False neutral

[chrisr65ls]

Recently I have been picking up a false neutral between 2nd and 3rd on my LS. Very embarassing!
It started happening every now and then but is now an everyday event. Why has this suddenly started happening and is it expensive to fix?

[nhmaf]

It *might* be an issue with the shifter pawl and/or pawl spring, but problems with those usually leave the bike stuck in a gear and hard to get out of.
When was the last time that you cleaned/lubed the input shaft splines and/or changed the transmission oil ?  

Changing the oil in the transmission is easiest to do and if it has been a year or more and I started getting shifting problems I'd check there for signs of internal chaos.

Also, how is your shifter linkage (the ball/Heim joint thing) that connectors your gear shift lever with the selector rod going into the gearbox ?  If it has alot of slop, is misadjusted or worn out that can cause difficulty shifting, too.

[Justin B.]

Upshift?  Downshift?  Year?

[chrisr65ls]

Only on the upshift. Its an 84.

[Justin B.]

This is what the shift mechanism looks like, maybe something is worn.  A lot of folks have better luck when they "preload" the shifter right before they make the actual gear change.

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

Is this your first airhead, Chris?  They shift different from Japanese-type clutches (wet, multi-plate), if that is what you are used to.

Like Justin said, a little preload, and don't be in a hurry.  I nearly always miss that shift if I get in a hurry and forget about technique.


And don't ignore that spline lube, if you have not checked it out since purchasing the bike.



but, since this is an increasing frequency event, it could be more serious.

[chrisr65ls]

It is my first airhead and you are right, it is very different to the jap bikes I have had before.
thanks for the advise. I probably do tend to rush the changes sometimes.
I'll slow down a bit and see if that is the problem. If that doesn't change anything I'll look a little deeper.

[Rob Valdez 79 R65]

You still need to look deeper, just because of the age of the bike and it's newness to you.

It only takes a couple of minor special tools to remove the transmission, and there are SO MANY common maintenance items that can be addressed with this one procedure.
This can be done in two days, the first time.  One day, if you have experienced help.  (I've seen it done in just a few hours!)

• spline lube - get some Honda Moly 60 at a Honda M/C dealer
• check tranny input shaft end-play. - You grab it and push in/pull out, and if there is more than a tiny bit of slop, it should be measured.
• measure your clutch plate thickness (can you do this w/o taking it apart??) - you will need a cheap pair of digital calipers for this.
• check for leaks in front of the flywheel.  Two sources: rear main seal or oil pump cover o-ring.  Sometimes the pump cover screws need tightening.  The flywheel has to come off for that.  NEVER remove the flywheel without blocking the front of the crankshaft, to keep it from moving forward when the flywheel is removed.
  
  
• check for oil leaks from the input shaft seal on the tranny.  This is a relatively easy seal to replace.  If you are seeing any oil leakage from the shift-shaft, you could replace that seal at this time, as well.
• check the condition of your throwout bearing - clean and lube.  
• and because you need to remove the swingarm pivot pins to pull the swingarm back to give you room to pull the tranny, you can inspect those bearings easily, as well.  You may need a special, thin-wall socket, modified to fit the lock nut on the pivot pins.  A torque wrench is good for reassembly here, as well.  A cheap beam type is fine, if cost is a consideration.
• It is good to buy 4 replacement bolts for the drive shaft universal-to-output flange connection.  If you have the original tool kit, the 10mm box-end wrench is all you need for these.  Leave your rear brake connected, and stomp on the brake pedal while you loosen/tighten these bolts.  When putting on new ones, just give them all you have with that little wrench, and you won't have to worry about over-torqueing.  I've been doing it that way for 25 years, and I've never had one come loose.
• Be gentle with your Ground strap bolt!!  It is also a breather for the tranny (look closely - there should be a hole down the center.  Make sure it is clear.), as well as acting as a retainer for the speedometer cable.   You DO NOT want to strip those fragile threads cut into your aluminum case!
• Get a log book, and record the date & mileage of your services.
• And Yes, getting the swingarm boot back on is a major pain.  But it is a BMW airhead, so it is a privilege.

Any questions?  

[chrisr65ls]

Wow, thats quite an answer. Thanks Rob.