Short Gears?

[jdmitrcivic]

Hello KR, I own a stock 97 600 kat. When I shift the bike into 3rd gear after redlining 2nd (11k rpm) my rpms drop to about 9k rpms +/- It also does roughly the same thing shifting into 4th gear. Are 3rd and 4th gear really that short (2k rpms), or is my clutch slipping or something? Thanks in advance!

[Kreylyn]

Hello KR, I own a stock 97 600 kat. When I shift the bike into 3rd gear after redlining 2nd (11k rpm) my rpms drop to about 9k rpms +/- It also does roughly the same thing shifting into 4th gear. Are 3rd and 4th gear really that short (2k rpms), or is my clutch slipping or something? Thanks in advance!

Sounds about right to me...

Krey

[jdmitrcivic]

Okay, I was just curious as to why those particualr gears only have about a 2k rpm powerband. I have any aftermarket lever on the bike since the original was busted by the PO. With this lever and the clutch adjusted to the best of my abilities, there is no free play in the lever. If I add some slack, I have trouble shifting into neutral, and when I intially shift into first gear the bike lurches forward abruptly. Is the powerband short so that when I'm cruising down the highway at 65-70 mph, I'm only revving to ~5500-6000rpms? Do you guys suggest I get the oem lever, so I can do the clutch adjustment by the book. I don't want to wear out my clutch prematurely by not having it adjusted properly. Keep the suggestions coming.

If anybody reading this that lives near the 951 area (so cal) Hit me up if you'd like to go on a ride up highway 74 through Idlwild. It's praticaly in my backyard.

[jdmitrcivic]

Well I rode my kat to work (80 mile round trip) On the way home, if I approached a stop with the clutch in and come to a complete stop...then try to downshift, I was having issues getting it to change gears. If I approached the stop and blipped the throttle to downshift and get all of my downshifting completed before I came to a stop, everything was okay. So I guess my clutch is dragging, since I would have to rock the bike back and forth when stopped to downshift through the gears. Looks like I have something to mess with when I get home. Does anybody else have any input on the 2k rpm powerband I mentioned in the original post?

[zeekage]

I think the kat gears are kind of short. It's just the way they are. Even when I'm in 6th gear on the highway I end up trying to shift into 7th about 50% of the time.

Also, IIRC when i cruise at 70, i'm at 5.5k RPM in 6th. 75 is 6k RPM.

Honestly, most of the time i go from 1st to 2nd to 3rd and then skip to 6th. Anyone else do the same most of the time?

[scottynoface]

Well I rode my kat to work (80 mile round trip) On the way home, if I approached a stop with the clutch in and come to a complete stop...then try to downshift, I was having issues getting it to change gears. If I approached the stop and blipped the throttle to downshift and get all of my downshifting completed before I came to a stop, everything was okay. So I guess my clutch is dragging, since I would have to rock the bike back and forth when stopped to downshift through the gears. Looks like I have something to mess with when I get home. Does anybody else have any input on the 2k rpm powerband I mentioned in the original post?

Everything is fine man, relax. This is the way motorcycle transmissions work. At a stop, the odds of the gears being lined up is remote, which is why you can't shift through the gears at a stop like a car can. All sequential manual transmissions are like this, get in an F430 with the paddle shifters and see how it likes going from 4th to 1st at a stop. When the gears don't line up, you rock the bike to get the transmission moving and the gears fall into place. Also remember that you have drive AND driven gears that need to interact.

Im not saying your clutch isn't dragging, but everything you've mentioned in this thread is 100% normal.

[diavolo]

In regard to the clutch lever, you should have about 1/2" of play measured at the outermost end of the lever. 5500-6000 rpm at 75 mph sounds about right in 6th (my 750 is 80mph @ 6000 rpm). First order would be to adjust the free play properly, so you don't destroy your clutch, or worse, your synchros/gears.

[jdmitrcivic]

Thanks for all the info guys, I guess it's not something to be concerned about...Now I can get back to enjoying it!

[whitecl0ver]

Well I rode my kat to work (80 mile round trip) On the way home, if I approached a stop with the clutch in and come to a complete stop...then try to downshift, I was having issues getting it to change gears. If I approached the stop and blipped the throttle to downshift and get all of my downshifting completed before I came to a stop, everything was okay. So I guess my clutch is dragging, since I would have to rock the bike back and forth when stopped to downshift through the gears. Looks like I have something to mess with when I get home. Does anybody else have any input on the 2k rpm powerband I mentioned in the original post?

also easing the lever out some not enough to make it die but enough to will you can feel it starting to pull forward will make the gears fall into place too...pull the lever back in and continue down to first works every time...

[Fullmetal]

everything you've mentioned in this thread is 100% normal.

This.

Sounds fine to me man. Get out there and ride.

[scottynoface]

also easing the lever out some not enough to make it die but enough to will you can feel it starting to pull forward will make the gears fall into place too...pull the lever back in and continue down to first works every time...

This is a good point too. If the light changes green while I'm still trying to line them up, letting the clutch lever out to the friction point kinda smacks the box into picking a gear. Good call clover

[whitecl0ver]

This is a good point too. If the light changes green while I'm still trying to line them up, letting the clutch lever out to the friction point kinda smacks the box into picking a gear. Good call clover

yeah my v-star does it every now and then...ironically my Kat never did....

[jdmitrcivic]

Good tip Clover. Thanks.