new hawk dlx won’t downshift

blair · 07-09-2021, 10:09 PM

i’ve got 160miles on a hawk 250 dlx. i can’t shift down from 5th gear. after rocking, moving and hand cranking i got it into first.

all gears seem to stick while moving down. never up.

happens when she gets warm.

i went through the tt250 clutch adjust.

i don’t get it. any ideas?

Plump Kibbles · 07-09-2021, 10:59 PM

Sounds crazy; but tighten up the slack out of the clutch.. even if it's already tight. Mine would do the same! Now it's very tight when cold - normal when hot. Gotta love the little quirks!

After it gets warm the cable will slack up a good bit and won't disengage the clutch.. took me some fiddling before I figured it out. I will be replacing the cable soon though; Honda brand.

Give it a shot - make your adjustments after the engine is warm, that way you'll have a working clutch. I did the same - adjusting when cold, but after warmup - wouldn't shift.

stewbrash · 07-09-2021, 11:14 PM

Seems that some of the Hawk DLX's are having teething problems. Hope you fix it...maybe your oil?

franque · 07-09-2021, 11:42 PM

Is this with the engine running, or not? (this is just for if the engine is off when you're trying to shift) We had someone a couple of months ago who had that problem, except it was with the engine off... this type of transmission doesn't shift with the engine off, unless the rear wheel is moving.

cycleway4 · 07-10-2021, 08:30 AM

My thoughts are same as Franque...is this with the engine not running? if so, downshifting thru the gears will be tough to do...these have to be running and riding for smooth downshifting....upshifting, to, for that matter.

blair · 07-10-2021, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by franque

Is this with the engine running, or not? (this is just for if the engine is off when you're trying to shift) We had someone a couple of months ago who had that problem, except it was with the engine off... this type of transmission doesn't shift with the engine off, unless the rear wheel is moving.

engine running, while rolling. i’m stumped. changed the oil. any diagnostic tips?

franque · 07-10-2021, 11:33 AM

99% sure it's what has been said with clutch adjustment.

J4Fun · 07-10-2021, 01:10 PM

Guys, I think it would be easy to tell if it was the clutch. What happens when you put it in first blair? If it wants to move forward you have a clutch release problem, then adjustments required. If not and down shifting is a problem, then oil may be, but I doubt it be the problem. When you say when it gets warm, I'm going to point to adjustment too. Just 4 Fun what kind of oil are you using and the viscosity?

Plump Kibbles · 07-10-2021, 03:35 PM

Tighten up the clutch cable; I'm 100% positive it's just slacking up with heat as mine did. I even did both adjustments on top and down at the clutch arm.. the 'correct' slack and cable play was in fact not correct, and was WAY too loose. Even with me thinking it was too tight - and wasn't tight enough...

Take out all the slack and play when it's cold - start it and get the bike to operating temperature - then check the clutch. After the engine gets warm and expands the cable with heat - there will be the correct slack and play for the clutch to operate nominally; I promise

160mi is a little soon for anything like the clutch to fail.. IMHO

krat · 07-10-2021, 07:16 PM

So how does it factor in that these bikes, when operating normally, will upshift and downshift without using the clutch as long as you match revs.

blair · 07-10-2021, 09:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J4Fun

Guys, I think it would be easy to tell if it was the clutch. What happens when you put it in first blair? If it wants to move forward you have a clutch release problem, then adjustments required. If not and down shifting is a problem, then oil may be, but I doubt it be the problem. When you say when it gets warm, I'm going to point to adjustment too. Just 4 Fun what kind of oil are you using and the viscosity?

i’ve fooled with the clutch cable and will try one last time to make it even tighter but i really don’t know if that is it.

i had trouble with 15w-40 diesel t4. and with 10w-40 full synth. valvoline for 4 stroke wet clutches.

i ordered a new shift shaft cause it’s cheap. i saw another post around here that did that.

i don’t get it.

also, i took it to a motorcycle shop today and he said clutch adjustment was fine. “just don’t use clutch”

i need to get out of 5th reliably

franque · 07-11-2021, 01:50 AM

Does it not downshift period, or just not from 5th? Did you drop it on the shift shaft/shifter at some point? I've got some theories, but I'd need to have those questions answered before I'll throw out some random ideas. Also, when shifting into 5th, how does it shift, smoothly, or does it shift differently?

blair · 07-11-2021, 07:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by franque

Does it not downshift period, or just not from 5th? Did you drop it on the shift shaft/shifter at some point? I've got some theories, but I'd need to have those questions answered before I'll throw out some random ideas. Also, when shifting into 5th, how does it shift, smoothly, or does it shift differently?

i noticed the shifter a bit bent. i’ve allowed a few people to ride it. im guessing it got laid over hard. downshifting in general is hard. by far the worst and most frustrating is fifth. just when i’m about to push it home, i get it outta fifth. shifting up into fifth is smooth and easy. no noise and as it should.

i think it being warm has thrown us off the scent. it doesn’t matter anymore whether it’s warm or not.

franque · 07-11-2021, 10:38 AM

It could be the shift shaft, I'd replace that and see if it fixes it, but sometimes when laid down on the shifter side, the shift forks get bent. That's not something you can really diagnose without splitting the cases. Basically, if you replace the shift shaft, have known good clutch adjustment, and nothing on the clutch side related to shifting looks bad, I'd look into splitting the cases to look at the shift forks.

stewbrash · 07-11-2021, 12:20 PM

You know...now that I think about it...there was a guy on you-tube who had the same problem with his bike. He took the side-cover off (clutch side) and the ratchet-deal that moved when you shifted, has a spring on it to keep it in place...the spring was off...and it was not engaging the shaft to return (downshift). It looked like it was real easy to fix-it without splitting the cases...just having to take off that cover.

Here's a guy fixing a KTM (I know it's not a Chinabike) that is 'similar' to our CG's and gives you an idea of the shift actuator mechanism and how it works:

This is a 125 Tao, that's not the exactly the same as our 229's...but it's only here to give you ideas:

07-09-2021, 10:09 PM	#1
blair Join Date: Jul 2021 Posts: 5	new hawk dlx won’t downshift i’ve got 160miles on a hawk 250 dlx. i can’t shift down from 5th gear. after rocking, moving and hand cranking i got it into first. all gears seem to stick while moving down. never up. happens when she gets warm. i went through the tt250 clutch adjust. i don’t get it. any ideas?
	1

07-09-2021, 10:59 PM	#2
Plump Kibbles Join Date: Sep 2020 Location: Virginia Posts: 233	Sounds crazy; but tighten up the slack out of the clutch.. even if it's already tight. Mine would do the same! Now it's very tight when cold - normal when hot. Gotta love the little quirks! After it gets warm the cable will slack up a good bit and won't disengage the clutch.. took me some fiddling before I figured it out. I will be replacing the cable soon though; Honda brand. Give it a shot - make your adjustments after the engine is warm, that way you'll have a working clutch. I did the same - adjusting when cold, but after warmup - wouldn't shift. __________________ \|2020 X-Pro Titan DLX\| <-- FOR SALE!!
	0

07-10-2021, 08:30 AM	#5
cycleway4 Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Virginia Posts: 269	My thoughts are same as Franque...is this with the engine not running? if so, downshifting thru the gears will be tough to do...these have to be running and riding for smooth downshifting....upshifting, to, for that matter. __________________ <div>Steve 2006 Roketa DB-07A/RSX-200E 2008 Roketa 250 Scooter 2019 Brozz 250
	0

07-10-2021, 03:35 PM	#9
Plump Kibbles Join Date: Sep 2020 Location: Virginia Posts: 233	Tighten up the clutch cable; I'm 100% positive it's just slacking up with heat as mine did. I even did both adjustments on top and down at the clutch arm.. the 'correct' slack and cable play was in fact not correct, and was WAY too loose. Even with me thinking it was too tight - and wasn't tight enough... Take out all the slack and play when it's cold - start it and get the bike to operating temperature - then check the clutch. After the engine gets warm and expands the cable with heat - there will be the correct slack and play for the clutch to operate nominally; I promise 160mi is a little soon for anything like the clutch to fail.. IMHO __________________ \|2020 X-Pro Titan DLX\| <-- FOR SALE!!
	0

07-10-2021, 07:16 PM	#10
krat Join Date: Nov 2019 Location: KY Posts: 265	So how does it factor in that these bikes, when operating normally, will upshift and downshift without using the clutch as long as you match revs. __________________ %90 of the Chinese motorbikes ever made are still on the road. The other %10 made it back home.
	0

07-09-2021, 11:14 PM	#3
stewbrash Join Date: Oct 2016 Posts: 405	Seems that some of the Hawk DLX's are having teething problems. Hope you fix it...maybe your oil?
	0

07-09-2021, 11:42 PM	#4
franque Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Marseille, France -> Conakry, Guinea Posts: 1,481	Is this with the engine running, or not? (this is just for if the engine is off when you're trying to shift) We had someone a couple of months ago who had that problem, except it was with the engine off... this type of transmission doesn't shift with the engine off, unless the rear wheel is moving.
	0

07-10-2021, 11:33 AM	#7
franque Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Marseille, France -> Conakry, Guinea Posts: 1,481	99% sure it's what has been said with clutch adjustment.
	0

07-10-2021, 01:10 PM	#8
J4Fun Join Date: May 2021 Posts: 313	Guys, I think it would be easy to tell if it was the clutch. What happens when you put it in first blair? If it wants to move forward you have a clutch release problem, then adjustments required. If not and down shifting is a problem, then oil may be, but I doubt it be the problem. When you say when it gets warm, I'm going to point to adjustment too. Just 4 Fun what kind of oil are you using and the viscosity?
	1

07-11-2021, 01:50 AM	#12
franque Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Marseille, France -> Conakry, Guinea Posts: 1,481	Does it not downshift period, or just not from 5th? Did you drop it on the shift shaft/shifter at some point? I've got some theories, but I'd need to have those questions answered before I'll throw out some random ideas. Also, when shifting into 5th, how does it shift, smoothly, or does it shift differently?
	0

07-11-2021, 10:38 AM	#14
franque Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Marseille, France -> Conakry, Guinea Posts: 1,481	It could be the shift shaft, I'd replace that and see if it fixes it, but sometimes when laid down on the shifter side, the shift forks get bent. That's not something you can really diagnose without splitting the cases. Basically, if you replace the shift shaft, have known good clutch adjustment, and nothing on the clutch side related to shifting looks bad, I'd look into splitting the cases to look at the shift forks.
	0

07-11-2021, 12:20 PM	#15
stewbrash Join Date: Oct 2016 Posts: 405	You know...now that I think about it...there was a guy on you-tube who had the same problem with his bike. He took the side-cover off (clutch side) and the ratchet-deal that moved when you shifted, has a spring on it to keep it in place...the spring was off...and it was not engaging the shaft to return (downshift). It looked like it was real easy to fix-it without splitting the cases...just having to take off that cover. Here's a guy fixing a KTM (I know it's not a Chinabike) that is 'similar' to our CG's and gives you an idea of the shift actuator mechanism and how it works: This is a 125 Tao, that's not the exactly the same as our 229's...but it's only here to give you ideas: Last edited by stewbrash; 07-11-2021 at 02:06 PM.
	1