Shifter rod linkage

[Kybronco]

I’m posting some pictures and maybe someone can tell me what I’m looking at and how big a job is it to fix. So when I purchased the bike the previous owner said he had rigged the linkage one day after going for a ride it had stopped shifting. He used a zip tie from what I can tell. So did it loose a screw or what actually holds it in place I can’t tell from looking, but it doesn’t look like I would trust it for long. So I’m gonna post these pics and say it’s at the end of a long rod connected to the shifter linkage in between the frame and exhaust.

[circa1968]

I am not a motorcycle mechanic, but fairly mechanical and handy, so take this with a grain of salt:

First thing I would do is cut the zip tie to see what it is doing.  Personally, I can't see how that zip tie would do anything other than hold the boot on.  I don't see how it would fix a shifting problem unless the boot was loose and interfering with movement of the linkage, in which case a new boot is in order and should be a simple, low cost fix.  Albeit not as simple and low cost as a zip tie.

Please see attached photo from the Yamaha parts website. 

Edited March 1, 2021 by circa1968
spelling

[Kybronco]

I thought he said the screw had maybe vibrated out . But looking at the pic I took it looks like there’s one in there. It does look as if the boot is not in line with the linkage on the front side.  It was shifting as I rode it home that day but it doesn’t look like anything I want to leave like that. 

[circa1968]

Yeah, in the picture, I thought it looked like something wasn't lined up right there.  I still say cut the zip tie and investigate further.  Definitely get to the bottom of it before riding any more.

[Thee_oddball]

The boot looks damaged as if something pushed out. I'm guessing the screw was loose and was moving around and stripped out the piece it was screwed into.  remove the zip tie and have a look.

[Kybronco]

Got some parts on the way but you just made me think about that part in the diagram number 28 I might be needing if indeed it stripped out . I’ll put it on the jack this weekend and post some pictures in case anyone else had this happen.

[Kybronco]

Well it’s not stripped out but it is broken off of course just enough where I can’t get to it to get it out. The zip ties were holding the broken screw in the shaft so it would shift .