Quote Originally Posted by Goodbar View Post
Bobthebobber: Congrats on the new paint job Bob, that’s the beauty of the flat paint I guess. Post a pict.

Freezerboy: bummer on the shift rod but better to get that fix out of the way now as it will make your bike more dependable for sure. If mine breaks I will machine a heavy duty one out of good quality solid stainless rod hard to believe the skimped on such a simple part.

Skullworkz: I worry on what happening with your hard shifting is a symptom of your motor running a little too hot. As you say it shifts great when not fully warm. When your engine is hot a number of things occur that could cause the problem.
Your engine oil is thinning too much and parts in the transmission are expanding a bit too much also.
-You maybe still running a bit lean causing temps to get a little too high. Check your plug.
- Also your engine is new and tight thus more friction.
- I would drive it a little bit more gentle possibly until broken in more.
you may want to change your oils ASAP and check for abnormal high amount of silver swarf in the oil just to be sure and safe.
Your pipe wrap may be adding to the higher temps also! This wrap can insulate it so your are just a bit over temp.
-I would also change wet clutch oil brands?
-You may even want to try a 20w 50w Mobil one synthetic 20-50 , after 500 miles get on your bike ( can be hard to find)
-This is a similar engine to the Honda rebel and those can on occasion shift a bit hard when they get hot. Anyhow it should get better as it breaks in. Hope this helps a little bit.
Too hot is not good and this shifting problem is likely telling you something if all other adjustments are good and your clutch is fully disengaging.
I am going to add a 1972 rebel heat sink to my exhaust to help keep the temp down a degree or two.
These little bikes can be tempting ( even by me) to over rev and drive aggressive especially due to the aggressive sound ...but they really are a small little engines and need to be treated gentle at least for the first 1000 miles as such. Hope all are enjoying the little warm up were having.
Thanks for the insight Goodbar, Once I stopped trying to shift into neutral at a stop and shifted there on the way into the light, I haven't had an issue. But, on occassion I find neutral on the way back up from first on accident. I just rolled over to 300 miles and am kinda curious what the oil looks like. I will not be switching to syn as I have read in this forum that it has not made a noticeable improvement for the cost. Also, kinda curious to see whats stuck to that magnetic oil plug. I am using Valvoline brand, what brands are you guys using with success? Not sure if I will switch brands unless one of you has had better luck with a different brand. When I do the oil I am also going to check the valve clearance and see if it has changed any. Also, Goodbar, as far as it shifting better when its cold than when its warm. For some reason it will shift into neutral when its at a stop when its cold but as the engine warms up it will not allow me to do so. But, the trans was not meant to shift from first to neutral at a dead stop. So, it may be just as you said with the metal expanding when it gets warm and not allowing for the bit of clearance.