Forum Posts That Provide Insight

1

It sounds like you're pushing out the cam past it's range. It's happened to me before but luckily it's always popped back into position. I'll try to explain this. First loosen off the clutch cable completely at the lever and at the sprocket cover. Now you need to set the clutch rod free play. See the hex nut on the sprocket cover and the slotted bolt that it's holding? Hold the bolt and loosen the hex nut. I can't quite remember which way to turn but try both directions. What you're looking for is tightening to the point that the cam ball bearing touches the clutch rod. You can feel it touching each other when it's at the right point. Then back it off about 1/8 turn. Now the clutch rod will guarantee that the clutch springs are fully engaged when you release the lever. Now connect the cable to the clutch lever. Set the cable adjuster by turning the threaded disc all the way against the cable stop. Now begin tightening the adjuster on the sprocket cover by increasing the length between the 2 hex nuts on the cable. Do this until the lever has almost no play. Tighten the nuts against each other to set the cable length. You can fine adjust the cable at the lever by turning the disc away from the stop but always leave a slight amount of looseness to make sure the clutch is completely engaged when you release the lever.

2

things to check: make sure the shifter pedal is not loose (inspect it when the bike is parked). Wiggle it around - are any bolts loose? I had this problem on a honda when some of the bolts for the bracket holding it had worked a bit loose.... was hard to get into first and second.

when moving - check your technique for shifting.... where is your foot when you are ready to go from first to second? On harder shift bikes, I find it easier to "stage" my foot - like from first to second, get the foot under the shifter - put a slight upward pressure on it (you can actually put a bit of pressure on it)- pull the clutch, at the same time increasing pressure upward. Think of "pressing" the shifter up until it clicks.... like lifting a heavy weight upward in a smooth motion with your toe....don't try to "bump" it upward - sharp, short "kicks" to shift can lead to inconsistent engagement if you don't get the lever all the way up.... especially that 1-2 shift...)

The other thing this does, is because you are shifting as you are releasing the clutch - your foot is in place, the shift starts sooner, and will occur as the throttle is released.... and not - pull clutch, wait for RPM to drop all the way down, then try to shift.

in effect, you would be shifting closer to where the engine speed matches the driveline / road speed for that next gear..... if you are higher in the RPM as you shift from one gear to another - letting the engine drop too low in RPM is harder because the gears in the transmission are moving at different rates....

sloppy shifting technique was why my magna would sometimes pop out of second as well - it wasn't fully engaged, and it's a slightly different travel than the other shifts.