Slipping out of Gear....nudists huh! Inc wheelie pic
 

Doh

Yes, technique - seriously.

You are undoubtedly aware of how quickly you need to change gear in order to not let the front drop, well unless you make sure it's in right it'll slip back in a moment, get the wheelie taller and give yourself time to make a - slightly - more relaxed change.

Habitually allowing the gear to slip out will damage the engagement dogs on the gearbox internals, this is - obviously - expensive and usually requires new bits, as the present parts will probably not be suitable for remedial work, ie undercutting. The more it slips out the worse it will be for slipping out, as the dogs get rounded it's harder and harder to engage a gear right - wear breeds wear.

As with all gear/gearchange problems clutch adjustment is critical, I doubt it's the problem is this circumstance but should obviously be checked, the angle of the gearbox is not a factor.

Top tip Sid, i think you're right my technique may be a bit rusty, havent done 'em for a while.

Cheers
Pete

just lift your wheelies higher and you wont need to change gear? i dont see why people would want to change gear with the front wheel in the air its dangerous IMO

I see your point but i end up on the limiter pretty quick and i find it a pain feathering it in first, besides any higher and i wont be able to see where i'm going..... or fall off the back

Yeah, but so are wheelies.

Still, shifting up while wheelying seems like a fine way to lengthen the wheelie to the point that you get oil starvation and scrape shells...

...so why don't you pick it up in second ?. You can pick the SV up in second from about 15MPH.

Cheers
Ben

.fg

Not so much the gearbox, more the way SVs like to spin big end shells and wreck the crank when wheelied for long periods :) Newer models, less bad than old oness apparently.

What is your technique?

I find that if you can pick the bike up in first, put your foot UNDER the gear lever while applying upward pressure. When your ready to change, simply flick the throttle off (a bit) then back on. The pressure you apply under the gear lever will (or should) put the bike nicely into second gear.

By doing this your already in a position (hopefully not involving tarmac) to get into third, fourth,...

;)