Gear Shift Lever Free Play

[kris]

Just wondering if anyone knows how much free play (travel) is acceptable before undertaking a grub screw tightening. Can anyone help on this one? It's a 1986 K100RT with 63K miles on the clock. The shifting is sometimes ok and sometimes clunky....depends on her mood :dunno

[TimTyler]

Mine had quite a bit of play for 20k miles before somebody told me it wasn't supposed to be that way  :mbird Like maybe an inch+ of travel.

When I fixed mine I removed the screw, cleaned the hole threads really well, and used red threadlocker when I reinstalled the screw. It's been zero-freeplay ever since, about 20k miles.

[The Mighty Gryphon]

When I bought my K75RT it had about 4" of shifter travel.  Did the grub screw thing in a single day with my son helping me.  As Tim mentioned, I cleaned the threads with brake cleaner and used red Loctite.  Also lubed the clutch splines while I was in there. 

Bike has been shifting like it thinks it's a Honda for over 15k miles now.

[kris]

Thanks Tim and Jim for your replies. Very helpful. When using this "forever" red Loctite does this mean I am drilling it out to remove the screw in the future? Or just put heat to it to remove? I'm hoping I'll never have to do this but I felt it was worth asking the question.

Safe riding!

[The Mighty Gryphon]

I don't care if that screw never comes loose again.  Heat will loosen the Loctite, but if I have to go in there again, I would probably opt for a replacement transmission.  I am not confident of my ability to do anything right in there.

[kris]

Got it. I like the reference to the Honda transmission. I'm sure the Beemer folks (would) cringe ever time they hear that. With all the references to "German engineering" you'd think they'd have a gearbox that shifts like silk.

Thanks!