Seems like my 08 600rr has shifting issues. 16,000 miles on it and I am the original owner.
Bike has been well cared for and is ridden pretty ez. Roughly half the times I ride it, it is downright "balky" going tru the gears. Upshifts feel like I'm not using any clutch, and there's a "notchy" feel to each shift. I have adjusted the clutch as per the factory manual, numerous times, but it hasn't solved the issue. Downshifts sometimes feel as if the transmission is inbetween gears, and the shifter must be allowed to go back up in order to catch the next gear down. The shop manual mentions a "loose stopper bolt" as a possible source of shifting issues. Anyone know where this is located? How hard is it to get to?
Chain adj. seems to be ok if that matters, and the oil is honda GN4 20w50 changed with new filter every 3000 miles. Clutch engages and releases good. Chain/sprockets are oe and showing a little wear, but nothing excessive. Strangely, there are days where the thing shifts quite nicley the majority of the time. This makes no sense to me, and I know there is a root cause. Just having a hard time finding it short of tearing into the thing, and I am not yet familiar with a modern bike (my other bike is a CB750 K5). Anybody out there got any ideas? Thanks in advance folks.

 

I had to post a response to this:

My 08 feels the exact same way! I think about it everyday "Is this normal?" SOme days are butter smooth while others, no matter how cleanly I try, are notchy on every shift!

Of course 1-2 will be a bit clunkier/notchier than others regardless, but I have almost perfected it to where I know how to synch the engine tranny from 1-2 so it doesnt feel like the bike is gonna hit the pavement

I will say though, shifting 1-2 at anything over 7k rpm is just plain SCARY! Like I dread it! NO MATTER how I try to match things timewise etc..the god dayum bike does not want to go into second without literally making me feel like I'm grinding a steal rod with a carbide indexable tipped lathe! (cutting metal)

Like I said, some days are better than others...I literally can shift 1-2-3-4-5-6-5-4-3-2-3-2-3-4-3-2-1 without so much as a notchy "chirp" and then some days I swear the dogs just wanna be rounding regardless!

I used to freak about my old F4i tranny and man did that thing feel like a grenade...I've come to this conclusion...

Honda gearboxes by desgn are just somewhat clunky and notchy! Not to worry, they are bulletproof

Clutch play is fine.....the bikes got 4k miles on it for christs sake! I'm finished worrying about this crap though...just change the oil every 3k miles and at 100k miles with no mechanical issues, think back about how you felt and this post

 

i currently got a F4i and already went to the honda mechanic to check out the
bike as not only did it shift like hell, it also sounds like crap compared to my
previous yamahas.

according to my mechanic, the bike is in perfect shape (8500 miles on it) and
its in my head

 

Mine does the exact same thing. Some shifts are silky smooth and others are junk. I think it is normal

 

At least I now know that it's not my imagination. I love the bike, but this is one area that Honda should address. I'v heard from some who say chain adjustment has an effect
on shift quality. What say you folks?...Anyone in the know?

 

I can possibly see how if it is too tight it might effect shifting but I'm not 100% sure on that. When my chain was too loose on my F4i it did not effect shifting at all it just make a very weird sound when decelerating with the clutch lever out. As soon as you pulled the clutch in the sounds went away. As long as you change your oil with a quality oil and filter at the recommended intervals you should be just fine.