shifter dead.........$$$$$$ ??????

[RoadVenture]

Today I took a short ride to a local motorcycle dealer to buy a can of PLEXUS. Got to the dealer and they were sold out. DERN! So, I left to take the long way home, a route of about 40 miles as opposed to the 4 mile trip to get to the dealer. About 5 miles along I am cruising down a nice country road in 5th gear when I notide that the shifter is flopping around. I figure that the screw that attaches the shift linkage to the shifter has fallen out. So, I continue in 5th gear until I find a safe place to pull off and check things out.

No, it is not that simple. The shifter IS flopping around but the linkage is fine. Apparently something has fallen off inside the transmission. So, I limp home stuck in 5th gear. I've got to tell you that the RIII is not much of a performance machine when you have ONLY 5th gear to work with.............

I took a brief look at the construction of the engine and it looks like a major job to get at the inside of the case where the shift shaft goes through. I may be paying someone to fix this.

Has anyone else had this experience? Has anyone had any success convincing TRIUMPH to pay for the repair? I just don't think that a bike that has been properly maintained should be falling apart after only three years and 36000 miles.............

 

[hombre]

That's a known problem. I think if you ***** loud enough to Triumph, they should warranty it. If your local dealer has no experience in fixing it, call Winchester Motorsports in Winchester, Virginia. Roger is their best mechanic, and is familiar with this repair.

 

[RoadVenture]

does this have a name?

That's a known problem. I think if you ***** loud enough to Triumph, they should warranty it. If your local dealer has no experience in fixing it, call Winchester Motorsports in Winchester, Virginia. Roger is their best mechanic, and is familiar with this repair.

Can you give me a specific name as to what happened or reference any place I can go to get some record of this occuring with other Rocket IIIs?

I already called one dealer (Capital City Triumph) near Harrisburg, and of course, they have never heard of this happening. Does Triumph have someone that talks to customers directly or do I need to work through a dealer?

 

[hombre]

Name? How about "bolt holding shifter fell off inside case." Roger starts work at 1PM (then wrenches late). He will know what you're talking about, as I just saw him out riding this past Friday (huge coincidence) and he related to me that they had recently seen this problem. He's the man that replaced my entire transmission. Tell him, "Walt with the Supercharged R3" sent you. The number up there is 540-722-2688. Website: http://www.winchestermotosports.net/

Yes, you will need to work through dealer. As Winchester MotorSports is familiar with the problem, they may be able to help you with warranty claim.

 

[RoadVenture]

Okay, thanks. That helps a lot. I will give Roger a call Monday.

I spent some time looking at the sketches in the shop manual and it sure does seem like the bolt that holds the shift ball (?) fell out. The way I understand how it works is that there is a captive ball that operates a drum cam. The captive ball is held in place and attached to the shifter shaft with a bolt. When the bolt is gone, the captive ball that is supposed to rotate the drum cam just sets there. Hence, not being able to get out of whatever gear I happened to be in at the time..........

It sure does seem like a manufacturing problem. A bolt THAT important to the operation of the transmission should have some kind of mechanical locking device, such as a bent tab washer, or SOMETHING to keep it from backing out.

 

[Sidecar Flip]

I may be having a brain fart, but didn't BigErn have the same problem and took his own engine apart??

I know there are pictures of the disassembly in the photo album as well as a number of posts about it.

 

[hombre]

Like most bike shops, they're closed on Mondays... call Tuesday.

The problem is caused by the factory "forgetting" to use lock-tite on the transmission bolts. I sincerely hope you don't have a shift rail bolt back out like I did.

Want competent assembly line workers? Try "Made in Japan" or "Gebildet in Deutschland".

 

[Sidecar Flip]

Walt:

Japan yes. Deutschland, maybe. I've seen more than one Beemer, both 2 and 4 wheeler with assembly line problems. Besides, the old Diamler/Benz had some quality issues too.

 

[RoadVenture]

Like most bike shops, they're closed on Mondays... call Tuesday.

The problem is caused by the factory "forgetting" to use lock-tite on the transmission bolts. I sincerely hope you don't have a shift rail bolt back out like I did.

Want competent assembly line workers? Try "Made in Japan" or "Gebildet in Deutschland".

These are good things to know BEFORE I BUY A ROCKET III !

Anyway, thanks for the help and support so far. I'll report back after I get in touch with someone who can lead me on the path towards Triumph wanting to fix their mistake...

 

[THE PUNISHER]

Same thing happened to my bike a year or two back,I had to ride over 200ks in 5th gear.Was fixed under warranty with no probs