2000-01 RS Tranny/shifting

[OKAggie]

I have read of some problems with the shifting on the 00-01 RS. For those of you with one of these model years, have you had any problems? Please be honest.

[jefftarlton]

I have an 01 RS. New it shifted really bad, hard to shift, false neutral between 5th and 6th, impossible to find neutral. After a few thousand miles it got better. At around 7-9 thousand miles everything got really slick. Now it's one of the best shifting bikes I've owned. It does like synthetic oil. How many miles are on yours?
Jeff

[RikuY]

Ditto... Exactly what Jeff said. I am at about 1500 miles and it still is a little sticky. It just keeps me in check and I pay attention to all the noises and make sure all is okay. I check all the linkages stuff when washing and all is okay, so it is just the gearbox breaking in. I have heard this from about half a dozen guys and my dealer, so I am writing it off as normal. You get used to it, and mine is breaking in nicely. It already shifts nicer than my friends R1. :-D

[sprintrsdawg]

I have over 16K on my '01 RS. It was really rough when new, and it still doesn't shift to my satisfaction. It's unpredictable, especially from first to second. It hates going through neutral, and I find myself being very authoritative in my shifting when I would prefer to slip it into gear. It doesn't seem to want to "pick up" into second gear; it has to be pushed in.

I've had a few mechanical problems with the mechanism, and I'm wondering if either may have damaged something: the c-clip on the shaft that runs into the engine from the shift mechanism came loose, allowing the shaft to slop. I caught this after awhile. Then, the outer tension spring on the right side gear box case broke. I finally replaced it after a few thousand miles. I dunno. The shifting is my one complaint about the bike, but it is a big complaint for me.

I agree with Jeff that the synthetic oil (I use the Triumph/Mobil 1) is the only way to go.

My TT600 is very slick. The RS, in comparison, is--sad to say--poor.

Kurt

[Solace]

I've got a very new '04 RS and I'm experiencing some of this as well. I'm still very early in the break-in period so I'm not racing up and down through all six, but sometimes mine has a hard time in the neighborhood of neutral. It's just plain hard to go into and out of it. Going through is no problem, but into N and out of N is tricky.

Like RikuY, I'm chalking it up to normal break-in. I'll see in a couple thousand miles.

Solace

[deller4210]

I have a 2002 ST and all of this discussion sounds familiar. Missed shifts, false neutrals, hard to shift and so on. I also find myself being very aware of the shifting process simply to ensure I don’t miss one. At this point shifting is not an intuitive act; not like my old Kawasaki 900 anyway. However, like most everybody here the more miles I get on the bike the better it gets. Just keep on ridding!

[OKAggie]

argh! :evil:

This was one complaint I was hoping had been fixed by 2004. The early EFI problems seem to have been fixed. Come on Triumph. How hard is it to fix a three year old problem?

[RSRick]

I own a 00 RS bought new in 3-03 and experienced the difficult shifting as well. Neutral at a stop light was virtually impossible! I also experienced the miss shifts and false neutrals. When I complained to the very small town dealer, he told me that it would get better after the break in oil was removed and regular oil installed. It was marginally better, but it still shifted worse than my 2 BMW Airheads, one of the clunkiest (but reliable) trannys known to man.

When I continued to complain, I was assured that it was "normal" and would improove with miles. It didn't! When I took it in for the 6000 mile service I mentioned the shifting problem to the mechanic and not the shop owner who had dismissed my complaints. A couple of minutes later after he adjusted the clutch, it now shifts GREAT!

So, I would reccommend having your shop check the clutch for a mis-adjustment.

Good Luck!

Rick