Shifter jam
 

Occasionally, shifter will jam when being pushed from first to second. By jam, I mean the shifter cannot be pulled up, but it can be pushed down. Whenever it jams, I just push down on the shifter (back to first), and it would unjam itself. Is this something I should crack open the cover for? Or ignore it and pray for the best?

Re: Shifter jam
 

My HSUN 200gy does the same thing occasionally and has done so ever since I started riding it. My suzuki dr125 did the same thing. -cory

Make sure you are changing the oil enough. I noticed hard shifting when it time for a change.

Also check clutch adjustment.

Allen

How often should we change oil?

Make sure to use the right oil too, alot of synthetics won't work well with a wet clutch setup. Make sure there's no additives or detergents that will disagree with a wet clutch. I use valvoline 10w40 4 stroke motorcycle oil from Autozone. I've been changing the oil every 1200 miles since the original break in period. During the first 2000 miles I changed it every 500 to 750 miles.

I try for every 800-1000 miles. There is only a quart in there so it doesn't take long to get broken down.

Allen

When I got my bike I had the same problem. I have always considered myself savy with a wrench and didnt think that taking the cover and tightening that bolt that seem to come lose inside the engine that big of deal. But honestly I just didnt feel like doing it. So I took the same advice a while back and just changed the oil and like magic my shifting problem disapeared.

I love this site.

I had a problem shifting into second and I found that my shift lever was bent and rubbing the side of the engine case.

If you're broken in put a quart of that Amsoil in and watch your sticky shifting issues go bye-bye.

It seems like its going to take me forever to get the break-in miles on the clock, so is there a time period to change the oil ?

The way its looking now, even at 6 months, I doubt if I'll have 200 miles on my GY-3, so ya reckon I should just go ahead at 6 months and change it anyway ?

Yessir, I'd recommend it. Personally, I change the slimes every 3 months even if I am not covering a large amount of clicks. Acid and moisture being what they are.

The way I see it I've never seen anyone grenade an engine from the slime being *too* clean... :D

--Vince

VinceDrake brought up a good point about acid and moisture! :wink:

The moisture accumulates in the crank case and eventually evaporates as the engine warms-up. If you routinely ride short trips, the moisture does not get the chance to evaporate and turns to sludge in your engine.

I think it is wise to change your oil more frequently if you don't regularly ride at operating temperature for more than 30 minutes or so at a time.

That's my spin,
Tigertamer

Think that there is a certain amount of drag inherent with a fluid clutch. This is my 5th motorcycle and they all seem to have this problem to some degree. The viscosity of the oil wants to pull on the drive even with the clutch plates fully disengaged.

When i'm at a stop at idle shifting is struggle to say the least. Neutral is impossible almost... If i can get into second and tap down firmly, after 3 pr 4 tries, it may drop into neutral. Easier to just hold in the clutch at stops.

This is nothing new. All my bikes behaved that way. Learned to always downshift while coasting down to a stop. Try to reach first by about 10mph and the downshifting goes easy and smoothly. If i don't i may not be able to get down all the way. Most of the times it'll jam up in third and i'll have to go back to 4th again and then back down.

Lower viscosity oils can help, but this problem has no solution. Nature of the beast, i'm afraid.