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KZ1100 gear shifting sticky
- DGA
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"83 KZ1100 Spectre, '81 Yamaha XV750 Cafe, '74 Kawasaki H2B 750
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- jackleberry
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Next step is: what motor oil are you running? The weight, type and brand of oil can make a very noticeable difference in shifting/clutch feel.
1997 KZ1000P (P16)
2001 KZ1000P (P20)
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- DGA
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Oil, 10W40 I recall, it is worse cold but still does it hot, and the feeling I get is that the lever just sticks and wont move up. But this is intermittent, will shift ok, worst is 5th. I have to be VERY deliberate with shifts, and if I take my time, it will shift ok, can't rush anything. But it's not right. My Yamaha Virago never, ever misses a shift and the lever feels buttery smooth.
"83 KZ1100 Spectre, '81 Yamaha XV750 Cafe, '74 Kawasaki H2B 750
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- jackleberry
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DGA wrote: Clutch is perfect, cold engine, no clunk into gear, engages nicely, I can't fault that at all.
Oil, 10W40 I recall, it is worse cold but still does it hot, and the feeling I get is that the lever just sticks and wont move up. But this is intermittent, will shift ok, worst is 5th. I have to be VERY deliberate with shifts, and if I take my time, it will shift ok, can't rush anything. But it's not right. My Yamaha Virago never, ever misses a shift and the lever feels buttery smooth.
Your Yamaha has a different transmission... The KZ transmissions are pretty clunky. It's not going to shift like a Honda, that's for sure. The fact that it changes when at all when it warms up indicates that the problem is oil related. A bent shift fork or anything else physically wrong wouldn't do that. The fact that you don't remember exactly what kind of oil is in the bike indicates to me that it's due for a change. I can vouch for Mobil 1 Delvac 1300 15W-40. Recently, lots of people have been saying that Rotella T is very good.
When you say you adjusted the clutch, did you just do it at the handlebar or did you adjust the push rod coupling on the side of the engine? If the clutch isn't fully disengaging, you will have difficulty shifting. You need to be absolutely certain that it's adjusted correctly. That is, to spec and not just "feels good".
If adjusting the clutch and changing the oil doesn't make it shift better, then I'd say you might have a bent shift fork.
1997 KZ1000P (P16)
2001 KZ1000P (P20)
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- DGA
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It has 30 K miles on the bike so it's not new, no, and I am not ruling out a fork problem. Guessing it has the typical three forks for five gears, and 5th is it's own fork? But still, a not so new fork would still shift ok, just not put that gear in as far etc, and might jump out, which this does not do. But I still feel the lever stick issue, like it's in the drum detent or ratchet somehow.
"83 KZ1100 Spectre, '81 Yamaha XV750 Cafe, '74 Kawasaki H2B 750
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- jackleberry
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DGA wrote: No the oil was changed when I got the bike a few months ago, and I know it's Rotella, just couldn't remember the weight offhand, but am almost certain it's 10W40, which is what I use in the Yamaha. The clutch has nice free play, just a tiny bit at the lever. If the clutch was dragging and not freeing properly then it wouldn't go into gear from a standstill either, and it does that perfectly, better than the Yamaha ever does.
It has 30 K miles on the bike so it's not new, no, and I am not ruling out a fork problem. Guessing it has the typical three forks for five gears, and 5th is it's own fork? But still, a not so new fork would still shift ok, just not put that gear in as far etc, and might jump out, which this does not do. But I still feel the lever stick issue, like it's in the drum detent or ratchet somehow.
You can have correct free play at the lever and still have the clutch mis-adjusted at the push-rod. There's no way around it, you have to adjust it there if you want it to work properly. IIRC the adjustment is opposite on the shaft drive bikes. In any case, look up the procedure in the FSM for your bike and do it.
1997 KZ1000P (P16)
2001 KZ1000P (P20)
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- DGA
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"83 KZ1100 Spectre, '81 Yamaha XV750 Cafe, '74 Kawasaki H2B 750
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- jackleberry
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1997 KZ1000P (P16)
2001 KZ1000P (P20)
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- missionkz
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Wow!!! What a difference.
Tranny and clutch have not felt this good in years.
Bruce
1977 KZ1000A1
2016 Triumph T120 Bonneville
Far North East Metro Denver Colorado
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- SWest
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- 10 22 2014
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Steve
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- missionkz
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There must be zero pressure on the pushrod with the cable loose... No matter how loose that cable adjustment is, (you can even take the cable off!!) the real "adjustment" is in the pushrod and adjustment screw under the cover. That little gap space is wth the clutch fully locked up.
Bruce
1977 KZ1000A1
2016 Triumph T120 Bonneville
Far North East Metro Denver Colorado
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- jenningsjesse
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