Difficult to get into First gear

[springonion]

I'm currently having what I think might be a problem but I'm not sure ...

Whenever I try to put the bike in first from say neutral (after its been in the garage all night), Sometimes it goes in first time and other times it takes up to 3 or 4 attempts before the bike is in gear. When riding its seems to be fine its just on the start up in the morning.

I'm not really a bike techie - more a case of I get on and ride the thing but is this normal for an '08 GSA? I've not really paid attention to it thinking that its just a quirk of the bikes but its starting to bug me now.

Not sure if theres a lever I can adjust or if its a sign of something more involved?

I've done a bit of a search but can't find anything about this. Any ideas?

cheers

 

[John Armstrong]

First BM boxer?

 

[springonion]

First BM boxer?

LOL - yup - I'm guessing that means its the norm.

No worries - as long as I know I have to kick the bugger then thats fine.

apart from that the bike is superb and I should have brought one years ago.

 

[Womble]

Try this thread - http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=160623 You definitely don't need to kick it, the gear will select very nicely when you get it right.

 

[John Armstrong]

Try this thread - http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=160623 You definitely don't need to kick it, the gear will select very nicely when you get it right.

The right technique will make a big difference

It'll still be little clunky, just not too difficult to do

 

['Nuffsaid]

.............I get on and ride the thing but is this normal for an '08 GSA? I've not really paid attention to it thinking that its just a quirk of the bikes but its starting to bug me now.


cheers

No it is not, the '08's have a very diiferent feel to their gearbox, there should be little "Clunk" and slipping into first gear is now sorted - so would suggest that you take it back to the dealers for a checkout. Admittedly the gearshifting has improved with mileage ( Now 16k on my GSA) , however the '08s (should) have prety much eradicated the symptoms you are describing.

HTH

 

[SteveBC]

Selecting first gear

Mine can be a bugger at times, but what i find works well is to put a little pressure on the gear lever and at the same time, using your right foot, push the bike back just a few inches, you should then feel it 'snick' into gear. Often i just need to roll it back a mere inch and it will work.

SteveBC.

 

[MattW]

Dry clutch boxes have a very different feel to 'normal' wet clutch bikes. There's no drag to gently spin the input shaft and help the dogs engage - if they aren't lined up then it isn't going into gear.

That said, I'm not sure what trickery is used in the 08 which is supposed to help with this?....

 

[nedflanders]

Always had this with my '06, never thought of it as a problem and something that was normal for a syncro box. The gears have to be in the right position to engage properly, not a problem when the bike is moving just when trying to engage 1st while stationary, most of the time mine goes straight in, the odd time it doesn't I let the clutch out then back in and in she slips

 

[cookie]

if it was syncro box, it would go into gear. it's a constant mesh gearbox

 

[SonicTheHedgehog]

As on my '08, a little pressure on the selector, and take the clutch near the biting point and it should click straight in.

 

[Dilbert]

I occasionally have this, soon overcome with a quick blip on the throttle with the clutch out and it goes into gear okay.

 

[Gipsy]

It used to be called character! Mine does it sometimes (54 plate ) often seems worse when the bike is mucky, when a spray of WD 40 on the levers connecting the pedal to the gear box improves it no end.

 

[Nobbyk]

Light throttle and slip the clutch a little

 

[Colin Brown]

On my 2005 gs I have found that if I engage the clutch for too long before engaging a gear it will not engage ( lots of engages ) The cure for me is clutch in and imediately engage, works first time.

 

[nedflanders]

if it was syncro box, it would go into gear. it's a constant mesh gearbox

Syncro meant sequential but I know what I was on about