01 Ninja doesn't want to down shift...

[DocCola]

this just started in the last 50-60 miles of riding, done today. NEVER had a problem with my bike like this til now and I've put over 11,000 miles on it myself.

So the issue is the bike started not wanting to be down shifted from 2nd to 1st when coming to a stop. I would have to kick the shifter kind of hard to get it into 1st and it would go. Then it started to get harder and harder to get into 1st. Now I have to really fight it to get it into 1st. Hell, in the last couple miles on the way home after getting off the highway down shifting through the gears it gave me a hard time getting into 2nd or 3rd.

So it's pretty annoying. I'm not sure what it could be, linkage, trans, clutch???? I have no idea. The bike will up shift no problem at all and down shifting through the higher gears is fine...but now it feels like it's getting worse.

Any ideas what I should look for? Suppose to be going for a ride tomorrow, don't want to lose out on a beautiful day not being able to ride. Even though I'm not incredibly mechanically inclined but I have basic knowledge and I have my father to help me who knows his stuff mechanically...just looking for ideas of what it could be or what to look for.

[KB]

Adjust the clutch cable.

KB

[gjarrett29]

I would like to know to my 636 started doing the samething it comes and goes

[vintage ex race]

It could be a couple of things,
1-- it could be a bent shiftting fork on the worst end or,
2-- it could be the detent spring , does the shift lever seem to have spring tension in both directions? or,
3- I have had problems in the past with some oils, I had a bike that I ran Spectro oil in from the day it was new and I sent it out to a shop for some repair and had them change the oil and they put Torco 10-40 in it and after about 20 miles it started hanging in gear, dumped oil and put specto back in Problem solved hope this helps
4- Adjust the clutch

[DuncanMoto]

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry9000/4.6.0.297 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/102)

Oil would be my first inspection.
When did you last change it?
Is the level correct (ie. Not overfilled)
Did you switch oils recently?
Chaing the oil now and look for metal on you drain plug or in the oil.

[union]

Make sure the linkage is tight. That would be my first place to look.

[Stoneman]

Besides the aformentioned, try blipping the trottle when you downshift - keep the RPM's up. And yeah, I said 'trottle'...

[Punjistick]

Does a Ninja use a shift drum? I had to replace that in my EX-500 when it woudn't downshift. But mine did it in all gears not just getting it into 1st.

[DocCola]

Well to update you guys it's still doing it and now its acting weird for each gear, well most but I think its linkage related because I realized if I'm going to down shift I have to push the shifter up a bit with my toe then down shift. Works fine. A bit annoying but I can go through the gears now up or down without to much hassell. Guess its time to call a few shops since I don't have the time, tools or knowlage to do it myself. Thanks for the input.

[Degsy]

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.508 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/105)

Adjust the clutch cable.

KB

Bingo!! Unless you have a hydraulic clutch, in which case bleed it, unless you have a Ducati in which case throw out the cvrappy stock slave cylinder and buy a nice one from yoyodyne.

[stoinkythepig]

My 01 Ninja did something similar and it was just a matter of cleaning up and re-greasing the pivot point of the shifter. It should have a grease fitting, IMO.

[gjarrett29]

I did try a new oil thats when it started went back to old brand hasn't do it again yet

[DuncanMoto]

Some transmissions are very particular with their oils.