1st Gear not engaging fully

[CanberraR3]

It's happened to me a couple of times but only when it hasn't "clunked" into first. If it doesn't clunk I let the clutch out slightly then pull back in and re-engage first. Also, if stopped, I always let the clutch out in neutral (why wouldn't you anyway?) and then I always (mostly) get the clunk when I engage first.

 

[Sidecar Flip]

Because of the design of the clutch lifter piece and the relatively heavy clutch release (even though you don't feel that heavy release because of the mechanical advantage imparted by the mechanism itself), it's not good practice to sit for extended periods with the bike in gear and the clutch pulled.

It's much more advisable to stop with the bike in neutral and engage first when the light starts changing.

I'm quite used to putting any bike in neutral at a stop and then selecting first gear to get going again..... That was SOP riding any Brit bike in the 60's. Holding a clutch disengaged for any time on a 60's Brit bike was inviting a siezed clutch lifter and no shifting,

 

[HellFire]

Thats why I always "test" it after shifting into 1st by letting the clutch out a bit. It has tried to make me look stupid before.

 

[Vinkster]

This thread is starting to sound like an HD forum. "I know my bike has problem, but I love it!" If we continue this trend too much, I'm not sure what I'm going to do. At least a quirky gearbox is "normal" for most bikes. You just have to get used to it and make it second nature. I just don't ever want to be like the HD crowd and think taking my bike to get serviced every month because something has rattled loose is normal.

 

[CanberraR3]

Why would you say that? It was a reasonable question about something troubling a member and which some of us were prepared to share our experiences about. It's not a flaw with the bike but rather something that happens from time to time - and not just with RIIIs. What's wrong with providing a few tips that will prevent it happening? We can't always just be excited over new stuff to buy; some of us mainly look to this forum for advice on how to get the most out our rides.

 

[Vinkster]

Why would you say that? It was a reasonable question about something troubling a member and which some of us were prepared to share our experiences about. It's not a flaw with the bike but rather something that happens from time to time - and not just with RIIIs. What's wrong with providing a few tips that will prevent it happening? We can't always just be excited over new stuff to buy; some of us mainly look to this forum for advice on how to get the most out our rides.

I was just amazed that so many people had chimed in about having the same issue. I have a 2010 Roadster and I STILL have that issue. I can understand if this was a quirk on the first production run or even gone through a couple models, but when a vehicle has the same quirk on almost every bike for 6 years through 4 or so model updates, I'm concerned that either Triumph doesn't care enough about the problem, or we, the owners, have just accepted the problem and not complained enough to warrant a solution.

I love my Rocket, but I'm still new to it. I had no idea that a problem could be so simple, yet so wide spread. Again, I love Triumph, an this won't put me off, but just amazed that it went so far and no one seems to care. This isn't just a little f]design flaw like "I wish the mirrors were about 3/4 of an inch further out because it's a big bike and big people ride them." It's a significant design flaw that I would assume would have been easily fixed in a model update. They retool assembly likes for aesthetics but not a safety hazard that could put you into neutral in the middle of an intersection? Just think that's odd. I thought my bike was an isolated minority or a break in nuisance, not a design flaw.

Someone said something about an "upgraded part". I will be asking for that at my next service.

 

[Bobby K]

Hey Vinkster, the Roadster on the demo truck shifted as smooth as silk. Wonder if those bikes get some "special" treatment the bikes in the showroom don't?

 

[HellFire]

Hell, every bike I've ever owned has done that to me at some point. Yamaha, Honda ... all of them, that's why I don't let them do it to me and give it a little test after clunkin' into first. It's not like a car, they don't have long shafts with shift forks that remain in place with the shifter so that one can be sure it's really in first, the foot shifter returns to it's neutral position and the gear may have as well. That's just the way it is.

 

[HellFire]

"I wish the mirrors were about 3/4 of an inch further out because it's a big bike and big people ride them." It's a significant design flaw that I would assume would have been easily fixed in a model update.

You want those giant Mickey Mouse ear mirrors to be even bigger? Sounds like you need to start personalizing your bike to suit you. Those big dumb mirrors were the first things to go, but I'm not so big that they didn't work around my girth. Manufacturers have to put standardized safety equipment on their production bikes, for liability issues ... it's up to the owner to personalize them to suit their needs. There's no point in complaining about things like that, just get out the catalog and the wallet.

 

[Vinkster]

You want those giant Mickey Mouse ear mirrors to be even bigger? Sounds like you need to start personalizing your bike to suit you. Those big dumb mirrors were the first things to go, but I'm not so big that they didn't work around my girth. Manufacturers have to put standardized safety equipment on their production bikes, for liability issues ... it's up to the owner to personalize them to suit their needs. There's no point in complaining about things like that, just get out the catalog and the wallet.

Hahaha, I'm sorry. I used the mirror example as just that. An example of a complaint that didn't matter and someone could easily live with it. I was pointing out that the trans issue is not like that KIND of issue. I don't need the mirrors bigger. They might be bigger depending on the mirrors I find that include the indicators, but still not the topic I was going for.

Again, not saying other bikes don't do the 'pop back into neutral' thing as well. I was commenting on how so many people on this site have the same nonchalant attitude about a flaw that everyone has a workaround for. What if when adding power to your bike, you now go through tires quicker? What do you do then? Do you say, "Oh well, I made it go fast, but it won't hook up anymore. I guess the workaround is to go slower." HELL NO! You will go Darkside!

I'm not even mad at the designer or the QC people at Triumph, I'm disappointed that no one on this site cares about it and I'm waking you people up so you don't become HD zombies and just call a flaw a piece of character. Cause, you do that enough and you'll end up with a Dyna Wide Glide with flames from the factory.

DON'T BE A ZOMBIE!

Ok, done explaining the same thing. I'll live with it, but I won't be happy about it. And I WILL try to do something about it. I guess I'm just upset that I've been hoping it is just a break in thing and it's not. I do a lot of in town riding and in Phoenix, AZ, there is a light every half mile. So any given ride, I have to consciously make sure I've 'clunked' correctly a few dozen times at least.

Anyone back me up here? Is this only annoying to me?