Transmission Question

[JackC]

I recently acquired a 1990 Voyager XII. Got it running with some carb tinkering. Starts and runs in neutral. Neutral light is on. OD light is also on. I can shift into 1st gear, but when I let clutch out, it kills the engine. Bike can be pushed in neutral with not problem. I jacked rear wheel off the ground, same results. I tried shifting into 2nd gear, unable to shift into any gear except 1st. Anyone else experience this or have any suggestions. Seems like it is stuck in OD but still has a neutral.

[Van Voyager]

If it's like my 1300, your bike will have a side stand switch. Are you letting the clutch out with the side stand down - if so, that'll shut down the motor. If not, then check that the switch is functioning properly (by bypassing it).

None of the above should have an effect on the OD lamp though. Could be the OD indicator switch is stuck - running the transmission a bit may free that up. Or, someone may have cheated the switch so the cruise control works in any gear (not really sure if that's a thing on 1200 Voyagers or not).

[Barry]

Jack,
Good to see you found this forum. Once you're a paid member, you will be able to search and find answers to just about any problem with the vxii. Do you have a factory shop manual? It sounds like you have an electrical problem with the side stand safety switch and also with the OD switch. There's a positive neutral finder feature that can prevent shifts from 1st to 2nd gear on a cold motor. If this is the problem, run the engine up to 3000 rpm in 1st gear before shifting to 2nd. Some people really bang on their shift levers and have been known to break the shift linkage, so it would be good to look at the linkage at the same time you're checking out the side stand switch & OD switch. Report back with your findings.

[ekap1200]

Jack,
Good to see you found this forum. Once you're a paid member, you will be able to search and find answers to just about any problem with the vxii. Do you have a factory shop manual? It sounds like you have an electrical problem with the side stand safety switch and also with the OD switch. There's a positive neutral finder feature that can prevent shifts from 1st to 2nd gear on a cold motor. If this is the problem, run the engine up to 3000 rpm in 1st gear before shifting to 2nd. Some people really bang on their shift levers and have been known to break the shift linkage, so it would be good to look at the linkage at the same time you're checking out the side stand switch & OD switch. Report back with your findings.

Hello Barry from cold and damp New Jersey..... Glad you said " Some people really bang on their shift lever " I have been wanting to say that for some years, But didn't want to start any whining or anything else. On another note, to Jack, the Voyager shifts like a tractor / trailer..... Know how and at what RPM, to do it or suffer the poor shift and clucking that some have complained about.
Once you get the hang of it and practice , it will shift nice.
GENE KAP

[GrandpaDenny]

I just changed the oil on Gertrude, using Rotella T6 15W-40, and even in these close-to-freezing (and sometimes below freezing) temps she shifts sweet as pie. Before changing the oil, yeah, she was a tough girl to shift - I broke my shift linkage.

I didn't know the cold problem shifting 1st to 2nd was a common occurance. It was kind of bugging me, but I figured out that winding her up higher would work.

[Barry]

After 5 minutes of riding it shouldn't be necessary to wind her up on the 1-2 shift.

[GrandpaDenny]

Right. It's rare that it takes more than a block or two before the trouble goes away now. Changing the engine oil and filter made a HUGE difference. She shifts with a nice 'click' now. I do have to remember, when she's really cold, about having to rev her up for that first shift, so that I don't break my shift linkage again.

[mickier]

You didn't mention if you resolved this issue - but I experienced the same thing yesterday - my side stand somehow got hung up on it's wires. I had just tried to take off and it died as I let the clutch out (kinda funny - had died when I let out the clutch in 1st - but after i fiddled with the kickstand, it let me take off) - but then when I hit 2nd gear the engine started to die as I let out the clutch in 2nd... I figured that there was something wrong with the kickstand wires - so I pulled over and sure enough - one of the wires was sticking out...

I just temporarily stuck the two wires together and got it home - and then realized the side-stand switch actually had broken - so I just jumpered the two wires together and tacked them up with a ziptie... never had a sidestand switch before anyway on any of my other bikes...

[GrandpaDenny]

Yeah, all I have to do when it's really cold is bring her up to 3k before shifting out of first. After a block or two (unless it's REALLY cold) she's fine. On the warm days we had earlier in the week I had no trouble shifting right off the bat. I do have to say, though, as easy as she shifts, I definitely hear the CLACK. I don't remember any other bike clicking so loudly when shifting. I guess that's what's meant by "shifting like a truck"?

The kickstand switch gave me a little trouble the other day. A little tug on the wires and she was OK. Something to add to the list, bypass the kickstand switch. I've never had a bike with a kickstand safety switch before. The clutch safety switch was already bypassed when I bought her.

Hey something I noticed when she stalled (before the new plugs), she won't pop start, have to hit the starter. Is this normal? Is this a "feature" of our bikes? I'm beginning to wonder if Microsoft was involved in the design of these bikes