potentially hazardous problem?

[ccs]

Hi All;

I have a 1982 GS850GZ. I bought the bike, used, in May of this year and have put about 4,200 miles on it.

I have had a number of missed shifts, and the bike sometimes is difficult to shift from 2nd gear to 3rd -- it just won't shift until I lift up on the shift lever very firmly.

Yesterday, after shifting into 4th gear around 65MPH, the bike just "went out of gear" and I was coasting. I noticed that the gear lights on the console were all out (4th had been lit)... and I heard this horrible, stomach churning, clapping noise (reminded me of what a jumped chain sounds like as it bounces over the teeth of a turning sprocket). The thought that the chain was going to lock up the rear wheel at 65MPH went briefly through my mind -- but my bike is shaft driven.

I coasted slower and slower while the bike sounded like it was coming apart. Then all of a sudden the bike went "back into gear". I rode around a little while (no more than 35MPH) and was able to shift all the way from 1st to 5th and back several times with no problems.

My questions are:

1) Does anyone know what happened?

2) Was this just a fluke, or has something broken?

3) Is it dangerous to ride the bike?

TIA.

Charles...

[uudfourty]

has it done it again since then?

[duaneage]

Check the shift lever on the side of the bike and make sure it is tight. A loose shift lever can cause this .

It sounds like incomplete shifting, I do that myself with the wrong kind of shoes. If I am in that situation I let off the throttle and pull in the clutch to allow it to get straightened out. Pulling the clutch also prevents a sudden shock to the bike and rider if it jumps down a gear.

[rustybronco]

Check the shift lever on the side of the bike and make sure it is tight. A loose shift lever can cause this .

It sounds like incomplete shifting, I do that myself with the wrong kind of shoes. If I am in that situation I let off the throttle and pull in the clutch to allow it to get straightened out. Pulling the clutch also prevents a sudden shock to the bike and rider if it jumps down a gear.

EXACTLY!!!!