| Author |
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Screamer
| | Posted on Thursday, November 28, 2019 - 05:16 pm: | 
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Mike,
The high effort is due more to the design of the shifter assembly that the return springs. I found one shift lever that might be longer and allow a little more leverage/less effort, it’s ~6.75” pivot hole center to toe peg hole center
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Screamer
| | Posted on Thursday, November 28, 2019 - 05:26 pm: |
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Out of curiosity I measured the pull effort on a Storz lever - which has no linkage. It was difficult to see because the bikes are packed together for winter storage, but I believe it was 4.5 to 5lbs.
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Steveford
| | Posted on Thursday, November 28, 2019 - 06:59 pm: |
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Screamer,
That looks to be the late X1 shift lever and, I believe, the upgrade for the S1.
I think the foot peg to toe peg size will be wrong for the Cyclone/S3.
As weird looking as it was, that boomerang shifter worked okay. |
Screamer
| | Posted on Thursday, November 28, 2019 - 10:50 pm: |
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Steveford,
Yes, per the parts catalog, it’s a 2002 X1 lever. The 2001 owners manual still shows the X1 as having a boomerang shifter.
I agree that boomerang assembly worked - okay (when all the components were fresh).
(Message edited by screamer on November 28, 2019)
(Message edited by screamer on November 28, 2019) |
Mikes_bikes
| | Posted on Thursday, November 28, 2019 - 11:41 pm: |
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What model bike is the Storz shifter on? The lever appears to be about 5-1/2" long, which is about an inch longer than the standard M2 lever. That extra length alone would reduce the pull effort by about 20%. It looks good, too. |
Screamer
| | Posted on Friday, November 29, 2019 - 10:01 am: |
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It’s on a ‘95 S2. I’ll try to measure the length this weekend. Using it reverses the shift pattern to one up, four down. |
Upthemaiden
| | Posted on Friday, November 29, 2019 - 02:58 pm: |
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They definitely did something right in the XBs. I dont remember my XB9 being difficult to shift in the slightest. Had to of been internal changes because when I tried fitting an XB shifter to my S1 with an adapter plate, it shifted like crap Haha. |
Ratbuell
| | Posted on Friday, November 29, 2019 - 03:27 pm: |
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They also got rid of the trapdoor transmission in the XB - if you want to work on an XB gearset, you have to split the cases. Tuber? Five or six bolts after pulling the primary, and the gearset is on the shelf ready to be tinkered with. |
_buelligan_
| | Posted on Saturday, November 30, 2019 - 11:02 am: |
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Could also check your shift drum for wear, I have heard of the dowel pins area on the shift forks wearing out which will start binding and overtime start to cut grooves into the drum. Perhaps you're at that first stage where its just one of the three dowel pins is loose and slightly binding? Idk, Baker does make an updated shift drum that comes with a "Low effort" return spring and different shaped shift detent plate, which claims the whole unit will make shifting smoother and easier. I've never used it personally but have seen decent reviews on it before, it also gets rid of the flimsy clip on the end of the shift detent plate that wears out and falls off. Its somewhat pricey at around $280, any Harley dealer can order it through Drag Specialties, part number is 1811-0007. As far as the difference on the XB shifters, the whole internal shifting mechanism design was updated which of course was also applied to the rubber mounted 2004 and up sportsters as well. I've never tested to see how much pressure it takes to shift it but 8lbs does seem a bit excessive. I also occasionally wear soft shoes when riding and never had an issue shifting with it hurting my foot. |
Mikes_bikes
| | Posted on Saturday, November 30, 2019 - 03:00 pm: |
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UTM and Natexlh1000 mentioned the larger diameter Sportster shifter peg and rubber; I had not known about that. I got one complete with the bolt for $10 on ebay and installed it today. The peg bolt on the Sportster is 5/16"-24 thread but it can be rethreaded to match the 5/16"-18 shifter with acceptable results. There is just enough extra thread length to also install a thin lock nut on the back of the shifter. It definitely is an improvement but finding neutral feels even less precise than with the skinny Buell shifter rubber. Having said that, I could probably live with just this change. Thanks UTM and Nate.
(Message edited by Mikes bikes on November 30, 2019) |
Mikes_bikes
| | Posted on Saturday, November 30, 2019 - 03:24 pm: |
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Thank you buelligan; After reading about problems that others had, I modified my shifter drum by machining away the clip groove and threading the end of the drum for a button head screw. There were no loose dowel pins at that time.
(Message edited by Mikes bikes on November 30, 2019) |
Mikes_bikes
| | Posted on Tuesday, December 24, 2019 - 05:32 pm: |
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I just received, on Christmas eve, a German-made, LSL shifter kit for the Buell. I needed something different than stock to reduce the shift effort which was painful on long (and short) rides. I installed the kit today and I’m pretty happy with the results:
OEM Buell shifter effort = 8 lbs.
LSL shifter effort= 5 lbs. 8 oz.
The shift effort is just fine now. The new lever is probably more vulnerable to crash damage, but then the shifter would be the least of my worries. Only 5 or 6 months until riding season.
Merry Christmas!
} |
Steveford
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 25, 2019 - 01:36 am: |
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That's a little more like it! |
Mikes_bikes
| | Posted on Wednesday, December 25, 2019 - 04:29 pm: |
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Thanks, Steve;
I was able to get the effort down a bit more, to about 4-1/2 lbs, by replacing the rubber donuts on the shift shaft with an aluminum spacer that does not rub against the seal. I've probably reached the limit now and it is good enough, though I would like the shifter peg to be a little longer. |
Upthemaiden
| | Posted on Thursday, December 26, 2019 - 02:09 pm: |
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Any pictures of the shift shaft spacer? I still need to find one after I switched my shifter. The bare shaft looks bad. I was just going to get a peice of rubber hose but your idea probably looks better.
Those shifters look so nice. |
Mikes_bikes
| | Posted on Friday, December 27, 2019 - 01:57 am: |
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The spacer behind the lever on the shift shaft takes the place of 2 rubber rings. The rings were compressed behind the lever and were pressing against the shift shaft seal and causing drag. The spacer has a 1/2" ID and 3/4" OD. The length is trimmed to have no clearance but no preload against the seal ... mine is about 7/16" long.
(Message edited by Mikes bikes on December 27, 2019) |
Upthemaiden
| | Posted on Friday, December 27, 2019 - 01:57 pm: |
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That looks really good. And then it looks like you still have a thin rubber spacer between the new spacer and the engine. Was that the original spacer that goes behind the stick boomerang shifter? |
Mikes_bikes
| | Posted on Friday, December 27, 2019 - 02:32 pm: |
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Yes, I left the original rubber ring in position. It provides a little bit of compression so the spacer can have contact with the rubber ring and not cause significant drag against the face of the shaft seal behind it. I thought that would help prevent water intrusion that might lead to rust near the actual seal surface. I also generously coated the shaft with waterproof grease. It would be fine to replace all of the rings with the spacer, but you would probably want to heavily chamfer the spacer ID where the spacer touches the seal to ensure that it doesn't interfere with the seal lip, and to provide a small cavity to hold the waterproof grease.
(Message edited by Mikes bikes on December 27, 2019) |
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