Topic: Can someone confirm my suspision... UPDATE IT'S FIXED!!!

[Trav-i]

I have finally gotten a chance to start test riding my bike after a year or so of working on the frame and doing the top end of the motor due to a bad head gasket.  Now I have a new problem on my last test ride yesterday with Fabricator I noticed I had a shifting problem.  I noticed when I pulled out of the shop that I had a hard time getting it to go into second gear, which it finally did after a few good kicks to shifter ran fine all the way to the gas station (including the downshifts pulling in).  Upon leaving the station I realized I could not get into second gear at all.  I ended up limping home in first.  After checking everything today I tried again to ride it but still could not get it out of first it just felt like the shift drum was jammed.  Later I found a piece of wood and rapped the shifter and it freed up, but still had the same action, once in first there was no getting it out without hitting the shifter.  

So I think I have a bent or very worn shift fork, correct me if I'm wrong.

Also the clutch is new along with new Vesra heavyduty springs and new cable.

Also on a previous test ride I actually had the trans pop back to neutral from second 2 times.  Maybe this had something to do with my new problem?

Anyway I'm not afraid to tear into this, I just would like a second opinion before tearing into the trans.

As always thanks for the support.

Travis

[bistromath]

make absolutely sure the clutch is adjusted correctly before you tear into the bottom end. misadjusted clutch cable can often look very much like bad shift forks.

[mystic_1]

I'd suggest having a look at the shift mechanism behind the left rear engine cover.  You might have a problem in that area.  After removing the cover, reinstall the shift lever on the shaft and operate the mechanism while watching for any problems.

mystic_1

[andy750]

I'd suggest having a look at the shift mechanism behind the left rear engine cover.  You might have a problem in that area.  After removing the cover, reinstall the shift lever on the shaft and operate the mechanism while watching for any problems.

mystic_1

+1! I had a similar problem - hard to shift...and it turned out to be one of the screws holding the main bearing in place had backed itself out and was stuck in the gear shift arm. Screwed it back in and I was good to go. This happened on ascending a high mountain pass in the Alps and so was all done at the side of the road. Watch out for some oil coming out when you take the shifter cover off.

good luck
Andy

[Trav-i]

Thanks Andy!  I hope that would be my problem, but with the luck I've had lately...  Anyway after I get off Jury Duty today I'm going to go back to the shop and try to work on it again and see what I can find.  I'm looking at the Clymer manual right now and I'm not see the bolt your refering to.  Is it one of the countershaft bearing holder screws or something else I'm missing?  Because I was in there yesterday and didn't see anything outwardly wrong.

As always thanks for the help.

Travis

[andy750]

I hope its that simple Travis. The gear shift mechanism is fairly simple and so if its not that look at how the fork is making contact with the selector pins.

In any case I was referring to the lower #17 bolt that screws into the the cover (#1)  -see diagram below. This lower #17 had backed out and got stuck in the gear shifter arm on my bike. Started off it was hard shifting up/down and then got worse as the screw backed out even more. Let us know what you find!

Pic was taken from here:

http://www.bikebandit.com/houseofmotorcycles/1974-honda-motorcycle-cb750k4/o/m9235

good luck
Andy

[Trav-i]

Andy once again thank you.  As soon as I get off jury duty today i'm going back to my bike to check.  I have noticed blue RTV silicone around the case joint so I know it's been opened before.  So that has me just a little worried.

More to come later.

Travis

[cycleman]

Seing as you've replaced the clutch, how was it before?  That should help to diagnose if its because of the clutch change or something else.

[Trav-i]

The clutch was mushy as I had been in there for quite some time.  Plus this bike had sat not used for at least 6 or 8 years.  So it was time to come out as the plates had sat dry for so long. So I'm hoping Andy is right.

Thanks

Travis

[andy750]

I should mention my other transmission failure was the final main bearing....but this was preceded by a crunching feel when going into first gear....so I doubt its that for you...that required splitting the cases.

good luck!
Andy

[Trav-i]

My hat is off to you Andy.  Your post made me go back in to the shifter cover and look again, and I found the source of my problem.  It was a loose fastener just not the one that got you.  Mine was a bolt just above the shift drum, it holds some of the springs and linkages and it had worked it self out pretty much all the way and was catching the drum.

If you had not brought that up I'm not sure I would have caught it before tearing into bottom side of my motor.  I'm not sure what I'd do with out the help of everyone on the forum.  Andy if I lived anywhere close to Boston I'd buy ya a beer.

Anyway it is back to shifting like it used to so now on to some other things, like a kick stand...

[hoodellyhoo]

gotta love the power of the internet and the great members we have here

[andy750]

Excellent news Travis - I love the easy solutions -

......in fact this happened to me the first time on my trip through Mexico....there I was in the middle of nowhere in the blazing heat and I coulnt shift past first....lucky for me I found a nice cantina to get a coke, a nice girl to look at and then once the bike had cooled down (and me as well) I removed the cover and fixed the issue....until the Alps it happened again 

All the best!
Andy

[Simpson]

Nice job Andy! 
I like happy endings.

[Trav-i]

Just to add closure to this, I just came in off a test ride and all went well.  It walked right through every gear with out a single issue.  To all who helped, I say a big thank you!