Dropping out of 1st into neutral.

[georgia]

Ok, So I love my Ride ( a 2007 Rocket III ) but it has one annoying problem.. I kick it into 1st, let out the clutch and head across incoming traffic to cross the street and *BAM* it simply pops out of gear into neutral... Almost got hit by on coming traffic when the bike just lost all headway, wobbled a bit, before I kicked it back into 1st and powered out of the situtation.

It's happens once in a while...not often and alway at an in appropriate moment. Surrounded by 10 other bikers all pulling out, making a hard left, I'm leaning into the corner, just getting some headway, and *BAM* it drops into neutral, I've got to kick it back into gear superfast ,then drop my left foot to keep the bike from falling over while I puch it so the guy behind me doesn't run me over...

Sufice to say i'm a little miffed. I took it in for it's 500 mile checkup and hopefully they can figure this out.

Anyone else run into this one?


Cheers
geo

 

[Pig9r]

Yes very common on a new Rocket. It can take several thousand miles for the tranny to loosen up. After 7000 mi on mine I still have to be weary of whether or not first is fulling engaged. A trick I learned is to listen for the thump of going into first. You can tap it down once and get a click and the neutral light will go off. However if you feather the clutch in and out slightly you will be able to tap the selector down again.

If I have time while stopped I will roll back a few inches with the clutch engaged and push the selector down again. It seems the rolling back takes some pressure off of the drivetrain and allows it to ease into first.

 

[rusty]

Hey Georgia, I believe others have experienced this & most (if not all) say it improves with the first oil change. Mine still does it from time to time but mostly when I muscle it in second gear. Most likely because I don't hit the shifter hard enough for complete engagement.

Others will most likely steer you proper. I'm kinda new at this.

See ya.

 

[Jamie]

The answer is brutally (?) simple:

Hit the shifter hard enough. Which, given the bike's quasi "feet forward" seat-to-pegs geometry, is probably much harder than you do or dare doing.

And, should that fail (it will, occasionally) or should you sense that it might fail (you will, occasionally), lift your foot off the peg and hit the lever again. Decisively. Very often, when the bike is still relatively new, it's that second attempt that clinches it. And, given the Rocket's less-than-quiet gearbox, you'll actually hear that " first gear completely engaged" sound.

Better yet, if the problem persists: Use my "second attempt" recipe all the time.

And, rest assured, it won't do no harm to the box. Jamie

 

[Molinoman]

New and improved

I must have gotten the "improved" version of the Rocket. I do on occasion have to make sure I am in first when starting out, but after I am moving, I have never had it pop out of gear.
Dennis

 

[Paul Hyland]

All good.

I have it happen from time to time also, I have learned that if you tap it down 2 or 3 times before you start out it wont pop out. Just tapping in gear doesn't always get the job done.

 

[HeR3tic]

...A trick I learned is to listen for the thump of going into first. You can tap it down once and get a click and the neutral light will go off. However if you feather the clutch in and out slightly you will be able to tap the selector down again.

If I have time while stopped I will roll back a few inches with the clutch engaged and push the selector down again. It seems the rolling back takes some pressure off of the drivetrain and allows it to ease into first.

I must have gotten the "improved" version of the Rocket. I do on occasion have to make sure I am in first when starting out, but after I am moving, I have never had it pop out of gear.
Dennis

Yep, what they say. I've twice started off from a stop light, at which I've only momentarily gone to neutral for helmet or bluetooth comm. issues, and failed to follow through on engaging 1st gear firmly. I'm not suggesting brutality. Feathering the clutch has been my preferred method. And it's solid. And, now at 6500 miles the clunk when down shifting into first has lessened dramatically.

 

[Sidecar Flip]

What I do.

Lets see, maybe I can tell you my perspective. What I do is not jam the selector down but apply steady pressure with my foot while letting the clutch out, not all the way, just part way until I hear it audibly click into gear. In trucking jargon we call it 'floating the clutch'.

I just happen to teach Professional Truck Driving and believe it or not, it's hard to teach a student to do that. It's something you have to practice for it to become an acquired trait.

I started doing that after a few false neutrals when I first got the bike. Since then, I've experienced none. I've even got to sitting at red lights in neutral and clicking first as the light changes. The neutral thing is a holdover from my old Brit bike days when, if you sat in gear with the clutch in, you stood a chance of welding the release button to the clutch basket.....love them old Brit bikes.

 

[Toystoretom]

Yikes....

Popping out of first is not normal. I believe there is some confusion here between popping out of first and hard shifting into first.

If your bike pops out of any gear under a load it may be several things, most likely the shifter forks or the syncros... both of which would need the attention of your dealer. If your bike is under warranty still, I would have him look at it soon.

 

[HeR3tic]

Floating the Clutch:bch: It's a feal!