[ChicagoAJ]

I wonder if your clutch cable is somehow off. I cant say i personally know, but is the tension on a motorcycle cable supposed to change as you increase gears on a motorcycle? If its anything like a bike deraileur then all gears can seemingly work fine until your tallest gear. Thats where the gearing can manifest it problems when the tension in the cable is off (to high or low depending on type of deraileur). If not, I wonder if its related to your clutch.
Just being academic. I would also likely be taking it to the dealer.

The only thing I think it could be is either I'm not preloading the shifter or I'm trying to skip gears from 4th to 6th and it doesn't seem to like that. It really doesn't like shifting into high gears when only going 40mph or so, I just got back from a 150 mile ride and it didn't happen once. I think I'll still stop by a dealer just to make sure.

And the first thing I thought of was my clutch cable slack, but it's fine. The harder I am on the bike and the higher the rpms the better it shifts, so if anything I just need to keep them up.

 

[Beerded Wanderer]

Trying to double up shift never went well for me. In normal city traffic I'll run 0-35/40 in first then use 2nd for 35/40-50 and cruise in 3rd maybe 4th. Never considered 6th for anything other than 75+ on highway.

 

[G-Dub]

Not that I do it all the time, but mine will cruise just fine at 35-40mph in 6th on level streets. Of course, if I thought I might have to make a quick get-away or a pass I would use a lower gear.

 

[mike d]

I've can't remember doing any double up shifts. I do wring it out quickly through the gears though and never had a problem, I'll try double shifting next time I'm out and report back.

 

[G-Dub]

Sometimes if I take off quickly (ok, every chance I get) and get to cruising speed in 3rd or 4th, I'll double shift to 5th or 6th since the ratios are so closely spaced. Never had any issues with it. Is this practice not recommended?

I'm assuming by double shifting we're talking about shifting through a gear without releasing the clutch.

 

[Beerded Wanderer]

I'm assuming by double shifting we're talking about shifting through a gear without releasing the clutch.

That's what I was talking about, it produced a very clunky, not smooth transition for me and fighting me on the second up shift so I gave it up. Something I tried as I learned this bike. Works better when I let out the clutch to complete the first change briefly and do another shift, or clutchless shift . Clutchless I can do a rapid two gear hop really smooth. But still around town i use 3rd mostly.

 

[Jeffro]

If you don't know why just swing past a bike shop. Easy

 

[Doddy666]

I hope you don't have a problem, best to get the dealer to check anyway.

I've noticed on some bikes they don't always like some brands of oil, what oil are you using?
My old r6 5eb had some very odd issues when I used motul oil. After about 100miles I noticed the clutch basket was rattling at idle (clutch out), I missed a couple of shifts (thought it was just me) and 50 miles later the top end was rattling and getting worse. I changed the oil again with silkolene, all the issues disappeared within minutes. Odd but my brother has a r6 track bike and bought the motul aswell (it was on offer) and had to switch back because of the same issues.

One thing I have to say about this bike is the shifting is ultra smooth on mine. Since I've added the quickshifter clutch shifting isn't as smooth ( I think it's because it cuts spark) but when using the quickshifter it's awsome, I love it.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

 

[ChicagoAJ]

I think I can attribute the problem to double upshifting. Or going to slow for 6th gear.

For oil, I just use the kit from Suzuki, only 1,500 miles since my last change, so maybe it's just due for one, but I really think it'll be ok for 3,000 miles between changes.

I'll have to see what the dealer says when I make my way in there.

Thanks for all the responses guys!

 

[ChicagoAJ]

After about an hour of experimenting, I seem to have isolated the issue.

Now I don't normally ride around in 6th gear at 40-45mph but I feel like I should be able to if I want. But every 1 in 10 or 15 shifts from 5th to 6th at this speed will either result in a false neutral or a click like it made it to 6th followed by a clunk back into 5th when I release the clutch.

However, if I'm doing these speeds and shift without the clutch, up OR down it works 100% of the time. Also, if I'm going faster than 55mph I've never ever experienced this. Otherwise the trans is perfect.

After researching online I found some other Suzuki forums (GSXR and Hayabusa) describing exactly what I'm experiencing. "Too slow for 6th gear to mesh from 5th."

I'm still going to drop by my dealer and get a service ticket printed up and have them check it out just in case I run into issues later on. So if people want to fiddle around with their bikes and try shifting into 6th a bunch of times at 40mph and see if they ever get a missed shift - that'd be great.

Thanks again guys.

 

[trickytruckertrev]

no problems at any speed with my gear box,ive even put a 18 tooth gear box on and it will still run at 30mph in sixth

 

[ChicagoAJ]

no problems at any speed with my gear box,ive even put a 18 tooth gear box on and it will still run at 30mph in sixth

So will mine. But it doesn't much like going into 6th lol.

 

[LEAVEITSTOCK]

chicago hope all is ok im sure it is..i will not be looking for this 5 to sixth gear thing, dont like looking for problems....i always shift gear during a pull no matter how slight..never on constant throttle....

 

[Freebird23103]

Now this is interesting. I too have escaped the cult of Harley (thank God) with the purchase of my DL650 a year and a half ago and now my GSXS. I have never even attempted a clutchless shift but will give it a go next time on the bike.

So, after second gear, back off on the throttle a bit and just shift? Interesting.

Every Jap Bike I have owned shifted buttery smooth this way. You will be amazed once you get the hang of it how smooth and quickly your up shifts will be. Back off the throttle a split second, hit the shift up and immediately crack the throttle back open again.

Rinse and repeat lol

 

[ChicagoAJ]

So will mine. But it doesn't much like going into 6th lol.

Well, unsurprisingly the dealer found nothing wrong. But it still happens occasionally. It doesn't like to be shifted into 6th anywhere near the speeds between 45-60. A lot of Busa owners say they have the same problem. However, if I'm not using the clutch the bike never fails to shift. So I just need to get used to not using the clutch for 5th and 6th gear shifts.

This bike loves not using the clutch between 4th and 6th UP OR DOWN.

I'll just have to relearn how to shift this thing.

 

[mike d]

On my commutes, I usually try to shift up to sixth when I reach a constant speed, even when I'm only doing 45 or 50 just to watch my fuel consumption gauge hit high numbers. That usually means shifting without wringing the throttle. I haven't had a problem (yet). On my bike, I do get a "firm" clunk going into first, and I've had an occasional downshift into "no gear" which requires me to let out the clutch and re-shift. These are things I've experienced on other bikes too, so I haven't been too worried.

 

[Stuc1980]

Hard to believe people don't shift clutchless going up. I can shift so smooth that a person riding on the back will never notice I shifted. I don't completely close the throttle, just enough to engage another gear.



I've never used a quickshifter, but I just can't imagine it being that must faster and smoother than what I can do shifting clutchless.

Have you ever had it rev up then snatch I get it between 4th-5th and it scares the **** out of me am I doing something wrong or is there a problem in the box?

 

[LanghamP]

Have you ever had it rev up then snatch I get it between 4th-5th and it scares the **** out of me am I doing something wrong or is there a problem in the box?

How gearboxes work was kinda a sweet mystery to me until YouTube came out.

If you look at this video at 3:48 and 4:42, you'll note that the shifting can always be halfway in-between which causes the false neutral. That is, you can, with great skill or terrible skill, find a false neutral because every gear must first go to neutral before the next gear. Because that's an unstable situation, your bike eventually shifts into a gear, probably just by letting off the throttle.

So if you just look at the video at 4:42, and by merely understanding that diagram, you'll probably find those false neutrals a lot less. You can find them purposefully but now you'll understand why.

My recommendation is to set the bike up for reverse shifting. I've never had a false neutral from reverse shifting. Not once. Stepping on something keeps your foot on that until you decide to change that state. Pulling something up is more of a "catch and release".

I would say the GSXS1000's gearbox is excellent, with the only problem is the shift from neutral to 1st. That's an almighty clunk but most bikes seem to do that.

 

[gpounce]

I generally go clutchless from 2nd on up, though if if running up a few gears to putt along in traffic then full clutch. If accelleration is enough to get a few secs of even mild throttle then no clutch needed. My gearbox really doesn't like 2 finger light pulls on the clutch when going slow, either up or down. Coming to a stop, full clutch downshifts particularly if the speed is decreasing faster than I'm shifting.

On balance, if operating it in its happy place the gearbox is lots nicer than my R6's was, but outside that happy place its fussy. The R6's gearbox was pretty much happy when the bike was over 10mph or so, its been a learning curve. When leaning on the bike the shifting is really nice 4th and above... I really like it.

The 1st gear clunk is less than my R6's- it almost disappears once the bike is warm and was recently moving.