| Author | Message | ||
     Xaman |
Hi all, Brand new to me 06 Uly. Love everything about the bike except it may be the hardest shifting bike I've ever ridden. After a 100 mile ride today, checked the primary oil and it was milky on the cover (didn't look too bad inside, maybe a hint low:   Previous owner said oil was changed less than 1k miles ago. I'm gathering supplies for a full oil change for piece of mind, but would water in the clutch make it shift so poorly? I don't know the technical term, but it feels sticky... Thanks | ||
| Fotoguzzi |
I would drain/clean it and put in some real Harley oil called for in the owners manual then see if it's better. | ||
| Arry |
In the middle of the clutch cable there is an adjuster. There is supposed to be a rubber boot over the adjuster. If it is missing of ill fitting, and you ride in wet weather (or wash your bike a lot), water can go down the cable into the primary case. | ||
| Hughlysses |
If it's ridden short distances in cold and/or humid weather it'll do this. Get it hot, drain it, and refill with 1 quart. Like many here, I like HD Formula+ in the primary, which was the factory fill on these bikes. | ||
| Xaman |
The previous owner may have ridden it short trips, but this is a distance bike for me, so that shouldn't be a problem in the future. I did check for the rubber boot, and it's in place. When I moved it to see what was underneath, it started leaking water. Obviously a fair amount of water was held up in there, so I'm guessing that allowed water to seep down into the oil. A little weather proof tape and some zip ties hopefully will eliminate that. Do you guys think that was the cause of the hard (sticky) shifting? Hoping for a miracle cure when I change the primary oil... | ||
| Sagehawk |
No miracles there. Just sound mechanics. anything thing else you think that needs protecting, do what seems right. It will come to you! tight wire routing, water protection, oil changes , oil viscosity , electrical connections , electrical grounds , breathers , oil filtration , uhhhh, did I leave anything out? All encompassing these Buells are, you see! | ||
| Sagehawk |
Good luck and welcome to the fold Xaman! | ||
| Hughlysses |
Funky oil could cause hard shifting, but while you're in there, adjust the clutch (~5 minute job) and you might want to check the primary chain tension as well. Oh yea, if you don't have a shop manual, it's a VERY good thing to have. | ||
| Xaman |
Thanks guys. Fortunately the previous owner had a shop manual for me, should prove helpful. | ||
| Froggy |
Even with everything perfect, it is still a bitch to shift. While it is smooth and easy by Harley standards, it is rough, clunky, and stiff compared to everything else ever made. | ||
| Xaman |
Well, that is comforting in a way. I can learn to live with it, but didn't want to be always afraid that something was wrong. If this shifter was a trigger, I'd call it a 30lb long and gritty pull.  | ||
| Etennuly |
The "milkshake" trans oil is common in bikes run short trips in winter, as well as those having water intrusion through that cable fitting. It will make shifting crappy. Change it out to the HD formula + and it will be much smoother shifting. I would change the oil and test ride. I may not need anything else at this time. DO NOT over tighten the oil and primary plugs!!!! The Service Manual is way over on torque spec and will rip the threads out of the cover and swing arm. Just snug them on the O ring then tighten to feel a bit more. A little maintenance lube is a good idea, drop of oil on each motor mount heim joint and on the clutch lever cable end for starters. | ||
| Xaman |
I haven't changed the oil yet, but did a quick check of the primary chain and it was way loose -- kind of so loose that I though I must be doing something wrong. It was hard to measure but looked like about 3/4+ Inch as opposed to the service manuals called for 1/4-1/3". I tightened it to just barely to the very loose end of spec, maybe not even quite to spec because I kept thinking I must be doing something wrong here… Anyway, a quick test ride showed a significant improvement in shifting. Does that sound right to you guys? Makes me want to recheck and tighten a bit more. But maybe I'll wait and see what the formula plus does first. Thanks for the help. | ||
| Hughlysses |
^ Yes, too loose or too tight primary chain will affect shifting. Better too loose than too tight, so you did the right thing. Now, change the oil!  | ||
| Electraglider_1997 |
Xaman, Your profile says that your Uly is an 09'. | ||
| Xaman |
Changed that, thanks! I owned an 09 briefly a few years ago when I first registered here. I'm on an 06 now | ||
| Buewulf |
It wouldn't hurt to change the fluid, but I probably wouldn't be too worried about that milkshake. That is pretty common in our neck of the woods during the winter if you take the bike on short trips. I suspect if you clean the cover up, you wouldn't see that buildup again. The shifting is horrible on these bikes, worse than any other I've ever owned. I've ridden a couple of other XBs, an '07 and an '09, and they all shift exactly the same. So if the shifting is notably worse than your last Uly, then you may need to adjust that primary chain. Might also want to check the clutch adjustment, especially if it feels "sticky". | ||
| Jetranger_2000 |
Had the same problem with my 09. In fact, I have the identical photo somewhere and the exact same post when I first bought the bike. LOL. I sealed up the cable, changed the oil, and have never had a issue since I use amsoil and like it a lot | ||
| Ratbuell |
For "sealing" the cable, put a zip tie around the TOP of the boot, and leave the bottom open. No water will run down the cable under the boot, but any moisture that does get up under it can run back out the open bottom. And, you don't have to "un-do" anything to do a cable adjustment. | ||
| Tankhead |
Hmmmm, never had another road bike than City-x and Uly. They seem to shift fine for me. | ||
| Dr_greg |
Had that problem with my beloved '06 Uly...as many have pointed out, it was due to short rides in cold weather (my commute). Watch out for corrosion on the needle bearing in the clutch drum...I had to replace my bearing (it had become quite noisy). --Doc P.S. Used Formula+ in both my '06s. | ||
| Buewulf |
"Hmmmm, never had another road bike than City-x and Uly. They seem to shift fine for me." I would suggest that is because you've never had another road bike. | ||
| Xaman |
Hey guys, Thanks again for the help. I changed the oil yesterday and it seems to be a little better again. But the biggest change was the primary chain adjustment by far. I still have to pay close attention so as to not miss a gear, but I'll get the hang of it. My triumph Scrambler gear box is so slick you just have to pull the clutch and think about shifting and it's done... | ||
| Tootal |
The shifting on a Buell is just what it is. I had a Cagiva Gran Canyon before the Uly and the Ducati gear box was SWEET! I also have a Harley so it wasn't a big surprise when I rode the Buell. They're just clunky and you get used to it after a while! I set the primary chain while it's hot and I check it in several places. 1/4" at the tightest spot when hot works pretty well. | ||
| Fotoguzzi |
coming from Guzzi it's no big surprise.. the Guzzi 6 speed is almost perfect "like butter" but the 5 speed is a clunker that teaches you to be direct and firm with the foot. I've never felt like complaining about my Uly shifting. | ||
| Buewulf |
Xaman, it does help to "preload" the shifter: that is, put a little pressure on the shift lever before you pull the clutch in. It will snick into the next gear with far less protest that way, and the preloading action will become second nature after a while. | ||
| Griffmeister |
If you want to spend the bucks you could have the gears "race" cut. I had mind done and the tranny has never shifted better, no missed shifts or false neutrals and very smooth compared to what it was. The only problem is that in the XB it means a total engine rebuild. Always a downside to everything. | ||
| Ratbuell |
I didn't cut the gears on my S1W, but when the mainshaft bearing gave out and I had the trapdoor gearset out years ago...I did have it micro-polished. Wow. Shifts nearly as slick as my 1125. If you've got your gears out for any reason...it can't hurt to get them re-cut, or polished. While you're in there. | ||
| Ratbuell |
That said - I will agree with the preload-shifting. I can easily perform clutchless upshifts on my Uly (and my tubers), and the Uly will even let me drop in a clutchless downshift once in a while if I have to. Stock gearset, stock primary, Syn3 fluid, all adjustments per the service manual (clutch hub, primary chain, clutch cable). | ||
| Xaman |
First trip with the Uly, 3 days of 2up riding in the Texas Hill Country, maybe 750 miles total. My wife says she doesn't ever want to ride the scrambler again, she's in love with the ULY!  | ||
| Reepicheep |
I forget how lean a Uly looks with the luggage off.... | ||
| Djohnk |
Awesome, i LOVE riding the texas hill country two-up on my Uly. You can be a little lazy with that torquey engine. I bet the weather was great this last weekend! I've also ridden the hill country twice with a group of bikes that included the new BMW GS1200, the Yamaha Super Tenere and a Concours ... my little old Uly had no problem keeping up and it handled better around the twisties. (Message edited by djohnk on February 14, 2015) |
