3RD Gear Stranded

[79XS11F]

I have just returned from a quick tear on my 79 1100 to checkout my new windshield and for the first time I had a trany issue!!! I was in 3RD and about to move into 4th. She came out of 3rd but she just would not go into 4th. OK ... No problem I will put her back in 3rd was what I was thinking... but no go. She would not go back into 3rd or up into 4th. I coasted to the side of the road thinking good F**ki*g god not now please. How will I get her home much less make the trip to the north east rally.
Once stopped however I popped her down into 3rd, then 2nd and neutral. Let out the clutch and all seemed good. Popped her into 1st .. nothing unusual so I rode home.
The question ... What do you think happened? Should I be concerned about this incident?
Rob

[DiverRay]

Rob,
Read through the trans section. You will see the shifting pattern, and what moves for each gear. There is also an item about the "return spring" for the shifter. if it's weak, it could give you problems. JAT

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Rob,

Were you able to shift up to 4th and 5th after you stopped??

I'm with DiverRay, the shift return spring is probably what kept you from downshifting, cause you pushed down on the shifter but it didn't bounce back up far enough to reset the shift pawl ratchet mechanism to grab the next dowel on the shift drum, but once you stopped, you may have tried pulling up on the shift lever, and somehow got it to reset, etc.! It's a more common symptom for downshifting, cause when you shift up, gravity will help return the lever and reset the shift pawl to grab the next drum pin, but wondering if your boot was under the shift lever so much that the lever didn't drop far enough to reset the pawl???

IF/when you take the shift cover off to replace the spring, you can also check the alignment of the shift pawl, the marks should line up with the drum when in 2nd gear, and adjust accordingly, as well as inspecting the drum to make sure no pins are missing, or the plate holding the pins in place hasn't gotten slightly bent!?
T.C.

[79XS11F]

Hey guys..thanks for the input. The return spring was a new part when I rebuild this engine but I will check it out if this issue comes up again. Perhaps I did not let the shift lever return full to its neutral position before the next up shift. That however does not tell me why the gear became stranded and out of gear. The trany seems to work as it usually does after I got going again. i will have to be sure to do a somewhat longer run with her before I head down to the rally.
Rob

[Axel]

3rd to 4th

Not sure if its related but 3rd to 4th is my hard shift - it grinds

[Shuriken]

1st to 2nd at high RPM on my bike always makes me remember the "shifts like a Russian tractor" comment...