1st gear Shifting problem

[Wilsonjay28]

I have a 2005 Bull Dog that just pulled out of storage and will not shift into 1st gear. I can up shift into second and third and back down into natural but that is as far as it will go. Any suggestions on what I should check?

 

[stlmikie]

Bent fork.

 

[Chopper Dave]

try spraying some lube on your heim joints(rod ends)....they maybe binding or dry...

 

[HOOLIGAN]

Same thing happened on my Shovelhead few years back, Bent Shifter Fork. But it happened while riding. How was your bike before storage? Was everything workin properly?

 

[Can-Dog1]

It's the shift fork.

 

[Moespeeds]

Lube your Hiems, and if that doesn't fix it, disconnect the shift rod back by the tranny and try to shift right there. Try it while someone sits on the bike with it running. If it shifts from there, you have an issue with the shift lever on the forward control or the tranny. Something is out of adjustment. If you still can't get it to shift, you might have an issue inside the tranny. Shift forks are pretty simple to change.

 

[Raywood]

As Moe stated look at the shift arm on the tranny. It's on a splined shaft and could be loose allowing it to walk on the shaft and rub against the inner primary.

See if you can move it side to side and if so reset it and tighten it up. Mine came loose on mine once and caused me some shifting issues.

 

[Wilsonjay28]

I was showing the bike off to a friend last night and just out of curiosity I reached down by the tranny and moved the shift linkage forward. To my surprise it popped into first gear with no problem. I did this a couple of times moving it from 1st to neutral then into first again, and then up shifted into second and went back down to first then into neutral. I didn’t have time to see what is loose but I suspect that Moe is correct with the linkage adjustment. I am going to look at tonight after work.

 

[BorgerBigDog]

I have a hard time getting mine out of first up to second,i thought it was my shoes put on my boots same thing.Embarrasing as hell when in first try for second with a car behind you. I just start out in second and make damn sure i dont down shift to first at a stop light... Adjustment also?

 

[stlmikie]

I miss once in a while but it is really when I am reaming on it. Nothing worse than loosing a race couse of a missed gear ya know?

 

[BWG56]

I have a 2005 Bull Dog that just pulled out of storage and will not shift into 1st gear. I can up shift into second and third and back down into natural but that is as far as it will go. Any suggestions on what I should check?

Was it running or shut down? It will make a difference on what to look for. If it was shut down, sometimes moving forward or backward can make a difference in the gears meshing.

 

[twowheel99]

Usually there are two easy things to check first......

1. unhook the shift linkage (shifter rod) from the transmisson and see if it will shift by hand with the clutch lever pulled in. If it does you have a heim joint issue which is common with your model. You can try to lube the joints with some spray lube or you can do what I did and soaked each joint overnight in some light weight oil (Amzoil is the best).

2. If it still won't shift, check the shifter arm lever where it fastens to the transmisson shaft. Sometime it will loosen up and creep out against the backside of the primary case causing it to bind up.

The main thing is to make sure the clutch is adjusted and releasing properly and that the shifting linkage is as straight as possible going back to the transmisson lever so that nothing is binding up. After that you will have to adjust the shifter paw or check for a bent shifter fork.....Good Luck
Peace Out
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