2014 Model: Problems Changing Down

[kevinw]

Is anyone else having problems changing down into the bottom three gears on the 2014 model while on the move? Fourth to third is difficult, third to second more difficult, I'm pushing hard on the pedal to get it to go into first and once there getting it to go into neutral is pretty much impossible until I've stopped.

It was fine for the first 1500 miles or so but seems to have deteriorated since. It only seems to be an issue when the bike is hot, i.e. has been running a few hours. My local dealer, who agrees it seems 'stiff', has checked the gear change linkage which is fine and is now going to have a look at the clutch. They've spoken to Yamaha UK who say they've never heard of such an issue so I wondered if anyone here has had a similar experience. Maybe that's 'just how it is' but it wasn't and none of our other bikes exhibit the same behaviour including the earlier S10.

Thanks.

Kevin

 

[Kevhunts]

A lot of posts on here about lubing the shifter pivot making the problem go away. Seems they come a little dry from the factory.

 

[kevinw]

Thanks but when they were checking the gear change linkage it was all lubricated.

I thought it was better when I picked it up afterwards but it really started giving me a hard time when we were in Italy and Greece.

Kevin

 

[limey]

It only takes a few minutes to lube the pivot , give it a try.

 

[tubebender]

+1 on what limey said.

 

[Ramseybella]

First time I took mine apart it was bone dry, cleaned it greased it and problem solved.

Unscrew it clean it off inspect it grease it then reinstall it.
Like less than 5 minutes.
See if it worked if so life is good if not than we can continue forward with this thread .. ::024::

 

[RED CAT]

Mine was the same. DRY.

 

[Random ride]

I just give mine a shot with white lithium spray every oil change. It seems to help smooth thing out a bit.

 

[kevinw]

It only takes a few minutes to lube the pivot , give it a try.

It may only take a few minutes to lubricate the pivot but the problem only manifests itself after hours of riding when the engine is hot. I'm not sure why a dry pivot will work when the engine is cool but not when the engine is hot, why applying lubricant will work any better now than it did when the dealer made a point of doing that very thing during the service before our last trip a week ago, nor why that would only have an effect when changing down into the bottom three gears but I'm quite happy to confess I don't have any better ideas.

It's moot at the moment anyway as I'm going in for an operation on my arm on Saturday and won't be on the bike for weeks unfortunately. I'll give it (or anything else people suggest) a try when I'm back on the road.

Kevin

 

[The Ferret]

The hot/cold thing suggests air in the clutch fluid. When hot the air can be compressed more and hence the clutch doesn't disengage fully.

 

[kevinw]

The hot/cold thing suggests air in the clutch fluid. When hot the air can be compressed more and hence the clutch doesn't disengage fully.

The dealer is going to pick the bike up in a couple of weeks (I told him there was no rush as I won't be riding it) and said he's going to look at the clutch. I'd have expected the bike to creep when I come to a stop if the clutch was dragging but it doesn't. Still, [shrugs] as I said up there I don't have a clue what's going on and I'm open to and will pass on all suggestions as the dealer is just as puzzled so thank you.

Kevin

 

[Mark R.]

The shifter pivot is the obvious first place to look, which you have handled. Air in the clutch line could be it. However, there was a thread on here about a bike with the same issue, and it was a spring right behind the clutch basket.

Look at this thread, reply #35: http://www.yamahasupertenere.com/index.php?topic=8839.msg151309#msg151309

 

[kevinw]

The shifter pivot is the obvious first place to look, which you have handled. Air in the clutch line could be it. However, there was a thread on here about a bike with the same issue, and it was a spring right behind the clutch basket.

Look at this thread, reply #35: http://www.yamahasupertenere.com/index.php?topic=8839.msg151309#msg151309

I think you may well have it. I'm not sure where the hot vs. cold engine fits into this scenario but the gear lever hit a mud bank when I was riding down a local byway just after it's first service (I posted about it here because I'd been a prat). I started noticing the problem a few hundred miles afterwards. I didn't think it hit particularly hard but maybe it was hard enough. I'll point the dealer to the link you gave me.

Thanks Mark.

Kevin

 

[Mark R.]

My Tenere has never down shifted like I want it to. Since I am getting a new clutch basket and cam chain tensioner, your thread prompted me to order up that spring and replace it just for the heck of it. It was only $3 or so, and I have to remove the clutch basket anyway.

 

[Travex]

I started a thread on this a while ago when I had difficulty finding neutral when the bike was young. Being unaware of the lube thing I just rode through it and it's been perfect since. Just the same, I recently lubed it.

 

[Rasher]

why applying lubricant will work any better now than it did when the dealer made a point of doing that very thing during the service before our last trip a week ago

Do you trust your dealer :question:

Not saying he did not do this, but I have found so many things that needed doing just after the dealer "had done them", a classic line is "we gave it a clean / lube sir" which at best means they squirted some WD40 at it, or at worst hoped the placebo effect of telling you they had done something would get you to piss off and leave them alone so they can concentrate on paid work.

I have a lot more faith in my local Indie who asks what you want done and then does it (at a fair price) than my main dealer who "forgot" to change the plugs on the 12k service - this amnesia was maybe brought about when he realised how long it takes to get to them and that he had given me a fixed price for the service, he also charged for a full bottle of drive fluid (the FD only takes about 1/5th of a bottle)

 

[kevinw]

Do you trust your dealer :question:

Yes. I have a long association with him and he was one of the reasons I bought a Tenere rather than updating our GSA.

Kevin

 

[Dogdaze]

Do you trust your dealer :question:

I don't!!
I reported the exact same thing to my supplying dealer and was given the same answer as Kevinw, "Yamaha UK does not and has never known of this issue", so it must be my imagination.
I have since escalated it and insisted I take it to my 'local dealer' (just outide Zurich) to investigate or they take the bike back and refund my money. Surprise!! They agreed to my local dealer to investigate and report his findings back to them, being Swiss, I'm sure my local dealer will ensure is as it should be. I speak from experience about these guys as I wanted something done on my other bike and they opened it up and took a look, said it didn't need doing and because of that said there would be no charge, I felt bad so asked them to replace the part anyway and charge me. I admit, probably a long way for other S10 owners to come and have their bikes serviced but recommended.

 

[Squibb]

No such issues on my 2014 ZE, but I did have this problem a few years back with a KTM 990 ADV - then it was air in the clutch hydraulics. A bleed through improved things, but only a replacement slave cylinder cured the issue.

I remember it was difficult to understand at the outset. The initial 1st gear selection could be a bit rough, but once working the clutch regularly early on in a ride, the air would compress & everything seemed OK. It was only after a prolonged period, usually in a high gear, that the downward changes would then crash - it felt more like an accidental clutchless down change. Once the clutch had been worked a few times all woud appear OK - briefly.

Anyway, get your dealer to follow MarR's advice through, which should fix it............. KEN ::001::