[gashousegorilla]

 Yea, I agree 1000% with the above. Same experience here, Especially in regards to the C-5. That being said Bradey, you know your bike, and if something is not right, I hear you. I've been there. Do as Quinn suggests, it makes perfect sense. I have learned to approach problems as not thinking it's something catastrophic. Start with the little things first, It could be just a clutch adjustment needed ? Or shifting habits? Or it could be a problem with clutch or trans. Let us know how you make out, we will help if we can.

[singhg5]

On the last two long rides (120 miles last weekend and 110 sweet miles today) I experienced the tranny popping out of 5th and 4th a couple of times.  I think maybe I'm not being firm in shifting.  That could be the problem.

Prof.

I am sure you have read the posts before this one.  Br. Quinn writes so well that it was a joy to read his description of the problem, why it happens, and what are possible solutions.  I, like GHG before me, agree with him 100%.  Shifting too early is the main culprit.  It must be ruled out before anything else - even though a lot of things / mechanical faults can also do the same.  It is shifting habit or occasional sloppiness that happens with all of us - may be tired or not fully focussed or got distracted or boot not fully under the gear lever.

One thing - Do NOT shift until you have reached the minimum speed or rpm for that gear AND that the momentum of the bike is enough that it does not slow down to a speed that is less than what is required for shifting to next gear, while you are shifting the gear.

By momentum, I mean if the road is at a slight incline (up), even if you reach the "correct" speed to change the gear but by the time the gear shifting is complete, the bike may slow down to "less than correct" speed.  So it is important to reach and then maintain "correct" speed for a while to build up momentum.  

The speed for changing gears has been discussed earlier in one of the threads under UCE.  For shifting up, it is more or less, 2nd at 15 mph, 3rd at 25 mph, 4th at 35 mph, and 5th at 45 mph.  I think the rpm is about 3000 under those conditions.  

Whenever I had any gear shifting issue, I have found that I was not attentive at that exact moment.  On the other hand if I actually look at the speedometer to see if I have reached the desired speed, and then change gear - it works fine.

I know some people can hear the sound and can guess the rpms or speed.  I thought that I was one of them - but Alas ! if I look objectively the number of times my hearing guess work has let me down vs. visual confirmation at the speedometer, I must concede the latter wins.

[prof_stack]

Prof.

I am sure you have read the posts before this one.  Br. Quinn writes so well that it was a joy to read his description of the problem, why it happens, and what are possible solutions.  I, like GHG before me, agree with him 100%.  Shifting too early is the main culprit.  It must be ruled out before anything else - even though a lot of things / mechanical faults can also do the same.  It is shifting habit or occasional sloppiness that happens with all of us - may be tired or not fully focussed or got distracted or boot not fully under the gear lever.

One thing - Do NOT shift until you have reached the minimum speed or rpm for that gear AND that the momentum of the bike is enough that it does not slow down to a speed that is less than what is required for shifting to next gear, while you are shifting the gear.
...

Thanks for the comments.  You might well be correct.  I tend to shift at lower rather than higher rpm's.  The motor is getting smoother with each ride so winding it up a little more is easier now than when new. 

[BRADEY]

Going through your responses I presume these are two different problems related to the Tranny.

In my case the bike pops out of gear ONLY on hitting a bump or ditch on the road, and never by itself, as in the case of Prof. which I suppose happens soon after he changes a gear.

IMO the problem with Prof. bike could very much be due to improper shifting or correct engagement of gears, and in my case the culprit could be a loose cam plate............

[qgolden]

Yes Bradey I agree,
Based on your description I would agree your issue is mechanical, it certainly should not pop out of gear when you hit a bump, (unless I am unconsciously resting my clunky size 12's on the shifter    ).

[singhg5]

Yes Bradey I agree,
Based on your description I would agree your issue is mechanical, it certainly should not pop out of gear when you hit a bump, (unless I am unconsciously resting my clunky size 12's on the shifter    ).

Once I was looking at the pictures of riders in a motorcycle magazine.  I was interested in how the riders sit on the bike.  May sound very simple but it was somehow interesting to me.  My focus shited to how they place their boots on the foot peg.  I then tried to imitate them and experiment.  To my surprise, I felt different when I placed the toe of my boot on foot-peg vs. middle of sole of the boot on the foot-peg.  With the toe on foot-peg, I felt more alert and sort of preferred that position.  Once in a while I would sit with middle of my sole rested on foot-peg.  One day while riding over a railway lines crossing, my bike bumped up and then as it touched down on road it almost stopped with rear wheel locked.  In a fraction of second, I realised that my right foot had hit the rear brake - because my foot had lifted off the foot-peg and fell straight back with my toe of boot hitting the brake lever and middle of boot resting on foot peg.

Then I was certain why riders in magazine were riding with their toes on the foot-peg  .  

[gashousegorilla]

 Singh, I did that on rt 202, remember those horrible bumps that went all the way across the lane? I did it at night doing about 50, almost lost it Not on the Enfield though, scarred the hell out of me!!

[BRADEY]

Had a tête-à-tête with my service engineer on the issue of why my bike pops out of gear. He suggested that this may call for splitting the engine  and there is no surity if this could still be rectified.

Honestly it does not happen very frequently hence I do not want them to split my new engine. However if the frequency increases once the warranty expires... I may have to pay for the engine job.... ! What should I do ?

Can anybody identify the possible causes of this problem !!

[gashousegorilla]

Had a tête-à-tête with my service engineer on the issue of why my bike pops out of gear. He suggested that this may call for splitting the engine  and there is no surity if this could still be rectified.

Honestly it does not happen very frequently hence I do not want them to split my new engine. However if the frequency increases once the warranty expires... I may have to pay for the engine job.... ! What should I do ?

Can anybody identify the possible causes of this problem !!

Bradey, I would get the work done under warranty, with out a doubt.By a dealer who KNOW"S whats wrong. And one that you feel confident in.

[singhg5]

Had a tête-à-tête with my service engineer on the issue of why my bike pops out of gear. He suggested that this may call for splitting the engine   and there is no surity if this could still be rectified.

Honestly it does not happen very frequently hence I do not want them to split my new engine. However if the frequency increases once the warranty expires... I may have to pay for the engine job.... ! What should I do ?

Can anybody identify the possible causes of this problem !!

Some of the possible reasons were mentioned in the thread earlier.  I will not repeat them, assuming you have looked at them.  But can you verify a few things -

1. Were you able to get the spring replaced in front of you as SSR had suggested and torqued correctly ?
2.  How are your chains ? are they too loose or too tight ?
3.  How about clutch - is the play about 4 - 5 mm ? (book says 2 to 3 mm but that appears too tight).
4.  When the bike hits a bump, has the gear ever shifted UP (from 2nd to 3rd or from 3rd to 4th ?)  or is it always shifting DOWN (from 4th to 3rd or 3rd to 2nd, etc).
5.  Is it possible that the gear was NEVER properly seated before hitting the bump ?

Do a test - Go to a bumpy road.  Shift to 3rd gear with full attention until FULLY seated.  Run bike on bumps without shifting gear, but change throttle position.  See if it 'jumps' out of 3rd gear.  Then change to 4th gear unitl FULLY engaged - run bike on bumps without shifting gears but vary the speed by moving throttle.  See if bike 'jumps' out of gear. Repeat with 5th gear too.  

[qgolden]

singhg5 is right, and as has been posted before, if at all possible you need to be able to create the conditions that cause the problem.  That will go a long way to solving it.

-Q

[BRADEY]

Thanks, for your suggestions Singhg5, qgolden & GHG.

The bike has never shifted from one gear to another. It always shifts into a neutral between two gears. But it never "jumps"    from a neutral between 5&4 to 3. What this means is, it will come into a neutral between the gear she is riding in and the next lower gear................!! I hope this is clear.

[qgolden]

Very clear.

So can you create the conditions that cause it upon demand.  In other words does the same bump at the same speed always do it?

Does it happen on a regular commute for you at the same location?

Have you tried to turn your shifting habits into a process so you can document the conditions under which it occurs?

[singhg5]

Thanks, for your suggestions Singhg5, qgolden & GHG.

The bike has never shifted from one gear to another. It always shifts into a neutral between two gears.

Sometimes on hitting a bump your bike gear disengages and it comes into a 'false' neutral (between two consecutive gears, but not enganged).

Question - When you had the repair done, were 2 springs replaced or only 1 ?

As was pointed out by SSR, there are 2 springs - part 4 and part 5 in one of the pictures posted by Quinn.  Part 4 is the spring on the rocker shaft and part 5 is the spring for the striker.  

[BRADEY]

No, RE only replaced the striker spring 5 and not 4. Is this spring responsible for proper tension in the rocker shaft, which changes gear by the sideways movement of gear lever shaft