QuestionQUESTION: Hello, i am currently looking at the Honda listed above I really know nothing about bikes this is actually going to be my first. i would be getting the bike from a friend. He was telling me about some repairs I'd have to make and the only one that i was concerned about was his problem with second gear. As he was describing it to me he was having trouble kicking it into that gear. It would take quite a bit of effort to get it in. Knowing nothing and doing the research my best guess is that the transmission? what do you think? Is that something i could do myself.
ANSWER: It sounds like a fairly simple problem that might be a bit more involved than someone who is not mechanically inclined might want to tackle.
If you understand mechanics and have good tools and a clean, well lit place to work it should be possible for you to fix yourself, but if you don't you might be better off to pass on it and look for something that is running.
Usually, if it is difficult to kick the transmission into all of the gears it's a clutch problem and, since the clutch can be accessed through it's own cover, can be fixed fairly easily.
If it is only one gear, however, that usually indicates a problem with one of the shift forks or the shift drum. This means that to fix it properly the transmission will need to be taken out. I was unable to find out whether this is possible without substantily disassembling the engine, but it will probably at least require removing the engine from the frame. A shop manual would tell you what is involved.
If everything else on the bike is in really good shape and the price is really good you might consider looking for a good used engine at local bike wreckers and just transplant it. You would then be able to work on the original engine's transmission at your own speed and treat it as a learning exerience.
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QUESTION: Thanks alot. For me the price couldn't get any better since im buying it from that friend. He is giving it to me for like $200. I was talking to him about it more and he elaborated on what the problem was and maybe this could help you narrow down on exactly what it is. He said at first when riding the bike it shifts into second fine but after riding it for a while that second gear gets tough. Maybe that helps.
Thanks again.
AnswerIf it's just second it could be a fork that's just bent enough that it works OK when cold but hangs up a bit when it has expanded as the engine warms up.
For $200, I would say take it, get a shop manual (2 different ones are better - a Factory Shop Manual and either a Haynes or a Clymer) and try to fix it. (The manuals should talk you through it better than I could.)
Best case you learn something and end up with a bike you really know how to look after.
Worst case (if it turns out that you can't fix it), you can take it apart and sell the parts on eBay for more than $200.
Either way you can't loose.
