Shfiter becomes loose past 3rd gear and becomes hard to upshift

[TheHelios]

So I've searched the forums and found plenty of issues on sticky downshifting but mine's different. Starting yesterday, I'll randomly have issues upshifting past 3rd. The shifter will just float around and not catch anything. I can shift down perfectly fine but every now and then, it can't shift up. I try playing with the clutch a bit but nothing. I verified that I let the clutch return to it's normal position after shifting up and nothing. I'll push down the shifter down enough to where it doesn't shfit down but for sure goes past its resting point to then shift up but nothing. It will just fix itself eventually and works decently for some time before reappearing.


Any ideas?

 

[tubebender]

There have been a couple of instances of the 'shift shaft spring' breaking.
Although the topic referenced is a downshift problem, it could be an upshift problem too.
http://www.yamahasupertenere.com/index.php?topic=8527.0

 

[CAMTEX]

I had a similar problem. I lubed the linkage and it fixed the problem.

 

[Checkswrecks]

Easiest and most common item first. Remove the shifter bolt, clean and lube. Reinstall and let us know if that fixed it. There are already numerous threads on how, some with photos.

 

[greg the pole]

clutch fluid ok? no drops recently, or anything like that?

 

[TheHelios]

Easiest and most common item first. Remove the shifter bolt, clean and lube. Reinstall and let us know if that fixed it. There are already numerous threads on how, some with photos.

I found one thread and it had a picture of a blue Tenere with some thing poking out but no idea where it is. All other pictures are either of the broken spring or of the parts-diagrams of the area. Do you know if there's a clear picture of "here's a side shot of the bike and THIS is the shifter bolt"? I'm still a noob at maintenance so I have no idea which part of the assembly is the shifter bolt.

clutch fluid ok? no drops recently, or anything like that?

Not sure where the clutch fluid is. I'll search around to see find a how-to on it. I dropped the bike a couple weeks back but on the right side at under 5 MPH which the engine guard got the brunt of the drop.

 

[klunsford]

I had a similar issue and I discovered that I was not letting the shifter come back to it's normal position. After I learned to get my foot out of the way, haven't had any other troubles.

 

[Checkswrecks]

I found one thread and it had a picture of a blue Tenere with some thing poking out but no idea where it is. All other pictures are either of the broken spring or of the parts-diagrams of the area. Do you know if there's a clear picture of "here's a side shot of the bike and THIS is the shifter bolt"? I'm still a noob at maintenance so I have no idea which part of the assembly is the shifter bolt.

Not sure where the clutch fluid is. I'll search around to see find a how-to on it. I dropped the bike a couple weeks back but on the right side at under 5 MPH which the engine guard got the brunt of the drop.

To remove the shifter, loosen the allen bolt at the aft end, which is at your left foot peg.

Fill the clutch fluid at the reservoir on the handle bar, just like it shows in your maintenance manual. To loosen the two screws turn them counterclo . . .




To the more mechanical folks, maybe Helios is screwing with us and once upon a time I would think that nobody could be this un-mechanical.
But after seeing so many people who can only spend money to get anything done, I give most people the benefit of the doubt if they seem sincere.

 

[tomatocity]

Drill a hole and insert a zerk fitting... and this cuts down on the removal and cleaning.

We did this at one of FireFighters tech days. Thanks Don.

 

[Chuck B]

To the more mechanical folks, maybe Helios is screwing with us and once upon a time I would think that nobody could be this un-mechanical.
But after seeing so many people who can only spend money to get anything done, I give most people the benefit of the doubt if they seem sincere.

I've held many tech days over the years. There are some who simply should just put down the tools and step away from the bike.

 

[Checkswrecks]

I've held many tech days over the years. There are some who simply should just put down the tools and step away from the bike.

I agree with this too!
::003::

 

[TheHelios]

To remove the shifter, loosen the allen bolt at the aft end, which is at your left foot peg.


Fill the clutch fluid at the reservoir on the handle bar, just like it shows in your maintenance manual. To loosen the two screws turn them counterclo . . .




To the more mechanical folks, maybe Helios is screwing with us and once upon a time I would think that nobody could be this un-mechanical.
But after seeing so many people who can only spend money to get anything done, I give most people the benefit of the doubt if they seem sincere.

Haha, thanks for the info. I'm very much down to do stuff if I actually know what I'm doing. Stripping half the tabs from my Ninja 650 fairing taught me that jumping in is all nice and well but it's going to cost you big time if you screw up.

Give me pictures and/or a video and I'm good to go!

And being someone who does tech support, yes, there are some people who should just not do "maintenance" on their own machine.
"No, you did not delete the internet"
"But the blue E is gone."
"Ma'am, that's just an icon for your internet browser. Trust me, the internet is still very much there."

 

[Koinz]

Haha, thanks for the info. I'm very much down to do stuff if I actually know what I'm doing. Stripping half the tabs from my Ninja 650 fairing taught me that jumping in is all nice and well but it's going to cost you big time if you screw up.

Give me pictures and/or a video and I'm good to go!

And being someone who does tech support, yes, there are some people who should just not do "maintenance" on their own machine.
"No, you did not delete the internet"
"But the blue E is gone."
"Ma'am, that's just an icon for your internet browser. Trust me, the internet is still very much there."

Lol, the last line is funny. I had similar situations when pc's were just coming out. Too many stories.

 

[JRE]

Haha, thanks for the info. I'm very much down to do stuff if I actually know what I'm doing. Stripping half the tabs from my Ninja 650 fairing taught me that jumping in is all nice and well but it's going to cost you big time if you screw up.

Give me pictures and/or a video and I'm good to go!

And being someone who does tech support, yes, there are some people who should just not do "maintenance" on their own machine.
"No, you did not delete the internet"
"But the blue E is gone."
"Ma'am, that's just an icon for your internet browser. Trust me, the internet is still very much there."

I hear ya...I'm good for changing oil and maintenance stuff but for checking valves etc, I leave that to the shop. Now, ask me to build a PC from scratch or create a database and I'm all over it.

 

[Chuck B]

We all have our natural abilities. Mine are certainly mechanical whereas I find computers/software ultimately frustrating.

 

[EricV]

To remove the shifter, loosen the allen bolt at the aft end, which is at your left foot peg.

That bolt should have a drop of loctite 242 (blue), on it when re-installed.

Fill the clutch fluid at the reservoir on the handle bar, just like it shows in your maintenance manual. To loosen the two screws turn them counterclo . . .

You might want to leave that alone for the moment. Teaching someone how to bleed the clutch is best not done over the internet. Not to mention all the problems an over full reservoir can cause when things warm up. And how easy it is to get air into the system with our tiny clutch reservoir.

To the more mechanical folks, maybe Helios is screwing with us and once upon a time I would think that nobody could be this un-mechanical.
But after seeing so many people who can only spend money to get anything done, I give most people the benefit of the doubt if they seem sincere.

Or, perhaps he's one of those people that should put down the tools and step away from the motorcycle? Software guys are not always the best students for mechanical things.

Helios - Did you just get new boots? (for your feet)

 

[Checkswrecks]

Eric, I agree with everything you said and did hesitate when he asked about clutch fluid. But I give folks the benefit of the doubt, he asked which implies he wants to try and thinks he is able, and we all had to start somewhere. If it all goes bad, he's in Southern Florida with an income and lots of dealer support, not Kazakhstan.

 

[Triple dick]

We all have our natural abilities. Mine are certainly mechanical whereas I find computers/software ultimately frustrating.

I'm in the same camp and have found over the last 35 years or so that some people should just not be allowed near any tools whatsoever. But in saying that some people should also not be allowed near a computer , we are after all experts in our own very different and chosen fields!!

 

[TheHelios]

To clarify, I've have 0 experience in many things but I like to learn. I've torn apart my car's entire dashboard just to splice a cable to the radio's wire harness so I could have an Audio In cable, changed many of the parts on my old bike, learned how to solder wiring, etc. No idea why y'all are using stereotypes about someone's inability of fixing anything but I personally want to learn. Simply saying that I shouldn't even bother with tools isn't educating me at all. Also, I like saving money which means not bring my bike in to a mechanic to charge me $60+ for a simple oil change when I can buy all the parts for under $20 and do it myself.

So yes, I will be lubing the shifter and taking off the clutch cover to make sure there aren't any messed up springs.

I have the Technical Orientation Manual but it only tells me where the bolts for the clutch cover are and what torque they need to be at but not much else. If any of y'all have a recommendation of a good maintenance manual, then please put it here. Where to get it as well at a good price is helpful.

 

[snakebitten]

Helios,

I promise these guys were not actually speaking with any kind of conviction about YOU personally. It was all just generality....and yes, included some stereotyping. It's the nature of a water cooler forum. We gotta have SOMETHIING to say.

I too understand the stereotypes, and the implication that someone would be one-or-the-other. Either comfortable with computer technology or comfortable with mechanical tools, but not likely BOTH.
I disagree with THAT specific stereotype myself. Although I do agree that it is often accurate.

I'm a network engineer and I am on-the-grid 24\7. I am well aware that almost everything I encounter daily is far outside the comfort zone of the majority of the human race. But I humbly profess that I am not able to explain why it is unintimidating to me. I am just wired that way. I give myself no credit for that. It totally is a gift (or burden) from the maker of such things.

But I'm not afraid of a wrench either. In fact, I grew up as a carpenter by trade. And not the pickup truck kind. Instead, the high end custom architectural millwork kind. Very close to being a machinist of wood. And very much "mechanical", rather than "craftsman". (I admittedly am much less a craftsman. That requires an artistic nature. I am NO artist! I admire those that are. Whether it is with wood or metal)

Regardless, please don't be offended by anything that has been stated here. I know these guys. Been here a long time. Most of these fellas would bend over backwards to assist you in any way that they can. Including this shifter issue.

And you won't hear me encouraging anyone ever to be cautious with trying something they haven't done before! It's what makes us different than ANY other species!
Beavers build dams. It's what they are designed to do. They don't even know why they do it. And they will never do anything else.
Us? We are so very different. We are rolling around on horse drawn chariots in one century, and then building a space shuttle and going into space, the next.

We can do anything. And we were designed to. We're amazing. lol