So I'm having some intermittent first gear issues: now and then when I'm at a stop light I have trouble getting the bike into first. So much so, that several times I've stupidly assumed it was in first because I couldn't shift down any more, only to then stall the bike like an idiot once the light turns green. It's always pretty clunky going into first, but sometimes it just doesn't seem to want to go at all. Seems like the times this has happened (like today) have been very early in the morning and have involved being stopped at lights for quite a while. Any ideas? Thanks!

 

Is the chain tension correct? I've noticed that when mine is too loose the shifting isn't as smooth.

 

You stall the bike (at intersections) because you're still in 2nd or what? So you're having issues getting into neutral as well?


OR


Are you rolling to a stop in 4th gear (for example) and then trying to get to 1st?



It's always going to be harder to shift the bike through all of the gears at a stand-still because the cogs and counter-shaft aren't spinning

 

Yes to your first question, I end up stopped at the light in second (having downshifted through higher gears). Then, I try to downshift further (to make sure I'm in first) but it doesn't go into neutral or into first, so I wrongly assume it's in first. Most of the time this doesn't happen but sometimes it does; I'm trying to figure out why, if it's the bike or the environment or the rider.

 

Well depending on the age and mileage, it could be the bike. You should be able to shift between first, neutral, and second. And since its intermittent, I'd try finding a better position for your shift linkage before saying its something else.

 

With every motorcycle I have owned over the last 51 years, I have always gone down through the gears one at a time, selecting neutral whilst rolling to a stop. It is a fool-proof way of making sure you are in neutral just before you stop and unless the chain is too tight as suggested, selecting first gear should be easy. Also make sure the clutch cable adjustment is as per the manual, as too much slack in the cable will cause the clutch to drag by not allowing the clutch plates to separate fully.