Do most of you guys run your shift lever one notch down on the shaft? I've had mine adjusted level to the ground since owning it. I actually had to lift my left foot off the peg to downshift.

Today I adjusted it one notch down and it seems almost too easy to upshift. Downshifting felt a little more rubbery but my foot stayed on the peg. It appears the shift lever is normally oriented slightly down on all the pictures I've seen but just wanted to make sure.

I've always run my shifter to where the rod and clamp on the shaft are at a 90* angle.  If they're not, it requires less force to perform a shift one way, and more the other way...which may account for that "rubbery" feeling you encountered.  It's also a lot for stressful on the rod.

That's the exact reason I originally oriented the shifter 90⁰ to the shaft, to get linear motion each way. But on my other bikes oriented this way I've never had to lift my foot off the peg to downshift. If you've seen the guys on Harleys with forward mounted controls that's sort of what it feels like for me to downshift- pick my foot up and tap down. The GS is my first true streetbike(ridden dirt bikes and dual sports) so some things may just feel strange.   

Your rod is adjustable, you know that, right?  That's what you need to do.

Never heard of being able to adjust the rod. I only thought you could change the orientation by moving the lever on the shaft splines.

no look at it.  It's a 5pc assembly...rod, two eyes, two nuts.  Break the nuts loose and twist the rod and it'll extend slightly or pull in slightly.  One end has left-hand threads, though, so be careful not to try "too hard" to break that lock nut loose if it's not wanting to budge.

Note:  there's not a lot of adjustment in there...usually between .25" and .5", it'll be more than enough to lower the lever the same amount.

Ok, I think I see the communication gap. My bike is a '97 GS500e and it has the lever attached directly to the shift shaft coming from the motor. If I understand correctly you're talking about the shift linkage setup like on the SV650. I've never seen  the newer style GS500f up close so please forgive my ignorance.

oh...my mistake...mine have rearsets and I've never had the pleasure of experience a stock E...lol.

There really shouldn't be any difference in "feel" then, just rotating the lever around a little.

Thanks for the help. I think I'll try the lever down one notch to see  if it works out.

can't hurt...just put it wherever you're most comfortable with it.

Quote from: makenzie71 on February 16, 2006, 04:52:42 PM
Your rod is adjustable, you know that, right?  That's what you need to do.

my rod is adjustable  , maybe you guys are just too old. You know they have pills for this kind of thing 

 

They're not too old, they just been adjusting there rods too much. 
careful careful,  you could go blind.

If that wive's tale was true I'd be so blind YOU couldn't see.

Is it the act of doing it that's supposed to make you go blind? Or is the concern based more on getting hit in the eye with said liquid?

Well the act I've done a lot, but the aim is far too superior.  Alpha?

Quote from: makenzie71 on February 16, 2006, 09:22:22 PM
Well the act I've done a lot, but the aim is far too superior.  Alpha?

Well, if it's the act... my eyes are great... as to the aiming issue, I wouldn't know from first hand experience. I'm sure there are plenty of girls out there who can see fine afterwards though.

This is sooo getting 'tarded now.

well this thread really hasn't been on topic for a few posts now...

Quote from: makenzie71 on February 16, 2006, 09:34:44 PM
well this thread really hasn't been on topic for a few posts now...

Yeah, but now it's been tainted.

that happened back when we started talking about penises.