Any idea what causes hard shifting? I picked up a used 2012 XR650L with less than 7,000 miles. I noticed that it feels hard to shift, especially from 1st to 2nd and 2nd to 3rd. It takes some effort. Shifting to 4th and 5th feels okay. I've owned cruisers, sport tourers, adventure, and enduro bikes. None of them felt hard to shift. That's probably why I noticed it on the XR650L. Any idea why it feels hard to shift? Great video, by the way. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
First simple thing that comes to mind is that your clutch cable is too loose. Sometimes if the cable is too loose, the clutch doesn’t fully disengage and when that happens it can be hard to shift gears. Try that first and if that’s not the problem then it may be an even bigger issue with the shift fork.
I would site your owners manual. They should have proper torque specs for all the bolts and the clutch basket. In this case, I had to do the work with limited tools and tightened the bolts snugly without over tightening. If you have access, I’d site your manual and use a torque wrench 🤙🏼
Yeah every time you change the plates, you should readjust the cable. Start to tighten the cable and keep feeling to see where the clutch engages until you find the sweet spot.
There’s nothing I enjoy more than watching other ppl work 😅
hahahahahaha
Any idea what causes hard shifting? I picked up a used 2012 XR650L with less than 7,000 miles. I noticed that it feels hard to shift, especially from 1st to 2nd and 2nd to 3rd. It takes some effort. Shifting to 4th and 5th feels okay. I've owned cruisers, sport tourers, adventure, and enduro bikes. None of them felt hard to shift. That's probably why I noticed it on the XR650L. Any idea why it feels hard to shift? Great video, by the way. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
First simple thing that comes to mind is that your clutch cable is too loose. Sometimes if the cable is too loose, the clutch doesn’t fully disengage and when that happens it can be hard to shift gears. Try that first and if that’s not the problem then it may be an even bigger issue with the shift fork.
What’s the right measure of torque they should have?
I would site your owners manual. They should have proper torque specs for all the bolts and the clutch basket. In this case, I had to do the work with limited tools and tightened the bolts snugly without over tightening. If you have access, I’d site your manual and use a torque wrench 🤙🏼
Where do you get your parts?
Rocky mountain atv/mc
Did you have to adjust clutch cable? Mines letting all the way out and I’m fixing to change my clutch
Yeah every time you change the plates, you should readjust the cable. Start to tighten the cable and keep feeling to see where the clutch engages until you find the sweet spot.