Try a different boot.

Ride Safe

 

I did go to different boots right about the time the problem started. I still have my old boots. I'll have to give that a try.

 

Not only fresh clutch fluid but clean and lube the shift linkage. I had no shift issues at all but after I did that it felt much "smoother".

 

Maybe after the first up shift your boot hasnt let the lever fully retract. It’s possible

 

Maybe those sturdy moto-cross boots are limiting your range of motion.

Ride Visible

 

Res,
As the previous owner of your twin, i had the same problem when I bought new boots. If I recall correctly the new boots didn’t allow the shifter to come back down to the neutral position, if that makes sense.
Hopefully it’s something as simple as the new boots.

 

All great input, guys. Very helpful. Well, @BigOgre not so much. LOL

I lubed the shifter and linkage even though it was moving freely. You never know.

I replaced the clutch fluid and lubed the lever and plunger pivots.

As I was bleeding the clutch I remembered one more clue; on the last two rides, the hard shifting started after i'd been riding awhile AND after I had stopped for a few minutes. (Fuel stop, gps input, etc.)
Maybe engine heat was vaporizing the fluid in the clutch slave?
It seemed a little better if I kept rolling at highway speed.

I need to test ride, but that may not happen until the weekend.

 

All great input, guys. Very helpful. Well, @BigOgre not so much. LOL

I lubed the shifter and linkage even though it was moving freely. You never know.

I replaced the clutch fluid and lubed the lever and plunger pivots.

As I was bleeding the clutch I remembered one more clue; on the last two rides, the hard shifting started after i'd been riding awhile AND after I had stopped for a few minutes. (Fuel stop, gps input, etc.)
Maybe engine heat was vaporizing the fluid in the clutch slave?
It seemed a little better if I kept rolling at highway speed.

I need to test ride, but that may not happen until the weekend.

Check the shift lever height adjustment range is between the bars/dashes. My first one wasn't and when things warmed up and expanded it was making contact and I couldn't lift the shifter quite high enough to get into taller gears.

Confused the heck out of me because I bought the bike in winter and rode it all winter just fine, weather warmed up and it stopped upshifting.

 

When you say "plunger pivots", would that be the brass barrel insert? Have you popped that out and looked for wear and/or deformity?

 

The brass barrel insert has been replaced within the last 10,000 miles on the bike.

 

Pssst!

It those freaking fugly boots!

 

When you say "plunger pivots", would that be the brass barrel insert? Have you popped that out and looked for wear and/or deformity?

I did not remove them. I didn't detect any slop in the levers.

Check the shift lever height adjustment range is between the bars/dashes. My first one wasn't and when things warmed up and expanded it was making contact and I couldn't lift the shifter quite high enough to get into taller gears.

Confused the heck out of me because I bought the bike in winter and rode it all winter just fine, weather warmed up and it stopped upshifting.

It's all the way at the top mark or higher and the arm may be one spline off. I will check that tonight.

 

It's all the way at the top mark or higher and the arm may be one spline off. I will check that tonight.

Bingo - just adjust so you are in the middle between min and max and you should be good.

 

With my particular setup my problem was my shift linkage was running into my drops bars on upshifts:

As the gears go up the shifter seems to require slightly more upward movement. I was basically right up against it cold trying to get into 5th gear, so the max gear I could get into got lower and lower when the temps went up and things expanded.

 

As the gears go up the shifter seems to require slightly more upward movement. I was basically right up against it cold trying to get into 5th gear, so the max gear I could get into got lower and lower when the temps went up and things expanded.

I don't have crash bars, but there is very little clearance between the top of the shift lever and the frame. Based on what you wrote, that alone would explain my problem. It seems fine shifting by hand into second, but it may need more room beyond that. I might have to do some clearancing.

 

If you are at the upper limit of adjustment, just remove the arm and move it one spline tooth. Then readjust the adjustable link to suit.

 

I have it adjusted way up to allow for the stiff new fugly boots.

Lifting it by hand, it is very close to the top of the opening. If it needs more throw for higher gears, it could be hitting there.

 

Yes - clearly outside the allowed range. Adjust to be in range and you should be good to go.

 

I don't think that's awful if it doesn't hit anything, but the angle of the shift arm on the tranny may not be optimal now.... got pic of shift arm while lever lifted? Methinks you should move it on the spline.

 

Also the "arm" should be at 90 degree angle from the linkage "arm", from the trans shaft. Yep moving it a notch on the splines would be a starting point.

 

More pics of the linkage.

 

Is that a FJR arm? Seems all the pics I've seen, and my replacement R1 arm, were silver.

 

There is an index mark on the shaft and it looks like I am one tooth off. Maybe a 1/2 tooth. I will move it like Joel described in his illustration and probably drop the arm back down to the upper mark.


It's an R1 arm.

 

Looks like an R1 arm. Some of them are black

 

More pics of the linkage.

View attachment 110456


View attachment 110457

Looking at those pics I am in agreement with Ray, it doesn't look like you are in danger of hitting anything, at least not from those pics.

I don't think that's awful if it doesn't hit anything, but the angle of the shift arm on the tranny may not be optimal now.... got pic of shift arm while lever lifted? Methinks you should move it on the spline.

But I think you might be pushing the knuckle/adjusting rod angle further than is optimal. If it was me I would try adjusting the arm over a notch like Ray said so the angle is more like the blue and yellow lines, as opposed to the blue and red like it is now.

 

Looking at those pics I am in agreement with Ray, it doesn't look like you are in danger of hitting anything, at least not from those pics.



But I think you might be pushing the knuckle/adjusting rod angle further than is optimal. If it was me I would try adjusting the arm over a notch like Ray said so the angle is more like the blue and yellow lines, as opposed to the blue and red like it is now.
View attachment 110465

Yep, had that problem when I went to rearset's on my Norton. You can't go past that right angle, or shifting becomes a problem. I set it up so when the foot lever is in it's furthest upshift position, the shift lever on the trans is a hair before or at 90*