problems shifting into first gear whilst moving

[addik]

Hi all,

Just got myself a Dragstar XVS 125. Got my CBT about two weeks ago and have been very pleased with the experiance so far!

I have been encountering a problem in certain situations which has caused me to pull over to the side multiple of times. The problem is when I am cruising at a decent speed on a flat road and need to drop down to make it up a steep incline; I do not come to a complete stop but am instead rolling along at a crawling speed - I try to drop into first but it just refuses (even with a heavy foot!) when it then comes to riding up the approaching incline it just doesnt have enough power and often comes to a complete stall. It also happens at roundabouts on various occassions.

I try to let the clutch out, throttle slightly then attempt to re-engage in first but it rarely results in any success. Does any body know of a reason why this occurs? It could be a fault in my technique due to my very short amount of riding time or is it more likely to be a mechanical problem?

Thanks for any input. I hope to become an active user around this board!

Regards,

[Ttaskmaster]

Check your oil level and that your clutch cable is adjusted properly.

I seem to vaguely recall similar problems with my own 125 Drag, although it went away as I got better at riding.

[neversaydie]

Hi all,

Just got myself a Dragstar XVS 125. Got my CBT about two weeks ago and have been very pleased with the experiance so far!

I have been encountering a problem in certain situations which has caused me to pull over to the side multiple of times. The problem is when I am cruising at a decent speed on a flat road and need to drop down to make it up a steep incline; I do not come to a complete stop but am instead rolling along at a crawling speed - I try to drop into first but it just refuses (even with a heavy foot!) when it then comes to riding up the approaching incline it just doesnt have enough power and often comes to a complete stall. It also happens at roundabouts on various occassions.

I try to let the clutch out, throttle slightly then attempt to re-engage in first but it rarely results in any success. Does any body know of a reason why this occurs? It could be a fault in my technique due to my very short amount of riding time or is it more likely to be a mechanical problem?

Thanks for any input. I hope to become an active user around this board!

Regards,

Not sure that I understand why you need to drop down to 1st to go up a hill. There are 2 techniques for changing down, block changing ie clutch in and changing down several gears before clutch releasing (dont forget to match revs with road speed), and letting out the clutch after every single step down and using engine braking. I struggled at first to engage neutral from either 1st or second. It might just be that the bike is already in 1st, so that even a heavy foot cant find a lowwer gear than that. I'd be inclined to check to engine oil and the clutch setup. Do you have the manual with the bike?

[clarke]

I seem to remember being told on my lessons to always change down through the gears ie 5-4-3-2-1 not 5-2-1. You may be best to always go through the gears to keep practise? (Would an examiner mark block shifting as a fault?)

My 125 sometimes refuses to engage 1st gear normally when stationary (and having block shifted!) & have to go to neutral then first. Not sure why you need 1st for a hill unless its really steep, but most roads 2nd/3rd/4th should see you right

Let us know how your oil checks out (with bike held upright & enigne warm then settled, the oil should be between two lines on sight glass as viewed from underneath the exhaust)

[addik]

Hi guys,

Thanks for all of the replies. It seems that it was the fault of block chaining the gears and not letting each gear engage when shifting down! It still happens when the engine is cold but this is not much of a problem. There are a lot of very steep hills by me so the use of 1st is a must. The oil and clutch settings are on par with the what the manual recomends.

The other problem I have now is that when I come to park the bike it very rarely goes into neutrual without a fight. I often use the side stand to cut the engine out (clutch in) but not all that comfortable doing this all of the time.

Regards

[oldtimer]

Hi guys,

Thanks for all of the replies. It seems that it was the fault of block chaining the gears and not letting each gear engage when shifting down! It still happens when the engine is cold but this is not much of a problem. There are a lot of very steep hills by me so the use of 1st is a must. The oil and clutch settings are on par with the what the manual recomends.

The other problem I have now is that when I come to park the bike it very rarely goes into neutrual without a fight. I often use the side stand to cut the engine out (clutch in) but not all that comfortable doing this all of the time.

Regards

sorry mate but if your oil level and clutch settings are ok then either you have the wrong oil ie fully synthetic or other which is causing you clutch problems, or you are a very inexperienced rider i suspect that is the case as i cant believe when you park the bike and cant get in neutral that you use the side stand switch to cut the engine when just by your throttle is a cut off switch (the big red one)

just get some miles in and it will all fall in to place we have all been there.

[neversaydie]

Hi guys,

Thanks for all of the replies. It seems that it was the fault of block chaining the gears and not letting each gear engage when shifting down! It still happens when the engine is cold but this is not much of a problem. There are a lot of very steep hills by me so the use of 1st is a must. The oil and clutch settings are on par with the what the manual recomends.

The other problem I have now is that when I come to park the bike it very rarely goes into neutrual without a fight. I often use the side stand to cut the engine out (clutch in) but not all that comfortable doing this all of the time.

Regards

I have now narrowed down your area to somwhere in Tibet! On your way up do you pass anyone with crampons and ropes? Seriously though, I just can't get my head round that first gear is required to ride up hill. Where did you get the bike from, does it have a service history, how many miles are on the clock? When you open the throttle to accelerate away away, does the revs increase very quickly and then slow down as road speed increases?

Engaging neautral can be awkward. Try coasting to a stop in 2nd, and then gently increasing the foot pressure to nick it into neutral. Too much will tkae it straight through into 1st. Also bear in mind that the neutral light may not alweays come on, even if its in neutral. Try not to be too heavy on the pedal changing gear, you will improve with time, and try to avoid block changing by anticipating further ahead and selecting the right gear in advance, makes riding smoother and avoids going down through the gearbox while stationary.

Ride safely.

[neversaydie]

I have now narrowed down your area to somwhere in Tibet! On your way up do you pass anyone with crampons and ropes? Seriously though, I just can't get my head round that first gear is required to ride up hill. Where did you get the bike from, does it have a service history, how many miles are on the clock? When you open the throttle to accelerate away away, does the revs increase very quickly and then slow down as road speed increases?

Engaging neautral can be awkward. Try coasting to a stop in 2nd, and then gently increasing the foot pressure to nick it into neutral. Too much will tkae it straight through into 1st. Also bear in mind that the neutral light may not alweays come on, even if its in neutral. Try not to be too heavy on the pedal changing gear, you will improve with time, and try to avoid block changing by anticipating further ahead and selecting the right gear in advance, makes riding smoother and avoids going down through the gearbox while stationary.

Ride safely.

Just to add to this thread, I changed my oil and filter last week, big improvement in engaging neautral, now snicks in easy from 2nd or first. Suspect old oil either incorrect type or too contaminated

[Ttaskmaster]

As for selecting Neutral while stationary - This can be done and is an official manoeuvre on the test....

Emergency stop - You focus on stopping, from about 30mph.

This means you stop in 3rd gear.

Often, when you go to move off again from where you've stopped, you'll try clicking down to 1st, but it won't engage. All you do is slowly let the clutch out until it goes CLUNK, sweep the clutch back in and repeat as many times until you are definitely in 1st.

Do your checks again and then move off.

Same applies anywhere else you have to stop in a higher gear.

As time goes on, you'll find you never come to a stop in anything higher that 1st

[ivan]

mmmm great topic this.

as a new dragstar 125 rider this as answered a lot of my questions (top forum)

regards ivan

[midnight61]

mmmm great topic this.

as a new dragstar 125 rider this as answered a lot of my questions (top forum)

regards ivan

and this has reminded me of when i first started to ride (mid seventies), it could just have been me writing this not addik, no CBT then, i always block changed for the first few months and knew it wasnt right, then i started listening to how my mates rode and realised they went through every gear...it was a revelation to me.

Stick at it addik, it'll click....and ride safe

[Paulwhite]

hi addik have you tried adjusting the clutch cable? just incase u dont know:-

screw in the screw closest to the lever till its in all the way makin the cable slack then follow the cable down to the engine and ull come across an adjuster closer to the engine, pull back the rubber then unscrew it by a couple of turns then undo the screw at the lever till it makes the lever tight ( so it dont wobble ) start the engine up and go into 1st.

slowly release the clutch to find the biting point ( i like it to bite about a thumb width from the bar ) if it bites any less then go into neutral (or turn the engine off ) and un-screw the adjuster near the engine till u get it right then try going from 1st to neutral or from second to neutral.

i found that mine went slack after about 6 months of use so i had to adjust it every now and then but hopefully this should sort out getting it into neutral

plus in 1st when u try and go into neutral if u do it slowly ul feel it click in b4 u hit 2nd.

iv also found that there isnt a need to block shift unless ur coming up to a nice corner that u know u can take safely and just flick it from 5th to 3rd just b4 u enter to half power it round till u see the straight then open the throttle and fly.

either that or u need to slam on the breaks cause that pillock in the bmw on the phone just pulled out in front of u without looking.

soz for the waffling on but im just missin me bike...... hope this helps.

[Paulwhite]

oh also check that the gear lever/ shifter is on properly and not loose also check that its greased properly on the pivot ( mine used to soak up rain to the point it went stiff ) i used to take it off the shaft on the engine then soak it with wd40 then push it up and down till it was loose. used to get loads of rusty lookin wd40 coming out of it but it sorted it out lovely!

[moonwharfpoet]

just to add to this, my lil baby drag 125 has similar prob with gears:

once started in neutral, clutch in, clunk into first, and she stalls. the only way to get around it i find is to rev slightly while clutch in and knock her down to 1st. ordered a new clutch as my bike chap thinks clutch is dragging. also same prob if i come down the gears to 1st if im stopping, once stationary clutch in to change from 1st to neutral and it wont budge one bit! i either have to turn of engine by key or stand cut out. hoping the new clutch tomorrow will resolve it.

ALSO, bike not sounding happy when trying to start, be it before of after riding it, dim lights on clock, very slow starting noise, engine management light on, then with a little acceleration she starts, im putting it down to the battery at the moment, need to get one tomoz, just hoping its not some electronic device not charging the battery when started!

AND FINALLY!!!

chain keeps coming loose, very loose indeed. I've had it tightened twice since january, and was told at the time chain seemed ok and lots of teeth on sproket still, but getting chain changed tomoz aswell, but hey, she's nearly 10years old & 16,000 miles for a lil 125 drag that can't be bad eh?!

anyone able to shed some light?

Thanks,

Tom

[Ttaskmaster]

she's nearly 10years old & 16,000 miles for a lil 125 drag that can't be bad eh?!

Wait until you hit 90,000. Then we'll talk

Try increasing the idle speed.

[Paulwhite]

think i managed 14000 miles in 4 years when i got mine.

[addik]

Cheers guys all been of great help as usual. Will try checking my clutch cable today but it has seemed to be fine since I tightened up the chain slack and my riding has improved! Haven't had to drop into 1st for any hills since! My XVS125 has 33k on the clock since 04! Im averaging around 150 miles a week since I started and am very happy I decided to start riding!