01 ZX6 gearbox not shifting down 3rd to 2nd-1st

[Cooper 6R]

Hi guys, Havent been on here in a while been riding alot,

I have a pretty bad problem with me gearbox not shifting down from 3rd to 2nd and first gears smoothly or at all sometimes. last time I got home I actualy had to stomp it down the gears, Also when i pull up and get 1st gear i can keep clicking down and not find a bottom to the gear box, in other words it dosent go stiff. I do give the bike a hard time, wheelies ect, I changed the oil and checked the cluch leaver, cable. I noticed in the morning if i push it in first gear with cluch in it is a little hard, after she is worm its ok. thinking it may be the cluch plates.

Has anyone split the donk or pulled a gearbox apart before? know of any good clutch kits?

Any help on the subject will be very helpfull.

Cheers

[Six Addict]

hey cooper,

dave 3 might be able to help you here, ive got the same bike but dont abuse it by pulling wheelies... sometimes i have shift troubles buti just changed the oil so i'll see how it goes now

HTH

[dave#3]

It could be the clutch if you're lucky, though I'd be more inclined to think it could be worn or damaged selector forks. Is it difficult to take off smoothly once it's in first (clutch slipping, grabbing, etc)? How's the chain tension (unlikely to be the problem in only a couple of gears but cheap to check)? How's the oil (levels OK, not too old)? Does the same problem happen at low and medium revs? What about standing still and at road speed? As strong as the J series engines are the boxes don't really seem to stand up to wheelies real well - Cath's J1 tracky was a wheelie machine in a previous life and it cracked a bearing surface on the case at approx 50,000 kms. Her old road bike was well treated and still ran strong, smooth and hard at > 75,000 kms.

Good luck with it.

[mike-s]

hmm, im getting similar fun on my rf when the engine has warmed up a lot (cold it seems fine, but one its had a workout it has "issues" finding neutral, first and every once in a while, other higher gears).

Hence im afraid to crack her open and take a look, what i don't look at and hide in the garage can't hurt my wallet.

[Strika]

Sounds like either a bent selector fork, or a worn shift drum. If it was dogs, it would be jumping out and if it was clutch, as Dave says there would be other symptoms. gearbox strip for you young man!!

[mike-s]

Also if you preload the clutch (i.e. put minor pressure on the gear lever before pulling in the clutch) and then pull in the clutch does it then (more often than not) shift gears?

[Cooper 6R]

Hi guys, Thanks for all the replys much appreciated.

One thing i thought of a while ago when the syptoms first started becoming noticable ( maybe 2 months ago) was the actual leaver that goes over the footpeg might need cleaning and relubing, I was over a mates place today and it was the first thing he looked at and suggested the very same thing. I got home and did just that, went for a ride around the block and it seems to be working beautifully. I'm doing the rear brake leaver tomorrow.

It would be the only thing I wouldnt clean on the bike or think it could course such a drama not to clean it. It was very dry and was causing the two to rub so much it was stopping the lever going all the way down. I dont know how the other gears were engaging, may of been holding my mouth right. After tomorrow ill get back to you on how it goes all the way from sixth gear,

Cheers to all and thanks again

P.S lube ya levers.

[dave#3]

Hi guys, Thanks for all the replys much appreciated.

One thing i thought of a while ago when the syptoms first started becoming noticable ( maybe 2 months ago) was the actual leaver that goes over the footpeg might need cleaning and relubing, I was over a mates place today and it was the first thing he looked at and suggested the very same thing. I got home and did just that, went for a ride around the block and it seems to be working beautifully. I'm doing the rear brake leaver tomorrow.

It would be the only thing I wouldnt clean on the bike or think it could course such a drama not to clean it. It was very dry and was causing the two to rub so much it was stopping the lever going all the way down. I dont know how the other gears were engaging, may of been holding my mouth right. After tomorrow ill get back to you on how it goes all the way from sixth gear,

Cheers to all and thanks again

P.S lube ya levers.

That's an awesome result! I bet you're glad you did that before you ripped the 'box out Just another reason that it's important to keep regular maintenance up to all areas of your bike I suppose.

[Cooper 6R]

Well I got to take it for a good ride today and it has fixed the problem. gears are smooth as. yes im glad i didnt have to rip the donk out Dave, One simple thing has saved me thousands of bucks.

thanks again guys, thank for your reply Dave.

Cheers

[mike-s]

Shit, i had better get out to the garage then....