2006 Skipping out of Second Gear

Everyone,
New to your Forum thanks for the line. 14 months ago I bought an 06 Rocket 3. Now this bike came from a tinker'r. It had 3 sets of handlebars 3 seats, 3 windshields, all kinds of crap and 4300 miles.. He bought it new and in my view never used it.
So as I start riding this thing (were at 18,000 miles as of Saturday) it will occasionally skip going into Second gear. Your in gear, then a split second shutter then bang you are in gear again. Talked to the dealer in KC they knew literally nothing about it (scary). Baxter cycle told me they have seen it and it is a big fix. I poked around on line, adjusted the linkage a bit and have made a considerable effort to shift hard into second... For months it has been allot better..
Well the other day it started skipping around again, I was wearing weird boots and was sure that was it. Did about 600 miles this weekend, NOT the boots..IN FACT now as I down shift into second then accelerate... Same nonsense, almost every single downshift.. Now if you were lucky and your bike did this right away they even warrantied this stuff..
Lots of horror stories, I was going to call Baxter and Drop it off.. I have heard $1200-$6000 horror stories.. Any idea what I am up against.
Regardless I don't think any 3000 mile trips are smart with this getting worse.

Mike

Welcome to the forum.

Sorry to say 2nd gear is toast. I just had mine done in Feb. Luckily it was under warranty. The dealer told me it would have been $2000 without the warranty.

Steel said:

Welcome to the forum.

Sorry to say 2nd gear is toast. I just had mine done in Feb. Luckily it was under warranty. The dealer told me it would have been $2000 without the warranty.

Click to expand...

They told me $2000 to $2500, they would not ride it much, they need 2+ weeks before I drop it off and 2-3 once they have it to get it done.. I do have any AWESOME independent shop in town who has done allot of Rocket go fast stuff including some engine rebuilds etc.. They I am sure would at least get to it and not cost me 5-6 weeks of my summer riding. I am a mechanic by trade Trucks and Cars and have been 20 years in an office. i am sure I cant or don't want to do it.. I am curious if a good bike wrench can handle it or if I just wait for the dealer and take my lumps

Mike

Mine is sitting in the barn, I had the same thing happen, tried to avoid second gear on a trip out to Colorado, but all kind of other stuff started happening to it, better get it fixed before you have more problems.

I would go with a good independent. Most dealers haven't touched many, if any Rockets. Mine was the first my dealer tore into, it took 2 months to get it back.

A definite candidate for the update kit.

I feel an 'UPDATE" coming to my wallet, just wish if I was spending $2500 I could do it and not lose 5 weeks of riding. Im going to meet with this independent shop guy in the AM

If he's a go-fast kind of mech... While he's in there, I'd see what it would cost to back cut the gears.

Sounds like he has done a couple of transmissions has a pair of 250+ horse Turbo Rockets out there. Has done a number of 2nd gear jobs. He also index's the can gear that wakes them up a bunch it sounds like.. I just want mint to drive in second gear

Just curious. Would you say that you hit 2nd gear at high rpm/red line fairly often? Or rarely, over the years?