I was riding all day today in low gear and started riding with a guy on a Z400. We both tool off and I forgot I was in low gear. I heard a clunking sound and instantly let off. I looked down and saw I had hit almost 40 mph. I stopped and the bike looked ok underneath. I started riding again and noticed that when I was on the gas it seemed fine but when I let off the gas I could hear the bike make a clunk clunk clunk sound as it slowed down. I started to ride in high gear after that because it didnt make the clunking noise when slowing. Here is where things got worse. We found a steep hill, so figuring I needed low to get up it and I only seemed to have trouble when slowing, I started up the hill. I got 3/4 up the hill when I hit the leaves and the rear wheels really started spinning fast. At that point I heard it clunk real loud and it stopped moving. After getting towed up the hill (couldnt go down backwards), low seemed to work fine at a steady speed, but it clunks more when slowing. Does it sound like I messed up my low range ? It almost sounded like it was coming from the front diff., but since I never had it in 4wd it didnt seem likely. Any ideas ?

John

 

From reading other posts, I think you just need to adjust your shifter linkage. It's not going all the way into low range, hence the clunking sound. That seems to be a problem on a lot of the 650s although I haven't had any trouble with mine. Hopefully, someone who has had linkage problems will respond and give us some insight.

 

I agree it sounds like the linkage needs adjusted.

 

Thanks, I'll give that a try today.

John

 

1. remove seat, battery bracket and center plastic.

2. (optional) remove cvt vent boot to more easily accesss shift rod.

3. Loosen both left hand and right hand nuts on shift rod.

4. Twist shift rod in the direction that shortens it (I can't remember which way, but it is obvious
when you look at the threads on the shift rod).

5. I ran the engine at a slightly fast idle while I was adjusting this so that as I moved the shifter I could hear the gears clack
and see at what point the gears began to mesh, then I adjusted the shifter to balance the amount of
engagement of reverse and low range. If you shorten the shifter too much, reverse won't engage enough.

6. Tighten the lock nuts, making sure that the rod can still rotate so that the joints don't bind against
each other.

Also, it is possible that the range needs to be adjusted. The range adjustment is on the shift lever itself. Lengthen this (adjust the shift rod bracket further away from shift lever pivot) if the shifter doesn't adequately shift into both reverse and low range.

 

ummmm... try putting it in 4X4 when going up said hills will get rid of the problem of being towed up them.... just a thought..

 

Yea, I know, but its a lot more fun in 2wd when its slipping around on you. Makes it more interesting. Besides, Z400 I was with would have never let me live it down since he only has 2wd and went right up it. I had been up it several times in the past with no prob.

John