Well Thanks A Lot!!!.......(j/k)

[Subbie]

Well thanks to you guys I have figured out what is causing my GS 650 to slip out of 2nd gear. I have removed the motor and split the cases (without removing the head-I would not have known it was possible had I not read it here) however I have no idea what a worn shift fork nor a worn dog look like. As a matter of fact the only 2 dogs I know what look like are the K9 version or the agitator version that goes in a washing machine. Does anyone have a close up picture of what these 2 things are suppose to look like? It would be greatly helpful. I have looked all over the net trying to get a good one but have found no joy. Thanks again guys for getting me this far.

[Big Rich]

Have you searched for "gs shift forks" on ebay? Good way to see what they look like. And if you find a shady seller, you can see what bad shift forks look like......

[gsryder]

Your standard service manual (probably available on basscliffs site) will give you all the service specs for the forks. A cheap Harbor freight veneer and you will know for certain not eyeballing another 20+ year old shift fork. Cheap piece of mind, and accurate info.

[Subbie]

Have you searched for "gs shift forks" on ebay? Good way to see what they look like. And if you find a shady seller, you can see what bad shift forks look like......

Yup. I know what the forks look like. However I cant see details of them to compare them to mine to see what is worn and what is not.

[tkent02]

Dogs and the holes they ride in are supposed to have sharp straight edges. When they skip in and out of gear, or if they get a lot of shifting without the clutch, or a lot of hard shifting, or lazy sloppy shifting, or just a million or so miles, the edges of both get rounded out, which makes them want to skip in and out worse, or come out of gear into a false neutral.. Usually it's second gear that has the problem, sometimes third, because they get the most abuse.

[Subbie]

Your standard service manual (probably available on basscliffs site) will give you all the service specs for the forks. A cheap Harbor freight veneer and you will know for certain not eyeballing another 20+ year old shift fork. Cheap piece of mind, and accurate info.

You are correct it does give the thickness its suppose to be but I dont know where to measure that thickness at.

[gsryder]

I totally understand being new to engines and specs I was there once as well. Do some research and it will all make sense, further more you will be a more confident bike owner for it.
you obviously have a good enough grasp on the ingenuity to diagnose the issue so I think you are already half way there.
You measure the forks on the end of the fork (flat spot at the end of the fork) that goes into the groove on the trans assembly......hopefully that makes sense.
there are pictures in the manual that are probably more descriptive than my explanation.

[Subbie]

I totally understand being new to engines and specs I was there once as well. Do some research and it will all make sense, further more you will be a more confident bike owner for it.
you obviously have a good enough grasp on the ingenuity to diagnose the issue so I think you are already half way there.
You measure the forks on the end of the fork (flat spot at the end of the fork) that goes into the groove on the trans assembly......hopefully that makes sense.
there are pictures in the manual that are probably more descriptive than my explanation.

That makes since. I think I got it now. I am going to need new forks and probably the dogs and there holes are too worn also. I found a tranny with all the fixins on ebay for $50 and ordered it. Hopefully it really only has 9000 miles on it like the seller posted. If so I will be good to go.

[Graham]

That makes since. I think I got it now. I am going to need new forks and probably the dogs and there holes are too worn also. I found a tranny with all the fixins on ebay for $50 and ordered it. Hopefully it really only has 9000 miles on it like the seller posted. If so I will be good to go.

Got a motorcycle of Ebay like that. said 26,000 miles on the speedo but the valves and pistons said 126,000 miles. Be careful.

[Subbie]

Got a motorcycle of Ebay like that. said 26,000 miles on the speedo but the valves and pistons said 126,000 miles. Be careful.

Well it does have a 14 day return option so if I get it and it looks like the one I have I can send it back. But thanks for the warning.

[Subbie]

YAY!!!! Finally got the gasket kit in today and put the motor back together, got it back in the bike and cranked it right up! I was not able to test ride it because the exhaust is not back on yet. (needed 2 more clamps for the heat wrap and had forgotten to pick them up) I was able to shift it into first and ride it back up into the garage so I am hoping that all is well. I have never done anything remotely like this so its a huge rush for me even to get it this far.

[Sandy]

Look closely at the wear pattern on the sides of the shifter forks, if it's been run a while with a bent fork you should see uneven wear from one side to the other. Somes they're actually bent enough that it's really obvious. As mentioned earlier the shift dogs and lugs should have nice square edges. If you look at the parts from 4th. and 5th. gear they are usually nice and square.