W/40 stuff.

It certainly feels like something like a spring has just popped off, compressed itself or got bunged up with dirt and can't move.

Can I just unscrew the side and see into the gearbox to find out if it's something like that? Or is even something like the return spring a pain to replace?
 
Last edited:
Fireskull said:
Yea its not an easy fix mate, its a gearbox drop out of the bike, which is a ballache, its easier to drop the whole engine :D
Click to expand...

Actually it depends on the bike, I can tell you from personal experience that you can replace the selector forks on an XS1100 by laying the bike on it's side, taking the sump plate off, and sliding the selector fork shafts slightly to the side.

Its amazing the things you learn when your skint & have a knackered gearbox. :p
 
I've just managed to find a couple of threads on the Honda forums with almost identical problems. Some fixed by taking the gear lever apart and clean/regrease particularly under the rubber at the ends, so I'll give that a go tomorrow. I've not really had a chance to have a really good look at the issue, so it'll hopefully still be something simple.
 
VoG said:
Actually it depends on the bike, I can tell you from personal experience that you can replace the selector forks on an XS1100 by laying the bike on it's side, taking the sump plate off, and sliding the selector fork shafts slightly to the side.

Its amazing the things you learn when your skint & have a knackered gearbox. :p
Click to expand...

Haha true, depends on skill level and the bike really, some bikes you can see the gearbox if you take the sump off, on the GSXR you couldn't :(

You could take the sump of Craig and see if there is anything dislodged in there, and you might be able to see into the gearbox and see if you can notice any damage to any of the dog bones or selectors.
 
wazza300 said:
idk much about gearboxes tbh

found this tho seems similar?

http://www.hondahornet.org.uk/messageboard/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=17697
Click to expand...

Hah that's weird, I literally just found that a few mins ago! Thanks :)

Yes, that problem sounds identical, so could be an easy fix or could be something broken inside. Hopefully the gear lever just needs cleaning and re-lubing. This winter has been particularly bad for salt & dirt around here, so I wouldn't be surprised if a proper clean and dismantle of the lever works.

Fireskull said:
Haha true, depends on skill level and the bike really, some bikes you can see the gearbox if you take the sump off, on the GSXR you couldn't :(

You could take the sump of Craig and see if there is anything dislodged in there, and you might be able to see into the gearbox and see if you can notice any damage to any of the dog bones or selectors.
Click to expand...

Thanks, will give it a go tomorrow if messing with the gear lever doesn't fix it
 
Haha reading another link off that Honda forum god damn there are some Self-righteous posters on there :D makes me appreciate the group we have going here haha.

*no wonder Honda owners get such abuse.... :p
 
lol yeah, I noticed that, part of why I never really bother to go on there!

Another question - can I just unscrew the whole gear lever/foot peg area and pull it off? Do I need to be careful or any adjustments or anything like that or is it simple?

Thanks
 
Yh,just keep the same adjuster positions on the length of rod thst goes from lever to the little lever on the engine gearbox

Its easy to do ive greased mine a few times,can also be a worn out gear lever,on my kawasaki the footrest goes through the gear lever and the hole can wear larger from use and affects gearchanges
 
Fixed!

Took the gear lever off and the ball joint at the front of the lever was basically seized (the bit under the rubber cover). Squirted a load of grease in there and it eventually freed up completely. Also did the other side and pivot bolt while it was all off.

100% perfect now :)

Thank you all for the help/suggestions etc.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom