Favorite tricks tro find first reliably?

[TeeCat]

I was just wondering if you all have any favorite little tricks that you use to find first with consistency. In my case, I think I have adjusted my clutch at the perch and at the case with the best possible compromise to allow for no slippage and very little drag. Shifting, for the most part, is very good, though I'll occasionally miss a gear or sort of "hang up" going down to first, but I think it might be me more than the bike. It's possible that, when dropping to first, I might not pull the clutch in quite far enough. Also, my bike seems to like to be rolling a little to hit first reliably.

It's just a little disconcerting to miss a gear - especially first - and want or need to accelerate, so I was wondering what you all do to accommodate your bikes' little idiosyncrasies.

This seems to be a sporadic issue with my bike, but you do have to be deliberate with shifting her. Just under 19,000 miles on her, btw.

TC

 

[nj1639]

Having a tendancy to OCD, I'm constantly counting the gears up and down. Neutral is just an easy tap down from 2nd whilst moving.....don't seem to have a problem with 1st, might be the adjustment.

 

[jamesgs4]

most slow speed turns should be taken in 2nd, 1st is for starting from a stop. If you hit 1st in a turn in the rain, you are going down unless you back it in like a supermoto.

 

[Tomterrific]

Back the adjustment off completely at the lever, then screw the adjustment screw at the case in tight to pull all the cable through. This positions the lever / cable angle and is the only way. Most manuals fail to note this. Loosen the adjustemnt screw and proceed as normal. I found backing off the adjustment screw the minimum, about 1/8th turn is much better with some bikes. Clutch should not drag that tiny bit after these steps.

Tom Graham

 

[TeeCat]

Thank you, guys.

Tom, yes, this is the way I do my adjustment. It just may have to be re-done because I have not touched it in a while. And you're right... I don't think I have never seen a manual mention this.

My drag seems to be negligible these days... nowhere near what I had before I replaced the worm gear, cable, and modded the perch a tiny bit. I do wish I could hit first with 100% consistency, though. But with an old bike, this may not be a real-world aspiration.

TC