My motorcycle...?

Question

I have a 2000 Suzuki Bandit S. Sometimes when I'm at a light, for some reason it wont switch into first gear. Other times it's really easy.

What can be causing this?

Answer 1

All good answers. I own a 98 Bandit 1200S and you might want to check the following as well:

1) Idle should be about 1200 - 1300 rpm. You can go as high as 1500 but the higher you go the harder the "clunk" when engaging first. Any lower and you risk the engine not getting enough oil to all areas of the engine when stationary.

2) Some oils are better than others with regard to how easily the gears engage. I don't want to start an oil debate here but many Bandit owners have good luck with Mobil 1 (non-motorcycle specific oil)

3) Lastly, if the techniques others have mentioned and the points I've outlined don't help, you clutch might be going. One way you can check this is on a level street when you've come to a stop and have the clutch pulled in all the way, take as much weight off the seat as possible and slowly let go of the front and rear brake. If the bike starts to walk forward then your clutch is not doing it's job of disengaging the wheel from the engine.

Good luck. I'm always on the following board asking questions, lots of good Bandit specific knowledge.

www.maximum-suzuki.com

Answer 2

From neutral down into first? Then you're pulling into the light while in neutral, and so sometimes the little pegs that poke into holes that make up the transmission gears aren't aligned -- you're pushing the pegs against the solid bits instead of the holes. The transmission output shaft for a motorcycle is tied to the rear wheel, so moving forward or backward a bit will allow you to align the pegs and holes up. I think you're better off rolling into the stop with the transmission in gear and the clutch pulled in ready for a quick emergency launch, but some people have their reasons for not doing this.

Answer 3

It happens to a lot of bikes.
When the bike isn't moving, the transmission gears are binding against each other.
The constant tension holding the gears together makes it difficult for them to separate (shift to another gear).
Either shift while you're still moving, coming up to a light.
OR
While you're stopped at a light, twist the throttle and rev up the engine.
Then let go and let the revs come down.
The second the revs start to come down, shift.
The process of shifting when the revs change, is releasing tension on the transmission gears (de-binding them LOL), allowing them to slide on their transmission shafts.

Answer 4

let off the clutch just a little while gently engaging into first gear. Happens to my busa sometimes.