Gear slipping

**judecatmad** · 6th December 2006, 14:41

Probably a dumb-arse question but hey, what's new??

Just recently my ginny has started to slip from 2nd back into neutral when I'm changing up through the gears. Any ideas why and is it something I need to be concerned about (rather than just embarrassed about when the revs go mental

......!)?

I know that you have to make sure your gears are properly engaged before taking your foot away from the lever otherwise you run the risk of not going into gear properly; however this is happening a good couple of seconds after I've gone into second so I don't think it due to the gear not fully engaging. Any ideas?

And yes, I know it sounds like I take ages to change all the way up, but this is a ginny with a real heifer on its back that we're talking about.......

**Squeak the Rat** · 6th December 2006, 14:45

A very good question I would have thought - I'd like to know what was going on if it were my bike.

Just to clarify - you are changing into 2nd, releasing the clutch and it goes into neutral 2 seconds after that? Are you accelerating at this time?

As an aside ie probably not the cause here, but the last time i started finding false neutrals it appears to have been caused by loose chain....

**ArcherWC** · 6th December 2006, 14:50

This "can" be caused by old or incorrect oil as well, when was the last time she was serviced?

**bobsmith** · 6th December 2006, 15:01

Does it happen when you're accelerating hard?

my ZZR250 used to do the same thing you're talking about.

Good solid shift into the gears solved the problem for me.. Took me a while to get used to it though...

**judecatmad** · 6th December 2006, 15:24

Originally Posted by Squeak the Rat

Just to clarify - you are changing into 2nd, releasing the clutch and it goes into neutral 2 seconds after that? Are you accelerating at this time?

As an aside ie probably not the cause here, but the last time i started finding false neutrals it appears to have been caused by loose chain....

Yup, that's the one, release the clutch and definitely accelerating. Normally happens with fast acceleration (like taking off at lights ahead of cars) rather than gentle acceleration.

I wonder if it IS the chain? Or could be the oil, altho it had a complete fill recently cos I had stupidly let it get very very low. I'm an idiot.

A_H was talking to me today about a bike maintenance course and I think I need to go on that cos in all honesty I don't have the first clue (I can oil the chain, fill with oil, fill with petrol, inflate the tyres and clean and polish the bike but other than that, I'm lost. I could probably figure out bulbs too.). It's bad, I know. Hubby normally does all the maintenance and I do wish he'd let me do more cos it certainly doesn't help me to sort out problems if stuff happens while he's away (as he is a lot). But this isn't a marriage guidance forum so we'll leave that one right there...LOL!!!

Bugs me that I know so little about the bike and am too scared to do anything to it for fear of stuffing something up, cos I used to be under the bonnet of my car all the time when I was on my own (had a crappy car so it needed a lot of time spent under the bonnet!!). My bad, not Dave's. If this 3 weeks he's been away has taught me anything, it's that I need to regain a bit of independence and learn to do stuff on my own (with the kind help and advice from good old KB!

).

**judecatmad** · 6th December 2006, 15:27

Originally Posted by bobsmith

Does it happen when you're accelerating hard?

my ZZR250 used to do the same thing you're talking about.

Good solid shift into the gears solved the problem for me.. Took me a while to get used to it though...

So there might be nothing wrong at all.

It generally is only under hard acceleration (if you can describe the way the ginny takes off from the lights as such!).

How do you tell tho? Whether there's something wrong or not? Is it just trial and error? Change something, see if it fixes the problem and if not try something else?

OK, I need to book me a bike maintenance course just as soon as Xmas is over with. It's a done deal.

**XP@** · 6th December 2006, 15:44

It is just 2nd right?
If it sort of "pop's" out then it could be the selector fork or something in that area. You may be able to hold it in gear with your foot for a while, but i would try and skip to 3rd.

On the bonus side when it happened to me, I suddenly started to get an awsome km/l :-)

**bobsmith** · 6th December 2006, 17:14

Originally Posted by judecatmad

So there might be nothing wrong at all.

It generally is only under hard acceleration (if you can describe the way the ginny takes off from the lights as such!).

How do you tell tho? Whether there's something wrong or not? Is it just trial and error? Change something, see if it fixes the problem and if not try something else?

OK, I need to book me a bike maintenance course just as soon as Xmas is over with. It's a done deal.

Yeah, I had the same problem. under hard acceleration the gear would engage and drive for a while (a few secs) then just fall out and make me sound like a complete ass.....

probably nothing wrong.

**Clivoris** · 6th December 2006, 17:42

Originally Posted by judecatmad

Yup, that's the one, release the clutch and definitely accelerating. Normally happens with fast acceleration (like taking off at lights ahead of cars) rather than gentle acceleration.

I wonder if it IS the chain? Or could be the oil, altho it had a complete fill recently cos I had stupidly let it get very very low. I'm an idiot.

A_H was talking to me today about a bike maintenance course and I think I need to go on that cos in all honesty I don't have the first clue (I can oil the chain, fill with oil, fill with petrol, inflate the tyres and clean and polish the bike but other than that, I'm lost. I could probably figure out bulbs too.). It's bad, I know. Hubby normally does all the maintenance and I do wish he'd let me do more cos it certainly doesn't help me to sort out problems if stuff happens while he's away (as he is a lot). But this isn't a marriage guidance forum so we'll leave that one right there...LOL!!!

Bugs me that I know so little about the bike and am too scared to do anything to it for fear of stuffing something up, cos I used to be under the bonnet of my car all the time when I was on my own (had a crappy car so it needed a lot of time spent under the bonnet!!). My bad, not Dave's. If this 3 weeks he's been away has taught me anything, it's that I need to regain a bit of independence and learn to do stuff on my own (with the kind help and advice from good old KB!

).

JCM I suspect that most of us on here that know anything bikes learnt by stuffing up and asking questions. Probably in that order too. The Ginny is perfect to learn on mate. After saying all that tho, I don't think I'm much help to you with the gear box. It's possible that somethings happened to a selector but popping into the bike shop to ask a spanner jockey who can have a quick look is always an option.

**apteryx_haasti** · 6th December 2006, 18:25

Thanks for the reminder JCM - I've e-mailed about the course. Will let you know...

Good luck figuring out the gear problem...

**DingDong** · 6th December 2006, 18:46

A loose chain can cause this (as said above), it is not normal so there IS something wrong.

Also check the linkage or spline on the gear lever to make sure dosnt have too much play.

Try changing to netural (you'll see the light) release the clutch, pull the clutch and shift to 2nd... (do it fast so no one laughs) and see if it still jumps out.
If it does advertise the bike as "1 lady owner, harley look alike bike, offers"
and answer any questions "???HUH???"

**judecatmad** · 6th December 2006, 19:11

Originally Posted by DingDong

advertise the bike as "1 lady owner, harley look alike bike, offers"
and answer any questions "???HUH???"

LOL! Not a bad idea....want to buy a bike DD?

**DingDong** · 6th December 2006, 19:18

Originally Posted by judecatmad

LOL! Not a bad idea....want to buy a bike DD?

How much will you give me for my TL as a trade...

acually nah... I'll squish a GN

**WasPhantom** · 6th December 2006, 20:20

I started having the exact same problem on my mighty ginny as well - and as has been suggested, it was my technique in changing up. Good solid gear changes solved it for me.