Motorcycle Repair: shifting problem?, honda nighthawk 650, 1983 honda nighthawk 650

Question
Thanks for the reply falcon!

You mentioned a shifter fork as a possible cause of the trouble, how can I know what is causing the trouble?
Being in highschool(read no money) I try to avoid mechanics as much as possible because of the cost, so if there's any way i could discover the problem, and/or fix it on my own that would be nice.

The problem seems to be worse(or maybe just magnified?) at higher rpms. If the shifter fork was bad, would it be worse at higher rpms, or do i just happen to notice it there?

It does shift normally, without any problems under normal driving conditions.

Also, what is a shifter rod? I know a bit about my bike, but not much about transmissions.

Thanks very much.




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Followup To
Question -
I have a 1983 Honda nighthawk 650, and i seem to have a problem.

It shifts great when i drive it normally, but when i rev it high (like 7-10k)in first and try to shift to second it doesn't alway work right.

What happens is that i pull in the clutch push the shifter up fairly hard, and it makes a *krkrk* noise and won't go into second. At that point it's in neutral, so i pull in the clutch and it shifts into second very smoothly.

I think i might have this problem in other gears, but I'm not sure. I am a novice rider, but I'm not horrible.

Shifting from 2nd to 3rd today i revved it to about 8-9k and shifted to 3rd. It worked beautifully.

Why do i seem to have problems with 1st to second?
It shifts completely normal under average conditions, but rev it high and try to shift and it doesn't want to.

Thanks so much for any help!
Answer -
Hi Peter.
 With a bike that old, there could be any number of things wrong.  Mostly related to the shift forks and clutch.

You may need a new shift rod if the original has cracked or broken.  You could have a bent shifter fork, which requires going deep into the engine and transmission.  That requires removal of the engine and splitting of the crankcase.

You may want to take this to a mechanic who can be there to see and feel the workings and better determine what is wrong.

If my first suspicion is right, then you could have a badly damaged (cracked or bent) shifter fork or possibly bent or sheared linkage.

Good luck.
FALCON

Answer
Hi Peter.
 The problem with this type of problem is that almost everything to check is inside the engine case.  If you get the repair manual, it shows how to do it.

The shift rod (shift actuater or clutch rod) is a rod that goes through the engine and pushes against the clutch to activate it.  If that is cracked or broken, then it needs to be replaced as it will not actuate the clutch properly.  This is not considered a deep engine problem.  You will see when you get the repair manual.

If it is in the shifter fork, then you will have to pull the engine and split the case.  For that, you will have to go to a mechanic to get it done unless you have serious experience with deep engine work.

Let me know how it goes.
Good luck.
FALCON