Lack of 1st gear selection

[Solent biker]

Hi all.
I have just replaced my chain and sprockets after 26k miles and now for some reason i can't select 1st gear. Everything was tickety boo before so what the hell have i done and more appropriately how do i get over it. Other gears seem fine.

 

[drstimpy]

I know this is obvious but I have to ask if you put things back together in such a way as to hinder the motion of the shift lever?


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[670cc]

Shift lever actuator is possibly upside down, or the linkage is misadjusted.

 

[Solent biker]

I know the obvious things sometimes get overlooked but not this time. I think.

 

[Solent biker]

Before i took the shifter arm off i scratched the point where the slot is so i know it has gone back exactly as before.

 

[670cc]

Post a photo of your shifter linkage, including the piece installed on the shifter shaft. It might help us help you, otherwise we're sitting around just guessing.

 

[Solent biker]

Ok. I'll do what i can, if i can

 

[Solent biker]

The bigger picture

 

[670cc]

Here are photos of my NC700X with stock foot pegs. Note that Honda provides a punch mark for the normal settimg of the shift shaft arm.

To each their own, but with what appears to be stock footpegs, your shift lefter is set extremely low, and it appears the shifter arm is not installed at the Honda punch mark. I can only guess the inability to shift into first is a result of having the shift lever set at such a low level/angle. Perhaps, if you need it that low, you could experiment with different splines on the shift shaft along with different lengths of the linkage rod.

Can you even get your boot toe under the lever the way it is?

 

[dduelin]

Because the shifter is so set so low the bell crank action of pressing the toe lever down which pulls the clevis rod does not turn the shifter shaft very far thus it's hard to find 1st. When the toe lever is pulled up to shift to 2nd thru 6th the bell crank is pushing the clevis and gets more travel thus these gears engage easier. A bell crank needs a 90 degree angle to push the same amount it pulls.

 

[670cc]

I'd advise setting the pivot arm (bellcrank) back to the Honda punch mark and instead adjusting the linkage shaft length to get the desired pedal height.

 

[Solent biker]

I can see where you're coming from. The setting i have here is how it feels best for my style/positioning. i think i only moved it round 1 notch on the spline but that was well over a year ago.
I shall move it back to the factory settings to see if it makes a difference.
Thank you

 

[rippin209]

I can see where you're coming from. The setting i have here is how it feels best for my style/positioning. i think i only moved it round 1 notch on the spline but that was well over a year ago.
I shall move it back to the factory settings to see if it makes a difference.
Thank you

It's not the spot that is connected by the notch but the adjustable rod that people are commenting on look at the differences in the pictures

 

[SleepyC]

When I added my 1" lowering pegs, I dropped the shifter to match the pegs. You can't go too low as the back of the shift arm will hit the bottom of the peg mount making it impossible to get into first gear. Bring that shifter up some and you will be fine.

 

[Solent biker]

Thank you all peeps. All sorted. It took all of sixty seconds to fix. I can't believe the geometry of such a small adjustment can make all the difference.

You've saved me a few bob by not going to the local bike mechanics so the next time i see you all i'll treat you to a beer or a coffee in way of thanks. Cheers boys