Reluctant gear shift, 1200 4 speed Sportster

King Herald

I just bought a 1990 Sportster, with less than 10,000 miles, and sometimes the gear shift just doesn't want to go into the next gear when riding. Maybe once every twenty shifts, up or down, makes no difference. It feels like the lever has locked solid, but if I push it a second time, without moving the clutch or anything, it'll slip happily into gear.

I pulled the primary cover (as I was looking to change my foot rests back to standard and some clown has cut the stud of level with the cover) and noticed several tiny chunks of metal in the bottom of the casing. Also some fine metal dust on the magnet.

I've changed oil twice, adjusted the clutch twice, adjusted primary chain twice, still no difference, the gear shift refuses to shift on occasion.

Any ideas?

I'm running 20/50 engine oil in there at the moment, as it is all I had at the time, and I'm doing minimal miles on it until I get it sorted.

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Hobbit

might be time to open the trans door and make sure the shift dog are not bent or that there is no swarf in there from the cutting of the shaft

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King Herald

I guess I'm going to have to get serious with it in the near future, more to see where the little bits of steel come from than to sort the gear change.

I think the stud was sawn off from outside the case, but you never know. It pokes through about 1/4".

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m1ke50

i have a 1991 sportster with a 1200 conversion done...i found your posts interesting and will be following...i had no idea the engine made so many noises. the engine was dyno tuned and runs great...but sure is noise...any suggestions to quiet the noise...?? thanks all for the info

mike

King Herald

I wear ear plugs when riding. Works for me

Seriously, I thought I had horrible noises coming from my motor, but I eventually found it was the gas tank vibrating, because a welded in crush tube at the rear tank mounting had come loose in the frame. The tank would vibrate at about 2000rpm and sounded like valve gear going berserk. I padded it with rubber and the noise was gone.

One day I'll tack weld the tube back solid, but I'm a bit worried about trashing the electronics doing it.

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People laugh at me because I am different.

I laugh at them because they are all the same.