CBR650F Rough shifting

[Ridenphd]

2018 cbr 650 F 24000 miles. Down shipping into 3rd, 2nd and 1st from 4000 RPM and above, it seams very rough like the clutch is dragging. Certainly not smooth. So I replaced all the clutch plates and disc's ( the whole clutch) adjusted the levers to proper spec. Still the same. When the revs are low 2000 or so it down shifts a little smoother. Is this the way all of these bike shifts? Or maybe it's the clutch cable is stretched a bit. Just wondering?

 

[miweber929]

Were the clutch basket finger edges grooved or were they smooth?

 

[Brammers]

Going to suggest something "out there"... Is the gear lever height in need of an adjustment?

That helped me.

J

 

[Ridenphd]

Going to suggest something "out there"... Is the gear lever height in need of an adjustment?

That helped me.

J

I checked the clutch basket when I replaced the clutch it was pristine. I did adjust the shift lever so I can some what easily get my boot under it to shift up and over it to shift down. I did not adjust the the top adjuster as the shift mechanism is still with the alignment marks where they are supposed to be. The rough shifting is still the same as when i received it. So really dont no that there is a factory setting for the lever itself. I will certainly check the service manual. Are you stating your bikes shift smoothly down where it does not feel like the clutch is dragging like mine?

 

[Brammers]

I don't have a problem that cannot be blamed on me and a bad foot position on the lever. The gearbox is smooth.

Have you tried charging the oil for a different brand? What oil is in there?

45k miles on original clutch here.

J

 

[Ridenphd]

Amsoil metric motorcycle 10-30 oil changed less than 3000 miles ago. It always down shifted hard at relative high rpms. I bought it at 8300 miles and it has 24000 miles. Just wondering if it's just mine or all of the CBR 650F down shift smoothly?

 

[Brammers]

I think it's yours for some reason, there haven't been widespread reports on here over hte years of rough downshifts.

You could try an oil swap for a different brand - some people have reported that making a massive difference.

I use Castrol fully synth, Motul has also been recommended by others.

There's a ton of oil threads, have a read. It might be an easy $40 fix.

J

 

[miweber929]

Amsoil metric motorcycle 10-30 oil changed less than 3000 miles ago. It always down shifted hard at relative high rpms. I bought it at 8300 miles and it has 24000 miles. Just wondering if it's just mine or all of the CBR 650F down shift smoothly?

Honda gearboxes, especially the 4cyl bikes, are almost universally smooth shifting, and as @Brammers has said we’ve had little to no reports of poor downshifting that wasn’t related to rider process, gear shift positioning or clutch adjustment. Not to say there can’t be, just that’s it’s not a widespread issue.

Not to start an oil thread, and this is my opinion only which you are more than welcome to dismiss, Amsoil is not good oil, especially in motorcycle gearboxes, and can cause poor shifting, especially as it wears. It’s made, or at least used to be, a couple hours north of me, and my dad went through a phase many years back where it was inexpensive, fully synthetic oil so we used it and I gave up after a few changes because it would look like to started to break down very quickly and my shifting was notchy, clunky and inconsistent using that brand. I switched back to Mobile 1 at that time, have since started using Repsol, Maxima, Shell and Motorex depending on what the bike is asking for, with far better results. He was stubborn and took a few more changes and used up his cases of oil and switched as well and agreed it was way better to not use it.

I‘ve been told I’m wrong over the years by Amsoil lovers, been told oil going from a thick, rich caramel color and consistency to watery black in a matter of 1,000 miles is ”normal”, shifting being off is acceptable, clutch action being grabby is in my head, etc. but far more people who have switched back have agreed with me after they pulled off the Amsoil blinders. No other oil I’ve used, and it’s been almost 50 years of changing motorcycle and car oil, has done that, Amsoil was the only one. YMMV.