GEAR SHIFT SENSOR - WHAT IS IT AND HOW DOES IT WORK ?? COULD IT AFFECT OR MAKE IT HARD TO SHIFT GEARS ??

[wingdings]

Hi - folks just a quick one for you all - Gear shift sensor - " what does it do ?? and how does it work ?? - could it affect gear shifting ?? - ie - make it hard to shift up in certain gears if its not working correctly ?? - all input most welcome - too - I don't claim to know everything !! - all help most welcome too !! ... CHEERS .... THANKS ...

[WingAdmin]

Hi - folks just a quick one for you all - Gear shift sensor - " what does it do ?? and how does it work ?? - could it affect gear shifting ?? - ie - make it hard to shift up in certain gears if its not working correctly ?? - all input most welcome - too - I don't claim to know everything !! - all help most welcome too !! ... CHEERS .... THANKS ...

As I mentioned in the other thread, the gear shift sensor is just a rotary switch attached to the end of the shift drum that lets the bike know the position of the drum (and hence what gear the bike is in). It will have nothing to do with hard shifting.

The shift drum is a round drum with grooves cut in it:

When you shift up or down, a ratchet mechanism rotates this drum a certain amount each shift - one direction when you shift upward, another direction when you shift down.

Shift forks, which have their own shaft, ride inside these grooves. As you shift up and down, the shift forks slide from side to side, according to what the grooves tell them to do.

These shift forks push gears one way and the other. Dogs (metal tabs) on the sides of the gears engage one another as they are pushed up against one another, connecting the input shaft (from the engine), through that gear, to the output shaft (to the wheel).



In any case, the gear position sensor does nothing except identify where in its rotation the drum is, and hence what gear the bike is in.

Here's a simple diagram of how it works:

[wingdings]

Hi - there - Wing admin - many thanks too - for your reply and info there - I am hoping then - that it is only the oil that is the problem then as £2400 - to sort it out will be the death blow !! for this bike its only got 50k miles - which is nothing for a wing - yes ?? .. will just have too see after the oil change ?? - but hey many thanks - again there fella for the input ... ...

[Bluewaterhooker0]

Hi - there - Wing admin - many thanks too - for your reply and info there - I am hoping then - that it is only the oil that is the problem then as £2400 - to sort it out will be the death blow !! for this bike its only got 50k miles - which is nothing for a wing - yes ?? .. will just have too see after the oil change ?? - but hey many thanks - again there fella for the input ... ...

If you're saying the bike is due for an oil change, that could definitely cause harder shifting. I've noticed that on every bike I've owned, including the Wing. Also, I would stick with the recommended oil viscosities, particularly 10W40. I tried a few different oils when I got mine, as the manual says you can use different grades for different climate conditions. My experience was that 10W40 gave the best overall shifting. I tried a 20W50 because I live in a generally hot climate, and the book says you can. But, it was noticeably stiffer on shifts with that oil, and it was Mobil1 Synthetic Bike Oil. I also tried a 15W40, that I believe was Rotella, and same result. Not as bad as the 20W50, but stiffer. I have resolved to stick with the 10W40 since then, and am partial to the Mobil1 Synthetic Bike Oil.

[wingdings]

Good morning !! there - Bluewaterhooker0 - And a big thank you to for your reply too !! - I am very much hoping that it is the oil - its getting change in line with every other fluid on the bike along with the oil filter and air filter too !! - which are being swopped for K&N ones - when I do the cam belts - the coolant is being changed to - Evans PowerSports R Road/Race Bike Waterless Coolant see below -

Evans PowerSports R Road/Race Bike Waterless Coolant - 5 Litres / 5 Litre / 5 L see -www.evanscoolants.co.uk



For nearly 100 years we have been adding water and ethylene glycol (antifreeze) and corrosion inhibitors into out cooling systems. Water based mixtures are not the ideal solution due to the limitations that exist within their chemical and physical make up. These limitations affect engine performance and can lead to engine failure. 60% of engine failures can be attributed to cooling system failures this confirms the inherent flaws.
Evans Waterless Coolant is a major step forward in engine cooling technology. Evans have developed a synthetic liquid over the last 20 years that is proven to increase engine reliability, reduce maintenance costs and improve performance.
NO WATER - PowerSports R contains no water eliminating the problems caused by water based coolants, increasing reliability and extending engine life.
-40°c to 180°c - PowerSports R has a boiling point above 180°c eliminating the risk of overheating and boil-over associated to water based coolants.
LOW PRESSURE - PowerSports R generates 75% less vapour pressure than water based coolants, significantly reducing strain on hoses, seals and gaskets.
PROTECTION - PowerSports R reduces cavitation erosion by 75% compared with water based coolants and eliminates oxidation corrosion.
LONG LIFE - PowerSports R has been proven to last more than 20 years and a million miles in service without the need for replacement.
NON TOXIC - PowerSports R has been tested and certified as Non Toxic by an EPA approved laboratory. It is biodegradable and will not bio-accumulate.

The benfits of using this coolant are defo win- win - win - fella - you don't change it for 20yrs too lol ...cheers !!!
once - again !! many thanks for the input and experance and advice too !! - info is king when you are working on your wing !!

[spiralout]

If you're saying the bike is due for an oil change....

I bet you weren't expecting a reply plugging some kind of coolant when you posted that

[Bluewaterhooker0]

Nope, a little off our discussion.

[dingdong]

And you need to research K&N air filters before you install one. Don't just read their "ad".

[dj040262]

1988 wing no neutral light, globe test all good suspecting gear position sensor Thoughts.

[DenverWinger]

Does it still start in Neutral as normal? If so, and the bulb is good, I suspect a bad connection in the bulb circuit. (sorry, I don't have '88 diagrams). If it's the gear position switch, it won't start unless the sidestand is up and you pull the clutch (as if it was in gear)