Excessive Shifter Play

[Du-Rron]

Can you no longer snick through the gears because you have to lift your foot so far to upshift? When you change gears does your knee hit you in the face because the shift lever has so much throw? Check out your ball stud mounts on your shifter. They are just bradded on and will wear more, and have more play, once they become loose. Just a few millimeters of play at the ball studs will make your shifter have a few inches of play.

 

Mine was either bad from the factory, or has worn (I tap down one more time just to make sure I am in FIRST when coming to a stop).

 

Shifter pivot, a $50 part was replaced by dealer under warranty. Now all is well.

 

Click for video of ball stud unbradded from bracket

 

http://v4biker.tumblr.com/post/137722185652/ball-joint-loose

Edited January 22, 2016 by Du-Rron

[MikeWa]

Good point Du-Rron. This is one of those items that should be lubed frequently.

 

Mike

[Beau-Kat]

Took a 640 mile trip last week on the MM.

About midway, I was having a lot of trouble shifting. With my work boots on, I couldn't really get a sense of what I was feeling with the shifter operation.

Anyway, when I got to a place to stop, I discovered my heel-toe shifter bolt was only screwed in a couple of threads! That coulda made for a very bad day.

Tightened it up, and when I got home I reinstalled it with loc-tite.

[RedRider]

Took a 640 mile trip last week on the MM.

About midway, I was having a lot of trouble shifting. With my work boots on, I couldn't really get a sense of what I was feeling with the shifter operation.

Anyway, when I got to a place to stop, I discovered my heel-toe shifter bolt was only screwed in a couple of threads! That coulda made for a very bad day.

Tightened it up, and when I got home I reinstalled it with loc-tite.

 

Beau-Kat - In a pinch, the decorative bolt in the battery side cover is the same. The decorative one is forward. The rear one actually holds the cover on.

 

RR

[Beau-Kat]

Thanks. Great point!

I always wondered why that extra bolt was on the side cover.

Now, I know that Yamaha was thinking ahead for our side of the road engineering needs.

Ha!

[bikenut]

My shift lever became very lose and what I found was the rear shift ball stud behind the exhaust pipe had a bolt that came lose behind the rubber boot. Not fun to get at but I put some thread lock on it and it took all my play out of my shifter. That ball joint has a allen bolt that hold it in place. Been working great now