Hawk 250 stuck in gear

Applepilgrim1 · 12-26-2020, 12:03 PM

Was riding my hawk around the neighborhood yesterday while coming to a stop I realized I couldn't shift down to first. I got the bike up to speed and limped it home. I check the clearance of the shift lever and it wasn't hitting the case. I also removed the sprocket cover nothing was interfering. The bike has less than 50 miles on it. It acts as if it could shift down with no change but when trying to shift up it's a solid stop with no play. Any idea what this could be?
Extra info...I have rotella 15w 40 in it currently. The clutch appears to be biting appropriately but I will try adjusting it. Neutral has been hard to find from the get go.

BuffaloChinaRider · 12-26-2020, 03:56 PM

Ny bike at less than 50 miles was acting funny to shift while hot then after 90 or so miles it was smooth as butter. I also had to adjust the clutch cable from down by the crank case not the lever then it all worked great! Please try letting your bike get some more miles after trying to adjust clutch cable by crank case and let us know how it goes!

culcune · 12-26-2020, 05:08 PM

As BuffaloChinaRider stated--these bikes make a 180 once the engine is broken in. Also, what engine oil did you use once you built the bike?

Megadan · 12-26-2020, 05:16 PM

Simple test to perform. get the bike up on a stand or jack with the rear wheel off the ground. With it in neutral, slowly turn/rock the rear wheel and push up on the shift lever to see if it will click into an up gear. Then do the same thing to go back down. If it can do this, then we can rule out the shifter pawl or a bad fork.

I do agree with the clutch adjustment. Follow the CSC TT250 clutch adjustment tutorial to get your clutch setup properly. These bikes have such light clutches that it can be difficult to tell where the proper engagement point it as first, but after you fiddle with it a few times you start to learn what the proper feel is for the engagement point.

https://cscmotorcycles.com/tt250-clu...on-adjustment/

The clutches on these bikes to tend to suffer from a higher than normal level of clutch fade when they get hot as well, which could be the real issue. That goes back to the clutch adjustment. It might feel ok cold, but then becomes too slack hot.

Applepilgrim1 · 12-29-2020, 06:39 PM

Unfortunately I can't actually get the bike into neutral. I put the bike up on a center stand and held the clutch lever while rotating the tire and it still won't shift in either direction. On a down shift the lever clicks as if it wants to shift down but has no effect while an up shift is a solid stop.

BuffaloChinaRider · 12-29-2020, 09:21 PM

If you have properly adjusted clutch at lever and crank case, next silly thing I would say is to try rocking the bike. Have your bike shut off while sitting on it. Rock the bike forward and back while trying to shift into neutral or any other gear, have your key turned on. I know this sounds silly but some bikes get stuck and once rocked, they jump into neutral or into a gear.

Applepilgrim1 · 01-09-2021, 04:00 PM

I took off the clutch cover and finally got it to shift out of 3rd gear.
Is this a problem with my fork? I went ahead and bought the this shift shaft from CSC

https://cscmotorcycles.com/oem-parts...hifting-shaft/

I have these two videos below first showing how it was before I played with it and now.

Video 2:

Video 1:

franque · 01-09-2021, 07:13 PM

I'm not convinced that I see something wrong here, it all looks normal to me, unless you are turning the wheel and it can't be seen in the video.

If the neither the engine nor the rear wheel are moving, it won't shift very easily, or probably not at all. If the clutch is properly adjusted, with the engine running, it'll shift just fine, but if the rear wheel isn't turning (engine off), it won't shift, and if the engine is running with the clutch not properly adjusted, it won't shift.

It requires motion to change the gears. Also, I see what appears to be red silicone or else parts of the gasket. If it's red silicone, don't use it! It clogs up oil passages. If it's gasket material, you'll need to get a pack of razor blades to clean the gasket material off, otherwise you'll get oil leaks.

Megadan · 01-10-2021, 12:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by franque

I'm not convinced that I see something wrong here, it all looks normal to me, unless you are turning the wheel and it can't be seen in the video.

I see what appears to be red silicone or else parts of the gasket. If it's red silicone,

I see the pawl not pushing the shifter wheel (star wheel) that connects to the drum all the way through the next shift.

I do agree that while trying to cycle it may require turning the wheel or at least the counter shaft (drive sprocket shaft) a bit to get it to fully cycle down.

If I had to guess, the shifter pawl (bottle opener looking part) may have been bent or not spaced properly during assembly. You wouldn't be the first person to have this issue, though it isn't super common.

As far as the red stuff Franque, that's a little bead of silicone that is part of the gaskets themselves. Just a little extra layer of leak prevention.

Applepilgrim1 · 01-12-2021, 09:00 PM

Yall are awesome by the way I put my key in it and it actually did shift into neutral, and I can move the bike freely. I am going to compare the new pawl I ordered to the one I have in it, and if I can find a discrepancy ill let you know. Speaking of the clutch cover gasket I tore mine and had to buy one from orion motorsports which felt like an arm and a leg. Hopefully, it'll be in soon and I can shift the bike in motion. I appreciate all the help guys I feel like I'm learning a lot.

12-26-2020, 12:03 PM	#1
Applepilgrim1 Join Date: Dec 2020 Location: Houston Posts: 16	Hawk 250 stuck in gear Was riding my hawk around the neighborhood yesterday while coming to a stop I realized I couldn't shift down to first. I got the bike up to speed and limped it home. I check the clearance of the shift lever and it wasn't hitting the case. I also removed the sprocket cover nothing was interfering. The bike has less than 50 miles on it. It acts as if it could shift down with no change but when trying to shift up it's a solid stop with no play. Any idea what this could be? Extra info...I have rotella 15w 40 in it currently. The clutch appears to be biting appropriately but I will try adjusting it. Neutral has been hard to find from the get go.
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12-26-2020, 03:56 PM	#2
BuffaloChinaRider Join Date: Feb 2020 Location: Buffalo NY Posts: 224	Ny bike at less than 50 miles was acting funny to shift while hot then after 90 or so miles it was smooth as butter. I also had to adjust the clutch cable from down by the crank case not the lever then it all worked great! Please try letting your bike get some more miles after trying to adjust clutch cable by crank case and let us know how it goes! __________________ BuffaloChinaRider on Youtube Bashan Storm 250 (2018) Apollo Db-36 Deluxe (2019)
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12-26-2020, 05:08 PM	#3
culcune Join Date: May 2006 Location: Yuma, Arizona Posts: 9,035	As BuffaloChinaRider stated--these bikes make a 180 once the engine is broken in. Also, what engine oil did you use once you built the bike? __________________ "They say that life's a carousel, spinning fast you got to ride it well..." TGB Delivery Scooter 150 TMEC 200 Enduro--carcass is sadly rotting in the backyard
	0

12-26-2020, 05:16 PM	#4
Megadan Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Omaha, NE Posts: 8,042	Simple test to perform. get the bike up on a stand or jack with the rear wheel off the ground. With it in neutral, slowly turn/rock the rear wheel and push up on the shift lever to see if it will click into an up gear. Then do the same thing to go back down. If it can do this, then we can rule out the shifter pawl or a bad fork. I do agree with the clutch adjustment. Follow the CSC TT250 clutch adjustment tutorial to get your clutch setup properly. These bikes have such light clutches that it can be difficult to tell where the proper engagement point it as first, but after you fiddle with it a few times you start to learn what the proper feel is for the engagement point. https://cscmotorcycles.com/tt250-clu...on-adjustment/ The clutches on these bikes to tend to suffer from a higher than normal level of clutch fade when they get hot as well, which could be the real issue. That goes back to the clutch adjustment. It might feel ok cold, but then becomes too slack hot. __________________ Hawk Information and Resource guide: http://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=20331 2018 Hawk 250 - Full Mod list here. http://www.chinariders.net/showpost....62&postcount=1 2024 Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 https://chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=34124
	0

12-29-2020, 09:21 PM	#6
BuffaloChinaRider Join Date: Feb 2020 Location: Buffalo NY Posts: 224	If you have properly adjusted clutch at lever and crank case, next silly thing I would say is to try rocking the bike. Have your bike shut off while sitting on it. Rock the bike forward and back while trying to shift into neutral or any other gear, have your key turned on. I know this sounds silly but some bikes get stuck and once rocked, they jump into neutral or into a gear. __________________ BuffaloChinaRider on Youtube Bashan Storm 250 (2018) Apollo Db-36 Deluxe (2019)
	1

12-29-2020, 06:39 PM	#5
Applepilgrim1 Join Date: Dec 2020 Location: Houston Posts: 16	Unfortunately I can't actually get the bike into neutral. I put the bike up on a center stand and held the clutch lever while rotating the tire and it still won't shift in either direction. On a down shift the lever clicks as if it wants to shift down but has no effect while an up shift is a solid stop.
	0

01-09-2021, 04:00 PM	#7
Applepilgrim1 Join Date: Dec 2020 Location: Houston Posts: 16	Clutch cover off Still cant cycle all gears I took off the clutch cover and finally got it to shift out of 3rd gear. Is this a problem with my fork? I went ahead and bought the this shift shaft from CSC https://cscmotorcycles.com/oem-parts...hifting-shaft/ I have these two videos below first showing how it was before I played with it and now. Video 2: Video 1:
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01-09-2021, 07:13 PM	#8
franque Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Marseille, France -> Conakry, Guinea Posts: 1,481	I'm not convinced that I see something wrong here, it all looks normal to me, unless you are turning the wheel and it can't be seen in the video. If the neither the engine nor the rear wheel are moving, it won't shift very easily, or probably not at all. If the clutch is properly adjusted, with the engine running, it'll shift just fine, but if the rear wheel isn't turning (engine off), it won't shift, and if the engine is running with the clutch not properly adjusted, it won't shift. It requires motion to change the gears. Also, I see what appears to be red silicone or else parts of the gasket. If it's red silicone, don't use it! It clogs up oil passages. If it's gasket material, you'll need to get a pack of razor blades to clean the gasket material off, otherwise you'll get oil leaks.
	1

01-12-2021, 09:00 PM	#10
Applepilgrim1 Join Date: Dec 2020 Location: Houston Posts: 16	Clutch cover off Still cant cycle all gears Yall are awesome by the way I put my key in it and it actually did shift into neutral, and I can move the bike freely. I am going to compare the new pawl I ordered to the one I have in it, and if I can find a discrepancy ill let you know. Speaking of the clutch cover gasket I tore mine and had to buy one from orion motorsports which felt like an arm and a leg. Hopefully, it'll be in soon and I can shift the bike in motion. I appreciate all the help guys I feel like I'm learning a lot.
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