Loose fitting shifter on '01 Sprint

[Hokie]

While I had some down time last week, I pulled my shifter assembly apart and sanded some rust off the rod and re-cleared it. I've always felt the shifter was loose on the shaft, but never realized just how loose it is until then. When I was taking the bolt out, it was so loose that the shifter kicked sideways on the shaft and stripped the bolt. So, I picked up a new bolt and tightened it down pretty tight, but not too much for fear of striping it out. The shifter is still pretty loose. It has enough play in it that it will "wiggle" back and forth.

It's not a big deal considering once the bolt is in good it keeps the shifter from sliding off the shaft and the ribs in the shaft/shifter keep it all working properly but this is the first bike I've had where it was this loose. Usually you have to work to get the shifter off because it is usually pretty tight. The bike shifts fine and feels smooth, but I was just curious if anyone else has noticed this?

-Shane

[MVP44]

Hokie - when you say loose do you mean clearance between the teeth of the shaft and shift lever or am I not seeing the picture correctly.

[suva57]

If it's the point where the shifter actually pivits mine is sloppy too.
It looks like something Kawasaki would design.

[Hokie]

It is like the shifter is made to fit a larger diameter shaft. The teeth keep it shifting, but there is alot of play there. And I've tightened it down to the point that I am afraid to tighten anymore. Like I said, it is not going anywhere, just doesn't quite seem right to me.

[John21]

I know what you mean because my wife's shifter did the same thing. It's the ball pivot points.

What I did was to make a custom fitted one. Getting modern ball joints is pretty easy from specialty hardware shops. Then, just cut and thread a rod and it is good as new...........er........I mean better than new.

I think this is a weakness of the parts because my wife is a "granny shifter". Me too, as a matter of fact.............John

[Hokie]

Actually, I think mine is where the shifter "pinches" the shift rod (that goes inside the engine) not in the ball joints in the shifter linkage, if that is what you are referring too, but I would like to try to make a different rod there as well to lower the shifter a hair more.

[steventhechef]

I too pulled mine off last week.

I have noticed that the shifting has been a bit sloppy of late and that is what made me look..

The shaft and shifter were fine but the rubber grommets in the ball joints in the bar were worn out and fell off. No biggie but I'll have to replace them.

I have discovered a false neutrel between 4th and 5th and I hope that fixing this may make the changing more precise and fix the false neutrels too!! Here's hoping

[norcaltriumph]

that others have done on their bikes is installing a Daytona/Speed Triple shifter on their Sprints. These are the direct connection shift levers that do away with the linkage rod altogether, yielding a much more positive shift action (although at the expense of having the shifter a little closer to the peg). I plan on trying this out sometime in the future.

[GJJ]

Mine is an 01 and I kow exactly what you are talking about. It works fine and I have been ignoring it. It sure does not seem right though. That Daytona shifter sound like something to investigate.

Gary

[Hokie]

Yeah, I've been keeping the Daytona shifter in the back of my mind for quite a while now. The main reason is because I don't have the flexibility/range of motion in my ankles that I used to and I need the shifter to be just a hair lower to be able to downshift w/o having to put my ankle in a bind. I've kinda gotten used to it and it doesn't bother me much now, but I'd still like to do it sometime.

If I remember correctly though, that Daytona shifter is made out of solid gold because they want something like $100USD for it.