Modified Transmission Shifter For Less Slop

[Mike Stewart]

Yep I am at it again. It is easier to work on your bike when it is in your own garage and not in the shop.

 

Yesterday afternoon, I decided to pull the shifter lever and linkage off the bike to see if I could change the ratio for less sloppy shifts. I made up a longer lever that attaches to the shifter, thus increasing the throw with less foot movement. I can shift into higher gears easily by pivoting my foot on the peg while shifting. Before I would pivot my foot while pulling up on my leg to help find the next gear. The results are good so far, there is a noticeable amount of less slop, finding neutral is still easy and shifting feels much more positive. The only negative issue might be if you are in a area near freezing and have 90 wt. in the trans, shifting may be a little slow when cold. Other than that, I think the factory should check it out.

 

I will know more after this coming weekend, I plan to hit Ojai for the Guzzi gathering.

 

Mike

[Guest geezerx]

Doggone, I was just thinking about this previously proposed venture of yours today. Looks good. Remembering the difference in throw just from the inner to outer stock holes, I can imagine that you obtained significant reduction with that much extension.

So how about the pedal effort? Did that take a big jump?

 

Bruce

[Mike Stewart]

The shift lever effort is about the same as stock. There is more of a clunk when shifting, which to me means it is going in gear and not a false neutral.

My bike came with the shifter linkage in the upper hole. Even in the upper hole, the shifter had mucho play. I just picked the new length, mainly because it was the easiest to work with as a starting point. I made the bracket bolt on just incase I had to return it back to stock. If it works out, I will make a new lever that will replace the stock one.

 

 

Mike

[jrt]

Interesting. You don't hit the cross-brace (big round trans-frame brace in front of the wheel) when you shift? On mine, the stock setup is pretty close to it. I guess you rotate the shift-dog forward one notch?

 

Cheers,

Jason

[Mike Stewart]

I know which tube you are talking about. There is still a least 6mm. of clearance when the shifter is pulled all the way up. It won't hit even if I get excited when riding hard!

 

Mike

[Mike Stewart]

I have put over 1000 miles on the longer shifter linkage and it is there to stay. I have not missed any gears since it was installed. Finding neutral was a little harder when my neutral light quit working in the rain. My oil pressure light was coming on also. Time to water proof....

 

Mike

[RichMaund]

Mike

Great info on the linkage. I'll have to build one if I can get time. On those connections, try some silicone dielectric grease. Mine used to have problems in heavy rain. This stopped it.

[callison]

No kidding, your neutral light works? Mine only worked from 1000 to the 3000 mile point. Sometimes it works again to remind me I have a bulb in there, but mainly I just go by feel. No shortage of extra neutrals in a Guzzi transmission either, so I have multiple choices.

[RichMaund]

Actually my neutral lamp switch failed just 7 months after I got the bike. I got a new one under warranty from the Dealer. Simple fix.

Here is my theory on the failure mode for this switch:

 

Do you always park your bike in neutral? As a habit, I always did. No hills here and it made the bike easier to push around when I needed to move it in the shop. Here's what happens when parked in neutral... The switch's plunger stays depressed to close the circuit and light the lamp. So now the contacts are always forced together. Closing the contact's grounds out the switch to complete the circuit and light the lamp. (Also allowing you to start the bike with the sidestand down if the clutch is pulled in.) The plunger is backed by a spring. When always parked for long periods like this the contacts inside deform and no longer press well against each other. The spring inside weakens from constant compression as well. After parking my bike for over a month in neutral while I lived in Pittsburgh to help Dad care for Mom last Summer, I came home one weekend to find my bike wouldn't start and the neutral lamp didn't work unless I took off the wire and grounded it. I spent the rest of the summer starting it by sitting on it with it in gear and the kickstand up! I didn't get the part until after I came home to Va. I tested the old switch with a meter. No continuity after pushing in the plunger. Dealer said it was a fairly common problem.

 

Since then, I never park in neutral. Always in first gear. It became a habit very quickly. No big deal to squeeze the clutch to move the bike around. I just snick it into neutral right before starting the bike and letting it warm up. No problems since that time! Makes me think my theory is sound on how switch #1 failed.

 

So.. To prevent neutral switch failures, just park it in gear! A minor concession to make in the name of reliability!