Stuck in 1st gear at startup...

I just bought my first bike - a 2001 sprint ST. Love it...

I've got one niggle though. When I start the bike, I can't engage 2nd gear. If I drive for half a mile or so, I can 'squeeze' it into higher gears. After another half-mile, everything is OK.

Any others had similar probs? Is there a fix?

I thought that it was to do with the oil in the gearbox needing to heat up, so yesterday I left the bike to idle for 10 minutes before starting off - same story...


Thanks for any advice...

[RikuY]

I had the same thing. Gearbox is tight is all...
What I do now is after my bike is warmed up, I click into 2nd and then pop it down to first. It tends to behave normally when I do that, but it takes a good 10K miles before it gets to be a slick shifter...

One thing though, check and make sure your shift linkages are okay and secure. They could be loose.

Oracle, how many miles on the bike? The gearbox on pre '02 STs takes a while to loosen up. Its famous for it.

Also - check your clutch adjustment and oil level, both can make a difference to shifting.

[thfwsf]

Oracle,

I just got myself a new "01" late December of last year and have just really started to ride this spring. Like you, I find getting it out of first is a pain in the arse. Like RikyU stated, I find it a lot easier to snick it down from 2nd than up from first. I also park my ST and leave it in nuetral when I stop it for the night. Not many miles on mine yet, but in the few miles I've put on it, it is shifting easier. Especially since I had my break-in service performed.

My 2000 ST has done this since new and it has 14K on it now.
What I do to deal with this-

Soon after startup I ease up the drive, and ride slowly through the neighborhood for 2-3 blocks in first, about 2000- 2500 rpm. Then out in traffic, still in first, I preload the shifter with a little foot pressure, clutch in and the gear changes into 2nd with little difficulty. From that point I have no further problem.

Apparently on the tighter transmissions oil has to come up to temp before everything in the transmission works as it should. I had a 1995 BWM R1100RS that did exactly the same thing. The same technique mentioned above worked on it also.

Thanks for the responses guys...

The bike had 10K miles on it when I bought it (a couple of weeks ago) - would you not have expected it to have already loosened up by now?

I'll check the shift linkages, clutch adjustment and oil level like Riku & Snowdog99 say though...


Riku (& thfwsf): When you say

after my bike is warmed up, I click into 2nd and then pop it down to first

, do you mean that you let it heat up before moving off, click it up, then back to first then take off? If so, how long do you let it heat up for?

TxRider: Oh, I didn't realise this was a common thing...


Thanks...

I get this problem once and a while too. Usually it helps to let the bike warm up more or I use my hand and jostle the gear shifter horizontiality. It seems to work. I never have this problem on a hot day, only in the morning when it's still colder out.

[preachp]

Hi oracle,
The dealer I bought my ST from said that his wrench can tell if someone has dino oil in the engine by exactly what you describe. Try the Mobil 1 4T 15/50 in it and see if it smooths out. Just a thoguht.

Preachp

[RikuY]

I let the bike warm up to at least 130 degrees F. Engage clutch, click into 2nd, then immediately into 1st and then take-off. I don't know why it works, it just does... a majority of the time, anyhow... :-D

[ikonoklass]

Could this be due to a worn-out chain? I've been having the same issue lately, and my original chain is nearing 18,000 miles. Another thing: At my last service, the dealer put just enough oil in to indicate at the lower bar in the sight glass. I added enough to bring it up to the higher bar in the sight glass. The dealer and I used the same Mobil 1 synthetic recommended by Triumph. I wonder if this problem could be caused by too much oil in the crankcase.