How to lower shifter peg after main pegs lowering

[Guest Loosy Goosy]

I found this site a few months ago after buying a used '02 V11 Lemans. I'm tall but I found several threads about lowering the pegs using Buell parts. Great thread, and it works, but now the shifter peg is so high that upshifts are often missed, and downshifts must only be done without any traffic pressures (might need a few tries). I have adjusted the "bar" between the long bolt and the shifter tang as far as it will go. Now, when downshifting, the arm that the peg protrudes from is as low as it will go, and hits the kickplate extension. So no more room left there.

 

Does anyone know of a way to drop the shift peg lower somehow?

 

I took the screw off, but the rubber part rides over a casting, so no way to lower it that way. The only other thing I can think of, and this may not necessarily help the problem, but I could take the shift tang off of the splined shift shaft and move it a spline or two. But it is designed so that you pretty much have to take the starter (or is that the jennie?) off to get the shift tang off the shaft.

 

I'm stumped at the moment. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Ciao,

The Goose is Loose

[Guest ratchethack]

LG, this may not be enough of an adjustment for lowered pegs, but hope it helps.

 

I haven't lowered my pegs, but there are 2 "stock" ways to lower the shift lever. One is as you mentioned. The starter has to come out. Disconnect battery first. Two fore-aft through-bolts secure it. Be careful, I found out by accident that lowering by one spline (unintentional on my part) resulted in the shift lever contacting the porkchop before it reached full throw. Fine adjustment is by the threaded linkage rod, which requires you to take apart the aft connection at the spherical bushing, back off the locknut on the linkage, and back the spherical bushing end off for a lower setting.

[Guest Loosy Goosy]

Thanks Ratchethack!

 

I hadn't thought about disconnecting the battery first. Good point. It seems that the shift adjusters on Moto Guzzi's are different than other bikes. I loosened both ends, spun the shaft a bunch of times and I am thinking it didn't really change the shift peg so much. So, if I understood you correctly, I need to actually remove it from the rear end (since it's easier to access) and then do this, right?

 

I heard these were quirky bikes, but that is a first if this is correct.

 

Are there any good dealers up in Northern California? I always wanted one of these bikes, and I bought it for a good price and in more or less good condition. But I don't actually know of any dealers in the Bay area.

[Guest ratchethack]

LG, can't quite picture wot y'er doing, sorry. The spherical bushing at the rear of the linkage rod has to be disconnected to wind it back from it's current position, thereby lengthening the linkage rod.

 

IIRC, there was a new Guzzi dealer in San Jose a year or 2 ago, don't know a thing about 'em.

 

The only Guzzi dealer I know of in The City is Munroe Motors on Valencia. At least some of the hearsay has been positive, but I have no personal experience with them. http://www.munroemotors.com/

[jrt]

It may not be much help, but I had the same problem, so I made my own shifter that is a little shorter and lower. You might not need shorter, but if you make your own, you can put any curve you want into it.

[Guest Loosy Goosy]

Balsy!

 

Making your own shifter? You have far better mechanical facilities at your disposal than I have. I f you know of a shop in NorCal, please let me know!

[jrt]

Desperate is more like it.

 

Actually, it's pretty easy if you make it in two parts. One part that is the hinge and has the threaded holes for connecting the shift-linkage- the whole thing is just a rectangle. The other part can just bolt onto that- it's harder to make because it is a compound curve. Heat it up and put it in a press (or a pair of pliars and a torch)- easy enough. Desperation, man. desperation.

[Tom M]

I loosened both ends, spun the shaft a bunch of times and I am thinking it didn't really change the shift peg so much. So, if I understood you correctly, I need to actually remove it from the rear end (since it's easier to access) and then do this, right?

 

The shifter link shaft is right hand threaded at both ends so it will not change the shifter height if you just loosen the locknuts and turn the shaft. You have to disconnect the end at the triangular plate that's attached to the shifter and turn the rod end that was connected to that plate clockwise a few turns or so to lower the shifter. Beware that going too far will allow your shifter to contact the pork chop.

 

I wish Guzzi had used a right and left threaded link shaft so just turning the shaft would allow you to adjust shifter height without pulling one end. Not much room to work in there if you don't pull the starter. I didn't and now have the scratched up hands to prove it.

[Ryland3210]

Balsy!

 

Making your own shifter? You have far better mechanical facilities at your disposal than I have. I f you know of a shop in NorCal, please let me know!

 

I can't help with a shop in NorCal, but you might be interested in a set of controls I made. They move the pegs and brake and shift levers forward 5-1/2 inches and down about 1.7 inches for a far more comfortable, natural position. The original feel and adjustment ranges were kept the same.

 

Several Guzzisti's aksed me to produce them and the first sets went out yesterday. You can find about them by searching under "Foot forward controls", or send me a personal message and I'll answer any questions you have.

[RichPugh]

I'm on the same mission.

 

I'm getting ready to buy a used (or new if its the only option) shift lever arm and modify it to tip down aprox 1.5 inch lower than the current shift lever toe peg. I wish it was as simple as rotating the whole linkage down but the movement required by the lever to kick it down into 1st, is limited by the clearance you have before it hits the lower section of the porkchop, which limits the amount of counterclockwise movement you can give it to position it lower. You literally have to make the last 1/3rd of the arm bend down or lower the little peg at the end somehow.

 

When you reposition the main pegs, you no longer have a proper angle to shift up or even kick down into 1st. It's terribly inconvenient to have to shove your foot way under the shift lever and shift with the top of your foot as opposed to under the toe area... then to have to lift your foot completely out to kick it down to 1st. I was hoping there would be a simple mod to remedy this but it would see were going to be pioneering this LOL.

[Guest ratchethack]

I'm on the same mission.

. . .

I was hoping there would be a simple mod to remedy this but it would see were going to be pioneering this LOL.

The pioneers blazed this trail 'bout half a century ago, Pilgrim.

 

Killed off all the buffalo. . .

 

The Latter Day Pioneers covered the same ground decades ago, headed in the opposite direction!

[RichPugh]

The pioneers blazed this trail 'bout half a century ago, Pilgrim.

 

Killed off all the buffalo. . .

 

The Latter Day Pioneers covered the same ground decades ago, headed in the opposite direction!

 

LOL... Ok then RE-Pioneering shall commence! I NEED that damn shift lever down :!:

[GuzziMoto]

Don't listen to him. There were allready people here when the pioneers showed up. It's all about perspective.