What Causes Poor Shifting In Motorcycling?

[Analyzer]

Kevin Cameron delves into this subject in Cycle World magazine in the link below and also includes a video from their YouTube channel as well. It is very informative and takes oil viscosity out of the equation showing the mechanical/engineering reasoning behind it.

Kevin Cameron on Causes of Poor Motorcycle Shifting

 

[maverickfhs]

Thanks for sharing, I like that guy and video

 

[SZR48207]

That's just one aspect right? No mention of the shift star or the movement of the forks. Clutch cable tension would also matter.

 

[Johnny2Bad]

A properly setup sequential transmission is a thing of beauty, a poorly setup one is a thing of pain.

 

[blupupher]

Interesting, did not understand 1/3 of what he said, and found the background music annoying.

 

[lego]

I get a lot of false neutrals on older Ducati if I I do not shift with authority.

 

[Chris142]

I can't find neutral in my z400

 

[BigCahuna]

I don't think that guys "one problem causes all" answer is doing anyone any favors. There was no mention of a worn out, or badly adjusted clutch as being a culprit. Or primary oils being too heavy or thin. Matching engine speed to a given shift point will allow you to shift smoothly without using the clutch.Heavy oil in cold weather causes drag on the clutch plates, and can cause you bike to bang into gear or lurch forward. If your bike uses the same oil for the motor and transmission, as it gets older and shears out of grade, that can cause it to be hard finding neutral. Of course bent or damaged shift dogs or shafts can cause hard shifting,but most of the time the answer is alot simpler to remedy the tearing the motor or trans apart.,,

 

[02SE]

I respect Kevin Cameron, but that is an incomplete article. There are numerous contributors to smooth or notchy shifting. Since this is an oil forum, I've had various oils affect shifting smoothness in shared-sump Motorcycles, too many times to count, when the oil was the only change made.

 

[Silk]

He mentioned the Burman gearbox, a better example would be the Triumph gearboxes. The 4 speed had fine dogs, he called them splines, but the Burman had fine dogs like the Triumph gears shown here. They weren't a great shifting box, and false neutrals caused by a shift plate rather than a smaller diameter shift drum.

When Triumph made the 5 speed, they used a wider dog as shown here, you can also see the staggered height dog.

 

[ZeeOSix]

Anyone recognize the 3 cylinder engine in the video? Old Kawasaki 2-stroke?

Proper shift lever position and clutch adjustment are important for good shifting operation. The oil used can also make a noticable difference.

 

[Smoky14]

I think Kevin was confining his remarks to things mechanical. Having hand massaged a few race boxes in my day, I found it to be a good basic informational video. Hand lapping and under cutting the dogs can take days if done properly.
Try rebuilding that crankshaft if you think transmissions are difficult.

Smoky

 

[02SE]

Originally Posted By: ZeeOSix
Anyone recognize the 3 cylinder engine in the video? Old Kawasaki 2-stroke?

Proper shift lever position and clutch adjustment are important for good shifting operation. The oil used can also make a noticable difference.


He says it's an H1 in his opening statement.