Early FJ second gear issues

[Motofun]

The second gear issue isn't on every FJ1100.  I've got about 80k miles on mine and never had an issue.

[Pat Conlon]

The second gear issue isn't on every FJ1100.  I've got about 80k miles on mine and never had an issue.

I disagree. It's just a matter of time before you bend those soft shift forks.

There is a real reason Yamaha re-designed those forks in the later FJ models.

[Motofun]

Isn't the issue rounded over dogs on the second gear?  I ride my '85 pretty hard, always have and yet no problems.....I have not taken the transmission apart so I may be in for a surprise some day but I'm worried about it.
I'll add that many years ago I went with a stage three carb kit, air filter and pipes.  The only problem I had was a slipping clutch that I did the doubled up diaphragm spring trick....

[Troyskie]

Let's not forget that many 1100's had the second gear sorted as part of a recall during warranty maintenance in the first few years.

Many bikes never had the recall warranty work done as they were serviced by owners and, generally, it was only dealers who were advised of the recall. Plus some dealers refused to do the work as there was not enough profit from the Yamaha payment, even though parts were gratis.

Troyskie

[Dads_FJ]

The second gear issue isn't on every FJ1100.  I've got about 80k miles on mine and never had an issue.

I disagree. It's just a matter of time before you bend those soft shift forks.

There is a real reason Yamaha re-designed those forks in the later FJ models.

Been there talked about that.

http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=17735.msg178974#msg178974

[Pat Conlon]

Isn't the issue rounded over dogs on the second gear? 

The cause of the rounded dogs is a bent shift fork.

[FJ_Hooligan]

Isn't the issue rounded over dogs on the second gear? 

The cause of the rounded dogs is a bent shift fork.

I would think the lack of undercut on the gears and wear on the dogs/windoes allows them to push apart and disengage under heavy load.  This movement is what bends the shift fork that is trying to hold the gears together.

I don't typically bounce mine off of the rev limiter in second gear but, like Jack, I have never had any second gear issues.  Not to say that that it wouldn't eventually fail if I rode like a street racer all the time.  :-)

[Alf]

I would like to contribute with my humble grain of sand to the 2nd gear issue

I think at present I know around 20 members of our FJ whatsupp chat with 1100s and 1TX 1200s (86-87 in Europe). No one have experienced the 2nd gear issue. Along my life, I've only known 1 case, in a 1100, and then it was in 1988

My best friend owns one early 1200 model since 1998, and myself I own one of this for 2 years now. My first FJ 1100 was owned 5 years, where I rode 165.000 kms, included track sessions. No 2nd gear issues

Maybe could it come from your popular traffic lights drag races because of your strict speed limits?. Only a theory

Choosing an FJ, this 2nd gear potential problem would not take me to discard an early model.

The starter clutch slippery is a more habitual problem, and equally expensive, and could affect any model

[T Legg]

I have two 84 fj1100's and my newest one has no second gear issue.the first fj I bought slips in both second and third gear .Those are my two favorite gears.I hope to replace the transmission with one of RPM 's undercut gear setups and updated shift forks before the West coast rally.

[giantkiller]

I've never had a slippery starter clutch problem. But the fj1350r. I got the bike with a little over 10,000 miles on it for $600. And the first time I got on it hard. Second gear gremlin shows up. I'm thinking that PO probably missed a gear. And maybe all it takes is maybe just once. If just the right/wrong combination.

Second gear issue... Helped me justify the 1350... inverted Gixxer front end, Gixxer rear wheel, on and on and on.

But I have a bike that made a superbike racer. Come back from riding it with a huge smile on his face. That I could see through the visor of his helmet. For just a fraction of the cost of his gsxr 1000.

Your bike looks great and should be easy to get $2900. Just wrong time of the year to sell  bike.

[ZOA NOM]

Mods should delete discussion about problems in this For Sale thread.

[TexasDave]

Mods should delete discussion about problems in this For Sale thread.

I agree. Pat has already moved some to a 2nd gear specific thread but more members are posting this problem in this for sale thread. I know if I had a bike for sale I would not like to see all the problems of this model posted in my for sale thread.

Dave

[FJmonkey]

Rick, Dave, this topic (Early FJ second gear issues) is already split from the sale post, as of 3PM yesterday by Father Pat. 

[Pat Conlon]

I leave for Saturday ride and look what I come back to....you rascals...

Mark, they added more posts in EffinJack's f/s topic since I split out the first batch yesterday....

No worries laddies, all fixed...that's why I get paid the big bucks...

On with the discussion....

Was it the chicken or the egg?  Does the shift fork bend then the dogs get rounded, or vice-versa?
In my experience, I missed a 75% WFO 1-2 shift and bent my shift fork first, then 2nd gear started popping out.

Everything was fine until I missed that shift.

[ZOA NOM]

Mark, they added more posts in EffinJack's f/s topic since I split out the first batch yesterday....

I'll take that apology in the form of a beer...