Shifting

[donebysunday]

when new I seem to remember seeing every dealer to ask about how hard my new 79 shifted. I needed to make truly positive shifts (forcing the up shifts in 2nd and 4th especially). They all said the same thing, these XS1100s have a tractor trans and need to be forcibly shifted through the gears.
Little by little the shifting got a bit easier but always needed positive/forceful shifting. I even bought a pair of steel toe work boots to aide in the shifting.
I sold it at 56K to a friend, he rode it to Mexico and also made two trips around the great lakes. Then he came to complain 2nd gear was slipping, I told him I had seen him power shifting the old bike and what did he expect, later 4th gear went out he still drove it daily.
Now this 80SG I picked up requires very forceful shifting.

My question a bike that has been ridden little, would it require positive/forceful shifting too ?

At very moderate speeds, not getting on it much it shifts like a hot knife through warm butter without almost any sound.

[skids]

Have you ever had a false neutral between gears? The easier way to get it back into gear is to slow the speed and bring engine speed up accordingly. The dogs and slots would be moving near the same speed. By “moderate speeds” I assume it has more to do with rpms than ground speed. At higher rpm shifts, I think there is more of a difference in rotational speed between dogs and slots making it harder to shift. I just hope your suspicions about early failure are not correct!!!

[donebysunday]

Have you ever had a false neutral between gears? The easier way to get it back into gear is to slow the speed and bring engine speed up accordingly. The dogs and slots would be moving near the same speed. By “moderate speeds” I assume it has more to do with rpms than ground speed. At higher rpm shifts, I think there is more of a difference in rotational speed between dogs and slots making it harder to shift. I just hope your suspicions about early failure are not correct!!!

Not worried that I'm heading toward tranny failure, the thought had not even crossed my mind.
I just wonder if anyone (with a better memory than I) remembers riding a new or low mile XS11 ?
I've not found a false neutral on this bike yet, the trans locks up in all gears very well.
I am wearing big ol work boots for riding/shifting and the only time I notice I need to use force is under aggressive acceleration.
I feel it will smooth out and get a bit easier, just wanted to compare notes.
As I said I do remember seeing all the dealers and mechanics way back when I had my brand new SF, this seems familiar.

[jetmechmarty]

UD, mine shifts like butter.

[MarkD]

My first F had 7,000 miles on it, and my current F has 28,800 miles on the odometer. Both shift the same, fair to moderate pressure on the foot to shift, and have only had two false neutrals in memory. My experience has been that they are pretty easy to move from gear to gear.

[donebysunday]

UD, mine shifts like butter.

Marty, how many miles and at what assault speed ?

[bikerphil]

You could try adjusting the clutch with a bit more pull (less cable slack), that will give more time to the gears to mesh smoothly. Worked for me, YMMV.

[jetmechmarty]

Marty, how many miles and at what assault speed ?

I believe I'm at about 100,000 miles. I can push it pretty hard. I've had the bike since 10,000 miles. Somewhere along the way I replaced 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th gear on the countershaft. I did the washer move at the same time. I have to be very deliberate going into 4th gear, but I would not confuse that with forceful.

Easy driving still requires paying attention while shifting into 4th. I can't be lazy about it.

[Radioguylogs]

I have False Neutral

When I am speeding up aggressively on my SF, I sometimes miss 4th gear and end up in false neutral. It's easy to have it happen.

On my SG, it almost never happens, although the shift into fourth is the most soggy of all the shifts.

Note: The SF has the washer swap and the SG does not.

I suspect the possible causes of the sloppy SF shift are:
(1) The washer swap does something to affect the shift into 4th
(2) The SF has been abused too much- after all, first gear was shot when I bought it @ 15k miles.

[donebysunday]

I believe I'm at about 100,000 miles. I can push it pretty hard. I've had the bike since 10,000 miles. Somewhere along the way I replaced 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th gear on the countershaft. I did the washer move at the same time. I have to be very deliberate going into 4th gear, but I would not confuse that with forceful.

Easy driving still requires paying attention while shifting into 4th. I can't be lazy about it.

I should have used the term deliberate shifting into second.
All the other gears do not require as deliberate shifting.
As per one of the first mechanics I asked about my then new SF, he said they have transmissions like trucks.
I disagree they might shift harder than some other bikes but as we all know they have a bit problematic second and forth gears.
On the other hand, Marty how many miles on your trans fix ?

[motoman]

You could try adjusting the clutch with a bit more pull (less cable slack), that will give more time to the gears to mesh smoothly. Worked for me, YMMV.

Also, suggest removing shift cover and check alignment marks of shift pawl assembly with tranny in second gear.

[donebysunday]

When I am speeding up aggressively on my SF, I sometimes miss 4th gear and end up in false neutral. It's easy to have it happen.

On my SG, it almost never happens, although the shift into fourth is the most soggy of all the shifts.

Note: The SF has the washer swap and the SG does not.

I suspect the possible causes of the sloppy SF shift are:
(1) The washer swap does something to affect the shift into 4th
(2) The SF has been abused too much- after all, first gear was shot when I bought it @ 15k miles.

The washer swap allows more of the gears dogs to protrude further into the slots.
Putting an angle on the dogs and slots causes them to pull into the slots for a more positive hook up.

[Radioguylogs]

The washer swap allows more of the gears dogs to protrude further into the slots.
Putting an angle on the dogs and slots causes them to pull into the slots for a more positive hook up.

Of course.

I still wonder if there is any reason the washer swap would affect the 3-4 shift. It doesn't seem like it should.

[Dudenatz]

Easy driving still requires paying attention while shifting into 4th. I can't be lazy about it.

This is something I have to watch, especially if I'm getting on it (her) hard.
(Wow, that statement can be taken in so many ways...)

[donebysunday]

You could try adjusting the clutch with a bit more pull (less cable slack), that will give more time to the gears to mesh smoothly. Worked for me, YMMV.

I'll give that a try, Thanks, Done