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[Henrycm]

Since you are in San Antonio, can you let, me know which dealer of the local three so I can steer clear of them thanks in advance

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[grc]

It would have taken them a lot less time to bleed the clutch than it did for those four test rides they supposedly took.  As far as that goes, it would have taken them less time to pull the derby cover and measure the release rod travel AND bleed the clutch.  Sounds to me like they just don't want to be helpful or they don't want to listen to suggestions from others.  I've seen a lot of that attitude in all sorts of automotive and motorcycle shops over the years.  Gotta love people with no regard for customers and customer service choosing a career that basically involves customer service.  Kind of like a diabetic working as a taste tester in a candy factory.

Find another dealer.


Jerry

[moscooter]

 

Jerry has it right.............Find another dealer.  You are (NOT) bound and tied to the dealer that sold you the bike nor the dealer closest to where you reside.

Many years ago,  I worked at a Chevy dealership,  we gave good service and had great mechanics.  We got a lot of extra business from customers that bought their Chevys from (other) local dealerships.

As to warranty type service,  each dealer should provide that service without a squack.............Going to a dealer to complain about (squeaks or rattles) other than the dealer where you purchased it........is not gonna be recieved well.

[SciFiGuy]

Since you are in San Antonio, can you let, me know which dealer of the local three so I can steer clear of them thanks in advance

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2

Henry it was at Caliente. Over the past couple of years their service department has really been going down hill.

Took my 09 Street Glide up to Alamo for the 25K service when they were having a 15% off any K service and was treated great. This will be where I go for service for now on. Also the service department at Javalina is pretty good as well. A little bit of a ride for me but I'm willing to go the extra mile to a dealer that's willing to so the same for me.

The thing that got me was how they made me feel like I was someone who didn't know anything. Telling me I'm not shifting the bike correctly and how this is a high performance bike with a high performance clutch and I'm not used to it. Granted I may not have been riding since I was two but over the past five years I have logged over 30,000 miles on three different bikes and I think I know how a bike should react when you try to downshift into first gear.

And here's another good one. On Sunday I had them install the dresser duals. After the install I had a bad vibration in the right footboard. Told them about it. I get a call from one of the service riders telling me "I installed the headers wrong" I'm like excuse me? Yes sir when you put on your headers you didn't put them on correctly. Uh no you were the ones who installed the headers not me. Oh Uh anyway.

Anyway didn't really want to turn this thread into a dealer bashing thread.

Got the bike back last night and so far last night and this morning its shifting normally. Fingers Crossed 

[2NinerSG]

You mentioned the problem in traffic & dealer unable to duplicate with multiple techs.

Of the 3 HD products and numerous import machines I've had, I can duplicate the same phenomena when coming to a stop without sufficient distance to initiate a ramped downshift between gears.

It happens when I pull in the clutch in higher gears at speed, hit the brakes and rpm drops along with vehicle speed. One usually gets one click down but nothing afterwards if you continue rapid deceleration.

To restore shifter engagement, in quick succession, I partially let out on the clutch then pull the clutch back in, downshift & repeat as necessary to get back to first gear.

You can do this while still slowing or at a complete stop without the need to pull out in a higher gear.

Assuming your downshift incorporates the sequence;
throttle letoff, clutch in, throttle blip, downshift, clutch out, while engine & drivetrain provide braking, repeat.

I have always had flawless downshifting on any make machine if the distance to stop allows the engine & drivetrain to ramp down to first gear with a load on the drive train. While not an expert, I think this leads to synchronization of the drive system?

One may deduce or question; if the gears & drive system synchronize properly on the up shift, what drive components are different for the down shift?

If the components are the same and functioning, then investigate down shifting sequence for clues.

You may also want to investigate the lubrication type (manufacturer) & viscosity of the drive train section responsible for up & down shifting for more clues.

Hope it helps! These machines are still marvels regardless of the quirks!

Disclaimer: As with any HD product your individual results may vary. Clues provided as an aid to troubleshooting problems experienced by this rider over a 45 year riding span.

[Twolanerider]

May or may not be the Texas rider's problem but at last worth considering.  Sounds like your problem hasn't been consistent but may be something that could be attributed to air in the hydraulics.  Since air in the system generally isn't a come and go problem that seems initially contradictory.  Unless you're boiling the fluid in the line. 

Is the problem showing up when the bike is hot?  If so check the location of the clutch line adjacent to the exhaust.

[Midnight Rider]

May or may not be the Texas rider's problem but at last worth considering.  Sounds like your problem hasn't been consistent but may be something that could be attributed to air in the hydraulics.  Since air in the system generally isn't a come and go problem that seems initially contradictory.  Unless you're boiling the fluid in the line. 

Is the problem showing up when the bike is hot?  If so check the location of the clutch line adjacent to the exhaust.

That was my first thought as well, Don.  A tiny bit of moisture in that hydraulic line could be problematic...and that line is down there right next to some really hot chit.

[moscooter]

 
I don't know about the (Texas riders) situation,  but I've got the V&H Power Dual "X" pipe and no "cat" in mine when it happened.   Although has not happened to me for quite some time now.  So I'm thinkin' boiling fluid not a problem in my case plus I had the exact same problem with my 'ol 2001 RK and it did not have a juice clutch.

[djkak]

If the issue is abnormal clutch drag: When you attempt to shift up or down, the shift lever won’t move through its normal arc.

If the issue is with the shift pawl not “catching” the next gear: Gently lift the shift lever with your toe (you can gently push down on the heel shifter as well), the pawl will drop into place and the transmission will downshift when you try again.

If the issue is that when stopped, the shifter clutches in the transmission aren’t lined up, like when dry shifting a parked machine without the engine running: Apply pressure on the shift lever while gently engaging the clutch, just a little. You will feel the shift lever move as the transmission drops into the next gear. Make sure that you have a handful of front brake when doing this, just to be safe.

In the first two scenarios additional troubleshooting is required. In the last case, simply use the clutch in this manner whenever a downshift “hangs”.

[moscooter]

 

Again,  I will relate that the problem I have had is seldom and rare..........but when it happens,   the bike is still moving/rolling and attempts to go either up/down do NOT work........the fu&&^ng thing stays in whatever gear it was in.  By this time, you end up at a stop lite with a shifter that WILL NOT.............(LET ME MAKE IT CLEAR "WILL NOT...............SHIFT).   Now you're at a dead stop and NOT in low gear but usually third or above. and ya gotta rev up and get the damn thing moving some to finally get a shift to work.

[Henrycm]

Henry it was at Caliente. Over the past couple of years their service department has really been going down hill.

Good to know I usually go to Alamo, but also have heard great things about Javelina. 


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[Smitty2u]

I had this exact problem on my 2006 FatBoy, while riding in the Smokey Mountains.  My mind ran the gambit of possibilities, all being very expensive.  It got so bad that anytime I went to downshift I had to lift the lever up with my foot to be able to chit down another gear.  I was riding with a couple locals and was telling them of my problem and he asked a simple question and that was, "Do you use S-100".  I thought that to be a pretty stupid question, but said "Well yes I do".
He told me that was my issue and began to explain.  In my case I was spraying the shifter linkage and the cleaner, which is a solvent, was getting down into the area of the shaft that the lever pivots on and breaking down the lubricant.  He grabbed a wrench and some axle grease and in 10 minutes had the it disassemble, lubed and put back together.  Problem fixed immediately and did not return.  Now I make sure not to spray the stuff on the linkage.
It was a cheap fix and was I ever glad.  I was able to finish the trip with money still left in my bank account......

[Twolanerider]

I had this exact problem on my 2006 FatBoy, while riding in the Smokey Mountains.  My mind ran the gambit of possibilities, all being very expensive.  It got so bad that anytime I went to downshift I had to lift the lever up with my foot to be able to chit down another gear.  I was riding with a couple locals and was telling them of my problem and he asked a simple question and that was, "Do you use S-100".  I thought that to be a pretty stupid question, but said "Well yes I do".
He told me that was my issue and began to explain.  In my case I was spraying the shifter linkage and the cleaner, which is a solvent, was getting down into the area of the shaft that the lever pivots on and breaking down the lubricant.  He grabbed a wrench and some axle grease and in 10 minutes had the it disassemble, lubed and put back together.  Problem fixed immediately and did not return.  Now I make sure not to spray the stuff on the linkage.
It was a cheap fix and was I ever glad.  I was able to finish the trip with money still left in my bank account......

The shift levers over the shift arm and over the shift shaft in the transmission are splined metal to metal contact points and aren't lubricated.  They're splined.  They don't move over each other.  So what he described really can't happen. 

What could happen, however, that could have been corrected with the same course of events is that a shift arm came loose where it clamps around a shift shaft.  That's not an uncommon problem.  If the splines aren't stripped then tightening it up firmly takes care of the problem and you ride on.  So in disassembling and reassembling (with proper tightening) the shift arm the problem was likely taken care of.

[Smitty2u]

The shift levers over the shift arm and over the shift shaft in the transmission are splined metal to metal contact points and aren't lubricated.  They're splined.  They don't move over each other.  So what he described really can't happen. 

What could happen, however, that could have been corrected with the same course of events is that a shift arm came loose where it clamps around a shift shaft.  That's not an uncommon problem.  If the splines aren't stripped then tightening it up firmly takes care of the problem and you ride on.  So in disassembling and reassembling (with proper tightening) the shift arm the problem was likely taken care of.

The shift levers themselves are sitting on the splined shaft, but the shaft is smooth where it runs through the point of pivot and in my case the lubricant had broken down keeping it from returning to it's normal position.

[Twolanerider]

The shift levers themselves are sitting on the splined shaft, but the shaft is smooth where it runs through the point of pivot and in my case the lubricant had broken down keeping it from returning to it's normal position.

Didn't see it myself so can't dispute the first hand account.  That the cross shaft forward of the primary got so gummed up it was overcoming the spring strength in the shift drum is surprising.  That had to be one terribly gummed up part.