5th gen popping out of gear?

When I bought the bike it was shifting bad and slipping the clutch on WOT shifts from 2nd to 3rd.

After changing the oil it shifts much better and slips less. I should probably do the clutch eventually. It hasn't been slipping lately but that may just be because I'm not riding it so hard.

One it a while while cruising or lightly accelerating in 6th it pops out of gear and revs till I let off and shift back up into gear, then seems to be fine.

Today it did it in 3rd under medium acceleration and scared me a little bit because I was mid-corner and it changed my balance when it let go. I shift back into gear and it's fine again. Today it did it once in 6th and once in 3rd. I also believe I've hit a false neutral between 5th and 6th a few times but that's probably just not being deliberate enough with my shifts.

The bike does have 60k miles on it but everything else operates great. Anybody have this problem before?

 

Make sure your clutch fluid has been changed recently, and bleed the line just in case.

60k miles might mean a new clutch or a clutch refurb is in order--Mine was slipping at 35k.

Also, make sure your firm on your shifts. Try easier things first and see how she goes.

 

The dogs could be worn. I'd check the pushrod that the slave cylinder actuates for debris causing the clutch to not disengage.

 

Power shifting from first to second puts stress on the engagement dogs and shift forks. If it keeps coming oot of gear, your instore for a motor oot - case split experience.

The sixth gear on these bikes, I feel its almost like an over drive, so that being said, reserve that sixth gear for "hauling arse" speeds. I shift mine at 90mph or so, tacho is at 8000-9000 rpm maybe>?

Cheers and good luck

 

If it's one gear I'd suspect dogs, multiple gears the shift fork bent?? Check the pushrod and bleed it first. Check the clutch plates & then transmission rebuild. Engine swap may be cheaper/easier, I just went through that.

 

So another scary thing has been happening lately. Cruising with light throttle or slight acceleration the bike will downshift all by itself. :confusion: Never happens under heavy acceleration.

I am starting to think days are numbered with this one.

 

New clutch

 

Sounds like the gearbox is toast for one reason or another, although I tend to agree with Vfrcapn that it is most likely bent shifting fork/s, which will not engage the dogs on the gears far enough, leading to the bike jumping out of gear after a shift. If it happens often enough the dogs get get worn down and you start jumping out of gear while under acceleration or if they're really bad, at any time. You'll have to bite the bullet and fix it before something frags and you take out the engine too. Whether you fix it or replace the whole motor/gearbox is up to you.

 

I have a 5th gen with the same mileage. The clutch is good for many more miles unless seriously abused. I have had a Honda cb750 with a bad clutch before and the symptoms were pretty close to what you were describing. Easy on the gas its fine but WOT it would slip into higher rpms suddenly at the high end of the powerband. I ordered a Barnett Kevlar clutch pack with new springs. Install was a snap. YouTube is good for noobs in this area.

If it is slipping into neutral that is different but if its suddenly peaking rpms in the same gear its probably a worn clutch pack.

I also had recently a clogged pressure relief hole on my clutch master cylinder. Took a length of wire, poked it In, bled the whole system with new fluid, back to normal.

 

As described I would take a look at the shift drum center and stopper. Sounds like it is not going all the way into gear to me. You can remove the cover with little effort and inspect the operation and inspect the condition of 7,8,9 and 19.

http://www.bikebandit.com/oem-parts/2000-honda-interceptor-800-vfr800fi/o/m151373#sch95724