Mk3 Gear Lever Free Play

Hello all. I'm newly signed-up on here, but have been a regular watcher for some time.

I have an 850 Mk3 and there has always been a lot of up and down free play on the gear lever, compared with a Mk2a I used to own and all the other bikes I have ridden. It takes an enormous amount of ankle twisting to change gear!

When I bought the bike many years ago, it was like this and I just assumed that it was a characteristic of all those additional parts in the mechanism compared with the r/h shift gearbox.

Over time, as well as trying to improve the situation (new bushes etc in the crossover mechanism, attention to selector springs etc,) I suppose I have just got used to it.

However, a new pair of boots which are taking some breaking-in has brought the problem to a head, so I'd like to know what is the best I can hope for in terms of free play on the gear lever.

I would say that the total arc of movement of the lever is rather more than twice as much as, for example, the AMC 'box on my Matchless G11. Is this to be expected or should it be better? What are the 'prime suspects' in the mechanism which I should focus on to improve matters?

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Allan.

On one occasion, I replaced pretty much all the "potentially wearing" components of the shifter "drive-train", like the shaft for the gear lever, the gear it runs on, the cross-over shaft, etc. It was an attempt to remove all the little bits of wear that may have existed on the bike in question.

In that instance (as in on that particular bike), it made a huge difference, with almost zero free-play, and a very concise shifting action.

It was definitely regarded as a successful outcome. The owner commented in particular regarding the "super slick" shifting. Most other gearbox internals were also new (and clutch etc).

I have no long term data regarding any "loosening up".

I don't recall this was a problem on my old mk3, but that was 30 yrs ago...

And I did have a modern Honda at the same time too, so I think would have noticed the sloppy play.

oldschool said:

Over time, as well as trying to improve the situation (new bushes etc in the crossover mechanism, attention to selector springs etc,) I suppose I have just got used to it.

Click to expand...

Did you replace the cross shaft and connector?
The splines at both ends of the cross shaft can wear causing play between the shaft and the 06-5067 gearbox connector, also between the shaft and the 06-6181 gear on the primary side as the shaft splines don't seem to be hardened.

https://andover-norton.co.uk/en/shop-drawing/132/gear-linkage-chains-alternator-engine-sprocket

A PO had epoxied the coupling of my Mk3 to both shafts obviously trying to reduce the slop in the mechanism and which needed a blow torch to separate!

My Mk3's lever has approximately 3/8" freeplay.

Thanks for the replies.

I'll open up the primary drive and check the splines and report back.

3/8" free play would be great! At least I now have a yardstick, thanks.