Hello,

Just picked up my 1985k100 at the weekend.
I'm noticing some sloppy shifting, a few false neutrals, and sometimes trouble getting up into 5th.

Within reason I expect this will improve as I get used to the bike, but it can be quite frustrating when taking off from lights and shifting into a false neutral and revving like crazy.

I'm hoping that the shift lever may need adjusting. Hoping it's not a sign of a ruined gearbox.

any thoughts?

thanks

Have you completed a proper clutch adjustment? Repair manual says how to do that. It is a cable actuated clutch rather than a hydraulic one, so requires occasional adjustment.

thanks,

will read up on that.

4th to 5th can be troublesome because (on my bike) the distance between the two, in terms of gear level travel, is reasonably longish.

I get over this by "pre-loading" the upward change, ie let the lever drop after say 3rd to 4th change and then take up the slack before you change to 5th.

Sound complicated? Not really... I got used to it. I now do this with all gears and the result is a super fast and smooth change.

Funny thing is that the Goldwing is nothing like that, so I need to change my riding style each time I change the bike. painful, isn't it

Hi mook and sounds very similar to mine although I seemed to improve after a couple of years

I find that it changes better if I change at around 3000 revs but I suspect it is more due to me rather than the bike although 4-5 does have a kind of 2 step feel to it sometimes.

I am also going to lash out and throw some synthetic oil in the gearbox to see if it lives up to the hype.

I had the same problem for a while when I got my bike and the "preload" way of shifting has cured the 4th to 5th false neutral.

Like Phil, I will also get some synthetic oil for the gearbox next change to see if that helps.

I have been amazed by how good the box feels with Castrol Syntrax in.
Regards,
K-BIKE

Thanks for the replies guys,
re-assuring to know that my gearbox isn't about to melt.

I tried the pre-load approach on the way home last night and on the way in this morning, and it makes a difference, although it just shifts straight from 3-4 and 4-5 when I preload.

I think a lot of this maybe me changing with revs low. For the last 3 years I've been driving a 1973 VW bus, so driving/riding styles may need to change...

One thing that I may add is that the Ks prefer to be kept above 2500rpm where the torque curve rises sharply. Below that the motor labours and complains. That means that I never use the 5th in the suburbs and tend to ride around in the 3rd or 4th.

Hi Mook
Another Bristol lad eh?
I have an 87 RS and get occaisional issues with the gearchange
but its generally pretty good and positive
With mine it sometimes loses the plot when I slow and change down to stop at lights
and the the display blanks
It doesnt happen much though and i put it down to age and the bike having a 'senior moment'

reg_K100RS wrote:
Another Bristol lad eh?

Yup, not born and bred though, just a blow-in

reg_K100RS wrote:...sometimes loses the plot when I slow and change down to stop at lights
and the the display blanks
It doesnt happen much though and i put it down to age and the bike having a 'senior moment'

Yup, I get the blank display too. Only for me it happens most of the time. Seems like it might be to do with revs if you're getting it while slowing down at lights.

I'm a 'blow in' too Mook.
On reflection the display blanking is often when I have to stop at say lights fairly sharpish and
do a tap dance on the change to get it down to neutral.
Its not often though and for its age and the odd peculiarities, the bikes a great machine.

The gear lever on the K has quite a long travel compared to other bikes. I find that it needs a good positive kick to get it to select the next gear. Any half hearted treatment results in false neutrals. Even after five and a half years I still get the occasional false neutral if I dont concentrate. I would love to be able to adjust the gear lever a spline or two down as I find that I have to lift my foot off the footrest to change gear, but if I move it down it hits the exhaust, and being aluminium I can't bend it out to clear it.

reg_K100RS wrote:I'm a 'blow in' too Mook.
On reflection the display blanking is often when I have to stop at say lights fairly sharpish and
do a tap dance on the change to get it down to neutral.
Its not often though and for its age and the odd peculiarities, the bikes a great machine.

I got into trouble once by suggesting that Getrag gearbox is strong, robust and very reliable but a little agricultural when compared with the Japanese boxes I am used to. Your example was exactly what I was referring to.

I've never taken one apart but it seems to me that the selector needs to positively "index" a bit like a ratchet before you can do the next step up or down. Stll a great box but no dancing I am afraid

well since getting these replies, I've been playing around with pre-loading and revving higher, and it makes a big difference.

I agree though Ned, 'Agricultural' is a good description, it really feels like there's too much freeplay in the shifter, and at the wrong rpm definitely feels a bit vague.