Shifting Tips...

You may also be experiencing fuel cut. Makes shifting jerky because the fuel injectors stop firing when your off the throttle. Do a search of FCE.
 
Pokey: As others have mentioned:
* Preload the shifter.
* Shift quickly and with authority.
* Make sure the shift lever is adjusted properly. Also, on downshifts, check to make sure your foot is contacting only the outer rubber covered peg. (When I first got my FZ1, I discovered that on downshifts, my foot was pressing on the portion of the lever that runs from rear to front).
* Hold the throttle open slightly between shifts. This takes a while to learn, without the engine either slowing down or revving up too much. Ideally, it should slow just a little from the RPM reached just before shifting.
* Until you get more accustomed to the bike, do not shift at RPMs less than at least 3,000.

The transmission has very close ratios, especially compared to a Harley. This means that the engine RPM will only decrease a small amount between shifts. So preload the shifter; shift very quickly; focus on maintaining the RPM between shifts with the throttle. Also, full synthetic motor oil helps.

One more thing: Perhaps post a photo of your shift lever. It might be that if the bike ever tipped onto its side --- that the lever could be bent. Others can tell you if it looks normal. Sorry to offer so much detail. You probably know all this, and have practiced it repeatedly. Hope nothing is wrong with the motorcycle itself. Good luck.
 
The shifting on the FZ1 is harsh. My first one was harsh when I bought it, the second one was butter smooth the first 10-15 kilometers, then it started klonking and harsh shifting. Irritating as hell.

Sent from my X-Wing
 
javahaxxor said:
The shifting on the FZ1 is harsh. My first one was harsh when I bought it, the second one was butter smooth the first 10-15 kilometers, then it started klonking and harsh shifting. Irritating as hell.

Sent from my X-Wing
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My experience is the opposite, notchy at first and smooth at 3K miles.
 
OldBiker said:
My experience is the opposite, notchy at first and smooth at 3K miles.
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I read something about some axle cap in the clutch basket that has a tendency to fall off . This could lower the oil pressure necessary for shifting and cause the problem. Now i don't know a lot about engines but I have opened and changed clutch plates on a cbr 900 and a gixxer.

I wonder if there is any substance in the above.. i really don't want to waste time, effort and money on a hunch. The clutches I've seen are spring and cable activated and have nothing to do with oil pressure.

Sent from my X-Wing
 
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javahaxxor said:
I read something about some axle cap in the clutch basket that has a tendency to fall off . This could lower the oil pressure necessary for shifting and cause the problem. Now i don't know a lot about engines but I have opened and changed clutch plates on a cbr 900 and a gixxer.

I wonder if there is any substance in the above.. i really don't want to waste time, effort and money on a hunch

Sent from my X-Wing
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This happened on my 98 R1. The clutch used to drag like mad. I'd put it in first gear and the bike jumped forward, and then crept along so bad that could only hold it with the brakes.
When moving for the rest of the gears it felt fine.

Stop polishing it and ride the bloody thing!
 
Since you're coming from a Harley and "re-learning" how to shift... Why not change it up and get yourself a good set of rear-sets... Change your shift pattern to 1 up 5 down. You'd be surprised how smooth you can shift when you're pushing down instead of pulling up.

I know this is probably not feasible cost-wise but it works wonders for me.
 
Waltermydoinhere said:
Since you're coming from a Harley and "re-learning" how to shift... Why not change it up and get yourself a good set of rear-sets... Change your shift pattern to 1 up 5 down. You'd be surprised how smooth you can shift when you're pushing down instead of pulling up.

I know this is probably not feasible cost-wise but it works wonders for me.
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Because I don't want to spend the money and completely relearn how to shift.

Took it to a local repair shop the other day as I thought there was a lot of noise coming from the clutch basket in neutral with the clutch out. They said it was normal. Guy took it for a short spin and he agreed that it has an extra "snap" at the end of an upshift. Downshifts are fine. He recommended to just ride and see if it gets better.
 
My 09 Fz was really clunky from first to second and better from there up but not really smooth. If I was wearing different boots (from my usual) I would screw up shifts occasionally but learned how to make them smoother with proper technic. Just the minutest roll off the throttle and partial pull on the clutch lever (I had nice shorties on mine) would smooth the shifts out nice, although 1 - 2 was never imperceptible, but I have heard that is a Yamaha thing (?).

With my 990 I have learned how to make shifts so smooth that a passenger thinks I have an automatic, but that has taken time and concentration. The bikes makes a noticeably "thunk" into first from neutral, but I suspect that is more about engineering, than technic.

Like any bike new to a rider I would just learn it's quirks and try different methods until you find one that works for both rider and bike in unison. Most of us do this without thinking about it (which works the best). When I think about shifting, is when I mess up, probably since I second guess what I do as a reflex otherwise. It is really hard for most riders to describe a process that is more about muscle memory that a thought about series of steps.

I can do 1st gear wheelies without much effort, but I had to practice that. A friend with an identical bike can do wheelies through all 6 gears making it look effortless. It's all about practice, Oh and he's crazy.....and 20 years my junior. Old dogs can learn new tricks, it just takes more time, since we tend to more cautious.
 
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Update: I think I may have solved my problem!

A little voice in the back of my head kept saying, "Oil, oil." When I got it home from the dealer I dropped the oil and ran Shell Rotella T dino. The other day I switched that out with Shell Rotella T6 full synthetic. The clunkiness and notchiness has almost completely disappeared!

Also flipped the peg bracket washers around which took out almost all the flex but I really think it was the oil. Time will tell if it gets smoother - only 4XX miles on it.
 
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