Problem changing gear

[richjharris]

Hey all:

First time posting on here - so be gentle!

I have a K2 SV650s without the lower fairing, nothing special to it other than a dual exhaust from Renegade from the original owner. Before Christmas - and all the stupid snow, I noticed a problem with changing down gears. I'd put it into first, there was a click of sorts, but I could still push the peg down with my foot. It didn't lock like it usually does. I didn't think much of it and carried on. A few days later it did the same thing again, but this time I think I was in 3rd changing down on the approach to some traffic lights.

I managed to get it into neutral then into first and pulled off, continuing on my journey. It has behaved more or less ever since, but today, I cleaned it and decided to take it for a run as it had been sat for more or less a month. While approaching a traffic island, I was in 4th, changing down to 1st, and I couldn't. The same problem has risen again. This time there is no click as I go to change, the foot peg moves but doesn't engage the lower gear. So there's me in the middle of the lane trying to change down, nothing. After shouting and swearing at the bike and trying to get the hazards on, I decided to try to pull away in the gear I was in....not the best idea I know but it was a busy island. It then shifted up and down the gears perfectly on the way home.

So the question is - what's wrong? I want to take it to the local bike dealer around the corner to get it fixed, but they messed up a chain and sprocket replacement about 6 months ago and I had to get a new chain. My confidence in them isn't what it was.

Could anyone suggest anything I can do myself to try to fix this problem or should I take it there and seek their opinion?

Thanks in advance

Rich

[squirrel_hunter]

Sounds like you need to adjust your clutch...

Sid Squid is the dude, and his much reproduced guide can be found here (http://forums.sv650.org/showpost.php?p=2109196&postcount=6). Follow these instuctions first and then report back.

[yorkie_chris]

I would guess the lever has become sticky around its axle and is not returning to center properly. Remove, clean and grease it.

[Spanner Man]

Good afternoon all.


Welcome to the forum.

Ditto Yorkies advice, SV's have a bush in the gearlever that can seize up slightly, & cause the gearlever to stick.
Disconnect the gear lever, & remove the footrest hanger. When removing the footrest retaining bolt be aware that they're usually loctited, in & can be a little stiff, & easy to round off.


Cheers.

[fastdruid]

Are you trying to do this while stationary?

Bike gearboxes don't do changing down (or up) multiple gears while stationary, change down to 2nd or 1st while moving. If you are stuck in say 4th while stationary try rocking the bike back or forwards until you can change gear.

Druid

[GOZA]

i did get this sort of proplem it turned out that were the gear lever goes around the footpeg theres a weird woven bush an that had split and the weave was fraying and making the pedal stick. how i sorted it was to bore out the gear lever a tad then made a nylon carbon bush to go in there then bored the bush to fit over the pedal then just file down each so its flush before fitting it.i used nylon carbon because it will self lubricate.
hope that can help

[Thingus]

Got problem today where i pulled the clutch to start it and the clutch sorta clicked, didn't sound nice. Then i quickly realised when trying to get some speed that the clutch, when pulled all the way in, was basically at biting point and not disengaging(?), and i couldn't change gear smoothly at any speed, not at all at more than 10 mph. Tried changing the tension on the clutch lever and it just came off before it was tight enough, i'm guessing Sid Squid's lil' guide thing might be a good idea.

Amazing what pops up when you're looking for something.

[richjharris]

I was trying to do it while slowing down riding. I took it out for another test and it did it again, but on the way back home it worked fine. I don't personally think its a clutch problem, but I'm not really experienced enough technically to know really.

After reading some other suggestions, when it gets stuck rocking the bike while in gear does help.

I'm gonna have a go at Sid Squid's guide tomorrow. It got too dark to mess with it earlier. Bummer as I was really looking forward to the ride into work on it tomorrow, but now I'm gonna have to use the bloody train!!

Will report back with more info when I have it

Thanks for all the replies

R

[xXBADGERXx]

I found the solution was the same as Yorkie Chris` reply and GOZA has the same answer I was going to supply . The Aluminium furs up underneath the Kevlar washerand this binds onto the footpeg not allowing the lever to return back to it`s resting position after selecting gear . You can move it back with your foot and it works , but this is dangerous when downchanging rapidly and approaching a junction . I went through the Suzuki Fiche and this part is not available . I removed my gear selector off the Peg , removed what was left of my Kevlar Washer and cut a new one out of a Teflon Baking Sheet and greased it all up and re-installed it . Never had a problem with it since .

[richjharris]

I don't think it's the foot peg, it has to be said, as this has full movement up and down, and like i said, I have managed to change up and down while riding on the way back home after the problem. I'll still take it off and have a look

R

[yorkie_chris]

Dangerous when downshifting rapidly up to a junction, much worse when approaching a corner on A487 at double the limit and needing to miss a wall :-D


When lever is sticky you can still move it up and down. It is slight resistance which does not allow the detent mechanism to return to battery. You know a ratchet, well it is same in gearbox. It must click after one shift before it can do the next.

[xXBADGERXx]

Rich ..... trust us , the gear lever sits on the footpeg , it will be furred up Aluminium , gunk , sticky cackola and a few chewed up bits of crud in there . And as YC stated , can be bloody dangerous if allowed to get worse . Here is a quick way to find out . Get some WD40 out , spray that lever where it mounts to the peg and waggle it up and down , I bet it is slow and when you let go it does not return correctly . Keep lubing with a spray and waggle the lever up and down about 10 times , wipe the cack off and repeat . it will work ok again for a few days before going back to it`s nasty ways .

[yorkie_chris]

Nah just buy some decent rearsets with roller bearings in. That sort it 8)

[xXBADGERXx]

Yes Moneybags , if you`re offering , Silver finish Please

[GOZA]

Nah just buy some decent rearsets with roller bearings in. That sort it 8)

damn if only my pound would grow into a grand money tree id be sorted lol :smt118

[coxxy]

you could always buy a factory pro detent gear set - problems eliminated.

[yorkie_chris]

That won't solve feck all if your lever isn't moving properly old chap. Just like fitting a big bore kit won't help if the front spark plug gets wet.

[richjharris]

OK - so its taken me a few days to get back on here as life seems to have gotten so overly complicated lately. Anywho

I cleaned the metal rod that goes from the foot peg into the front of the engine as you were right, it was covered in crap and grease from the roads over the winter period. I took it for a ride to see if this had helped and it unfortunately hasn't.

I have figured out though, if I go down a gear at a time it will behave.

I might get the tools out this weekend and try to take a better look

Any other suggestions would be appreciated ;)

Rich

[xXBADGERXx]

That won`t do anything Rich , the rod connects to the gear selector that is operated by your foot , the foot bit is what needs cleaning , this rotates on the peg and that is the bit that is gummed up .

[fastdruid]

I have figured out though, if I go down a gear at a time it will behave.

So you are trying to jump down 2 or more gears at once, without releasing the clutch inbetween?

While some bikes will do that you are far better to do one gear, release the clutch, then repeat as many times as required.

If you really do want to block change then try giving the throttle a blip as you do it.

As someone else said also, its not the rod but where the lever rotates on the hanger that needs cleaning and lubing.

Druid

[rowdy]

Rich ..... trust us , the gear lever sits on the footpeg , it will be furred up Aluminium , gunk , sticky cackola and a few chewed up bits of crud in there . And as YC stated , can be bloody dangerous if allowed to get worse . Here is a quick way to find out . Get some WD40 out , spray that lever where it mounts to the peg and waggle it up and down , I bet it is slow and when you let go it does not return correctly . Keep lubing with a spray and waggle the lever up and down about 10 times , wipe the cack off and repeat . it will work ok again for a few days before going back to it`s nasty ways .
Yes Rich, trust these chaps that is most definately whats wrong and it will get worse. On mine it got to the point where hooking your foot under the lever and knocking it back down stopped working and the only way I could get it in gear was by leaning down and giving it a good yank with my hand. That was not fun, and bloody dangerous.

[richjharris]

I appreciate the advice, but it is not the foot peg that is dirty, as this has been cleaned, it is not the rod that needs cleaning as this has also been cleaned, plus the lever that rotates (which has been cleaned again since posting this message).

The foot peg moves down and springs back into place like wise when it moves up. When I press the peg down as I'm changing down it will go into gear, I release the clutch, pull it back in then push the peg down its fine, its only when I try to go down twice at once, it will shift down one gear, then with the clutch held in still, it will not engage the lower gear. For the 4 years I've had it, it has worked without issue, just suddenly over the last few months.

I think I am going to take it to a garage to get someone to look at it as it clearly isn't a cleaning problem. I've had muck off on it, WD40, bucket and sponge and even a jet wash on it.

Thanks for your help anyway

R

[WelshWop]

Sounds kind of similar to a problem i had with my old SV that turned out to be a snapped return spring.

[davepreston]

where are you one of use my be close enough to have a gander before you pay silly money to a garage

[richjharris]

Just outside Birmingham, I wouldn't want anyone other than some grease monkey looking at it though - I'd be ashamed as commuting on the motorway has taken its tole on the aesthetics ;)

Joking aside - if someone is around, I'd be up for a meet

R

[squirrel_hunter]

Have you adjusted your clutch yet?