Big Block Gearbox Glitch

[yellowheader]

I recently got the gearbox back into my Cali Stone after replacing some seals and re-shimming the shift drum (thanks to Canuck 750 for the use of his clutch assembly tool). I'm pretty happy with the results - no leaks, and shifting is considerably smoother - but I've noticed something weird started happening at stop signs and red lights. I would downshift to 1st as I came to a stop, but when it was time to go, I'd find the bike was in neutral. It never slipped into neutral while I was driving, just at a stop. When I tap down from N to 1 it engages solidly and won't slip out on its own.

Eventually I figured out that my old habit of tapping down on the shifter a couple of times to make sure I'm in 1st was (ironically) nudging the shift drum to a position where it could slip out of gear on its own. As long as I don't touch the shifter after I get it in first, it will stay there until I select neutral or upshift to 2nd on the takeoff. Now I'm trying to break what was probably a bad habit anyway, and leave the shifter alone after I get it into 1st. I'm wondering though if anyone else has seen this and if there is a fix for it. I've thought about adjusting the shift linkage, but it seems to be pretty centered in its resting position - there doesn't seem to be tension on it backward or forward. I can learn to live with the gearbox as it is, but if it can be tuned up a little more that would be better. Thanks for any ideas that you care to share.

[wirespokes]

I don't know about the transmission issue - I'm interested in the answers you get. But it does sound like the bike is staying in gear at stop lights (or that's the intention) with the clutch lever held back.

Staying in neutral without tension on the throwout bearing is easier on it.

[Wayne Orwig]

I would inspect, adjust , clean and lube the linkage about 12 times to be sure all is well there, before I suspected something inside the transmission for that problem. Maybe even try a different lube.
I have never heard of this, but the shift detent spring may be getting weak. Not too hard to replace behind the starter.
Or maybe a SMALL tweak to the adjuster on the back of the transmission.

[g5guzzi]

Hi yellowheader
A friend of mine with a cali stone was complaining of a similar
problem at traffic lights and stop signs, go to move and the bike would be in neutral.
He is a big bloke with big feet and his boots had a piece of plastic decoration on the
heel and eventually he worked out this was catching the gear linkage and knocking it
into neutral.

Malc

[yellowheader]

Thanks for your replies.
@ 'spokes, I usually put it in neutral at longer stop lights, if only to keep the clutch quiet, but on a stale red or coming up to a left turn, when I want to be in first, it slips into N if I do the toe-tapping thing.
@ Wayne, the detent spring sounds like a possible. I'll check that.
@ g5, my foot is definitely triggering the problem by tapping my toe down, but I'm not bumping it into neutral directly. I've seen it go into N with both feet on the ground.

[s1120]

OK, till you said it went with your feet off the pegs I was pretty sure it was the back of the boot hitting the rear part of the heal-toe shifter as you lifted your feet off the pegs. Ive done it myself a few times. The heal-toe shift lever is really strange for me on a peg bike.. Ive bummped it a few times. I really need to cut that off mine...