Hello all,

I dropped my bike last summer and have finally found out what is wrong, when it fell, the shifter (the part you put your foot on) pushed against the ground and bent the shift rod. I know this is the case because if I loosen the sprocket cover, to the point where it is basically off, I can shift fine and as I do it I can see the whole cover rotating slightly with the shift rod. When the cover is tight the shifter gets jammed in the down position or up position depending on which way I push it. So my question is, to replace this can I just slide the shift rod out from the right side. I already have the right side cover off, clutch plates and everything removed etc. The problem is it isn't sliding out easily and I don't know if its cause its bent or if there is something in that shaft holding it in place.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I apologize if I have any terminology wrong or if this description is confusing. I am just a beginner who is learning as from his mistakes, and learning how to fix them himself and learn about his bike rather than paying a mechanic. However I am beginning to wonder if I am causing more harm than good lol.

I know how helpful pictures can be so let me know and I can upload pics, let me know also what you would need to see pictures of if there is anything specific.

Side note: (and im ready to be told this is a bad idea but I still have to ask) What if I just used a file and filed open the shaft on the sprocket cover, so that the shift rod wouldn't get stopped against it. I dont think I would have to file off much since the bend is so slight I cant even see it just by looking at it.

Thanks,
John Head

What if you enlarged the hole in the sprocket cover?

That's what I was talking about on the side note... I was hesitant because I didn't know if this was a bad Idea.

again, I'm new at all this and didn't want to do anything stupid.

But If someone else is suggesting it as well I' m gonna give it a try.

Thanks! I l'll let you know how it goes!

If it shifted fine and was rubbing the cover, I think that would work. If not, you can still replace the parts later.

Thanks for the help, I'll give it a go as soon as I can. Hopefully I can enjoy this riding season!

I was a straightening press operator for years.....allot of what I straightened was brought in to tolerance with a lead dead blow hammer, if you can determine what way it is bent...maybe you can KnOcK it back closer to where it belongs?

I spent a good 2 and a half hours trying that method yesterday, I got it to a point where it was down shifting properly half the time but only if the shift rod was in a very specific place. To far in or out of the bike and it wouldn't work. I began to worry that I would damage it by hitting it too much.

I have another question for you if you don't mind, since you seem to know a lot.

When I removed the right side cover I lost tension in the clutch lever (Not sure what its called but the handle bar part used to shift)
I tried putting everything back on when I realized there wasn't a broken spring ( originally I had thought one of the springs came loose and that's why it wasn't shifting properly) Do you have any idea what I might have put on wrong?

All the clutch lever parts are the left cover where the clutch cable connects. Didyou leave out the clutch push rod under the left cover?

Removing the right cover doesn't do anything for the clutch lever unless you have removed parts from the right side.
The right cover only holds in oil.
The left cover has the clutch cable, the clutch twistie thingie that puts pressure on the clutch push rod that goes into the engine.

I still had the sprocket cover on. There was tension in the clutch before I started, I know this because I had just replaced the push rod a couple months previous and it was working.

The problem is I removed things like the clutch plates and everything in the way of where the shift rod comes through.

Probably shift plates and parts not back on right.
I've only removed clutch plates to clean them. Someone else can comment on any other parts on the right side.
Maybe photos of what you've been doing so people can see what you took off.

will do... I suppose ill get the shifter working right first and then worry about the clutch.

Thanks again for everything

Jhead - check the parts diagram on bikebandit or similar. I bet there's nothing clipped to that shift shaft. so it should slide right out. Might have to cut off the bent section and de-burr the cut end though.

Are you sure the circlip seated properly when you put the clutch plates back in (see the link below to the fiche)? That circlip keeps tension on the plates. I had that very problem once on one of my Honda CBs. I thought I had the clip on right but it hadn't fully seated in the groove on the shaft. 


http://www.hillsboromotorcycles.com/fiche_section_detail.asp?section=92726&category=Motorcycles&make=SUZUKI&year=1989&fveh=2103

dmoore,  I dont think I took the circlip off, I didn't need to go that far. When I get a little nicer weather I will post some pics.

Big Rich, I will keep this in mind, I think I am going to try opening the hole in the sprocket cover first though since it seems like less work will be involved

Just an update: the shift rod doesn't seem to be sticking anymore - ended up using some sand paper and just opening the hole in the sprocket cover.

and it looks like the clutch issue may be solved as well.... thanks again guys!!!