Tranny problems Poll.

[Robert Haller]

While on the subject, would holding the clutch in at stop lights rather than clanking in from neutral help prevent or reduce the 1st/2nd gear problems? I normally keep the clutch in after getting a few harsh engagements into first, but it can be tiring at long stops.

[Dennyz]

I typically shift to neutral at stop lights, unless I think it will be short. I have 87K miles with no gear problems yet (“F”). I have been able to minimize the “Clunk” by keeping my clutch adjust correctly and lowering the idle to around 1000 rpm.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey there E. Liberty,

Holding your foot against the shift lever and keeping pressure to keep it in 1st, is the fastest way to wear out your shift fork, it's only aluminum, and the hardened steel of the gear is spinning against it, and wearing a groove into the side of the shift fork!!!!

IF it's not staying in gear after shifting into 1st, then you need to at least do the dremmel fix on it, otherwise, your shift fork will be useless after a while!!
T.C.

[Pat Kelly]

I always leave the bike in gear at stoplights.
I keep an eye in the rearview mirror for the cager on the cellphone with 11 screaming kids that has has 5 too many beers and is too distracted to stop at the red light I'm waiting at.
I stay ready to make a quick right turn and let them T-bone someone else rather than rear-end me.
I have my 4 screaming kids at home waiting for me to pile them into the Suburban when my wife calls.......(I don't drink, I'm going for a ride, in the country).

But you see what I'm getting at. I want to be ready to get out of the way.

[Bubba1954]

I agree Pat. I also keep it in gear. I just keep the right hand on the front brake just incase the clutch cable snaps...

Had that happen once to a friend of mine parked right beside me at a light...

[D. P. Larmee]

Ah, yet another reason why the standards rock!!!

[Dennyz]

As of this moment:

10 out of 27 (37%) Specials on the pole have a gear problem.

3 out of 25 (12%) Standards on the pole have a gear problem.

7 out 10 (70%) XJs are reporting a gear problem.

We need more votes to get a more accurate view of the problem.

I am interested in what models of Standards reported a gear problem.

[bikerhawk]

My '81 H is one of the problem children. My '79 F isn't running yet to test its tranny, but I've been led to believe that it is OK (I know, I know...).

[Dennyz]

I wondered if any of the Standards where a '81s. That is significant because I belive the '81 Standard is actually a Special frame and running gear. Doesn't the '81 Standard have a 16" rear wheel?

[bikerhawk]

No, they had 17" rears...but mine does have a 16" from a Special. It was that way when I bought it, then discovered alignment and tire clearance problems. I ended up cutting down a spacer around the caliper bracket to get everything working well together.

[Dennyz]

bikerhawk,

The 16" wheel on your Standard does support the 16" wheel as a possible cause.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey DennyZ,

I have to disagree with the theory of the 16" rear wheels as causing or contributing to the failure/wear of the 1st and 2nd gears.

Being a smaller tire, it turns ever so slightly EASIER than the larger 17" wheel, in that the driveshaft has to make more turns, or more of a turn to spin the 16" wheel, so it really has Better leverage, compared to trying to spin/turn the larger 17" wheel!

Especially when taking off in 1st, there should actually be more pressure against the dogs/slots when first trying to get the 17" wheel spinning vs. the 16" wheel, so it would seem like the Standards would wear out faster than the Specials if the rear wheel size really had a negative affect on the tranny!

It may be more due to the riding style of Special owners, being a ?sportier? looking bike, "we" may tend to drive it more like a sport bike than a Long distance cruiser/commuter!?
Just my 2 cents! T.C.

[Dennyz]

I am just looking at what data we have. I agree riding behaviour could be valid cause as well.

I can tell you that I ride and shift my "F" as hard as any Special rider. My wife is a very soft rider and experienced gear problems at 35k miles.

We would need better data to make a real deterimination.

[bikerhawk]

My theory--and we've kicked this same topic around on the triple list many, many times in the last 7 years--is that the problem is not related to which style of bike it was. It was simply a lousy design from the Mothership. Lots of other Yamahs in that era (early Ventures and Viragos, for example) had the same problems. IIRC, the trannies finally started becoming less problematic sometime after 1985.

The problems also seem to occur very randomly--some guys that hammer theirs never have had a problem, while others that baby theirs sometimes still see it go bad.

I've had my H totally apart twice to fix tranny issues. The first fix lasted about 50 miles before it grenaded again. The second time resulted in bad 1st and iffy 2nd, but great 3/4/5. So I'm using 3 gears and a lot of torque.

If the F pans out well, maybe I'll try it a third time, but in the meantime...yes, I do have a spare clutch ready to go when needed.

[Michael March]

My recently purchased '81 special jumps in first when I honk it a bit. I'm going to try TopCat's dremel fix this winter, and while I'm in there I'll probably do 2nd gear too as a precaution. I'm kind or undecided as to how to begin, and am thinking of taking the tranny off from underneath, though TC suggests turning the bike over. Any other opinions on which would be easier? Anyone try both?