brand new KLX250S transmission trouble

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So on the first of this month I picked up my KLX250S brand spankin new with 0 miles on it. I love love love the bike. Very happy with it. Ok so heres the only problem, the transmission is junk and I have only had it for less than 2 weeks. Here's the problem:

While shifting up to and only up to 6th gear releasing the clutch nothing is engaging and caaa clunk sounds like a few rocks get ground up and goes into gear. Some times after full clutch release nothing grabs you twist the throttle it crushes a few rocks and caaaa clunk it engages 6th gear, once in awhile you'll get a neutral effect with nothing but revs and then suddenly caaaa clunk it goes into 6th.

This transmission gears 1-5 are pure butter. Smoothest transmission I've ever had on a bike or car. So Im at a lost for words as to what the issue is. I talked to the dealer about it on Tuesday and they said to keep riding it until I bring it in for its first service and they will take a look at it but they think of it as a possible break in related issue. Ive bought new bikes before and they dont run like pure [censored] right out the showroom floor. If anyone has an idea of what could be causing my 6th gear shifting issues that would be awesome. Id love to be able to take it back to the dealer with an identifiable problem for them to say oooooh ok ya we can see if its that.
 
Your dealer waits for the first service if there is a problem...that is a problem right there IMHO. That kind of thinking could lead to more expensive and extensive repairs for the company and also for customer aggravation. I would have said that in the current condition, its un rideable and need to be fixed ASAP.
 
It's possible that whatever lever that's doing the shifting in the tranny is for some reason not able to fully engage sixth on its own, it doesn't reach far enough or whatever manufacturing defect it is. It sounds exactly as if it's not fully engaging sixth, just shy, so when you drop the clutch it's on the edge but still in a freewheeling until some vibration or jerk bumps it into where it should be, allowing it to engage. Shift fork may have too much clearance in the synchro, not pushing it forward or back as much as it should, or extent problem, something may not be staying where it should, of course were all assuming your not resting anything on the shifting mechanism. I would attempt to really sort of jerk it in gear on 6th see if it helps, instead of an easy shift be a little firmer and faster, if it helps, it could point to what's possibly the problem.
-srv
 
Brand new and under warranty is the dealers problem to diagnose. Waiting to the first service is not acceptable and could do more severe damage. Then they would likely say, why didn't you bring it in sooner?
 
did u get that statement in writing? "bring it back when it's due for first service“

I would call kawasaki corporate and ask if there have been similar problems
 
Yeah, I wouldn't bother working with that dealer any more. Seems like now that they have your money, they don't care.

I can guarantee that if you do wait for your first service to have it looked at, they won't be able to find the issue.
 
Take it to a dealer ASAP, preferably a different one. Sixth gear is probably 1:1. I'd suspect defective or miss-assembled shift fork, gear dogs, or shift cam.
 
I suspect a bent shifting fork or bad shift paw detent or rounded off shifting dogs... either one of these are known culprits of the problem you mentioned...
 
Thanks a lot for the help guys. gave me a lot of things to mention to the dealer mechanic when I bring it in next week! As far as what the guy said about waiting till I bring it in for the first tune up at 600 miles he was just the salesman I bought it from. Hes no mechanic. I was just in the shop with some friends and mentioned it. I didnt plan on taking it in until my first service anyhow. The dealer is an hour away so and only open the days I work so I need to go in when its best for me and I have already made time for the tune up so screw it Ill wait like they want me to anyway.
 
Hi Y.

Thank you for writing about the problem with shifting into 6th gear on your LKX250S.

I got the same story with my bike. Bought a new KLX250S about 5 weeks ago. Got absolutely the same symptoms as you describe in your letter when shifting from 5 to 6 gear. Asked the dealer about 6th gear issue when servicing bike at 1000km and did not get any answer what problem might be.

Wrote a letter to Kawasaki Belgium and did not get an answer yet.

Please advise how was it sorted out with your bike.

In the mean time, my bike developed an oil leak from the crack in the motor close to the drive shaft sprocket and it is back to the dealer. And that happened when bike had 1080km only. Needless to say all this time I was driving my new bike extremely gently to make sure brake-in is done perfect. Dealer could not explain why this crack occurred and I understand Kawasaki people are involved.

Thanks for reading and hope to hear your experience with your bike.
K
 
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