Ghost shift without input from me

[stevenolts]

My bike sounds like it is shifting or clunking all the way into gear
I don't think it is changing gears

It has done this maybe 4-5 times in the last week

I have just reached 36000 miles with no problems until now

[Sorcerer]

What year.

[stevenolts]

2013

[Sorcerer]

My 13 did it. If I got just the least bit lazy on my shifts. At 30,000 miles on my 14, it has not done this.

[stevenolts]

Did you take it in to the dealer?

[seventwenty]

I have a 13 also and it has done it twice in the last 4000mi. I just attributed it to a lazy shift. If you find something, let us know

[opas ride]

Mostly due to, as said above, lazy shifts by the rider...Sometimes with rpm changes and not hitting the shifter properly this can happen..Once or twice for me in the last 4 years....2013 model.....

[Sorcerer]

Did you take it in to the dealer?

No I didn’t take it to a dealer. On most of the Wing sights and the ones who took there bike to the dealer were told to pay more attention to there shifts. Bring it back if it breaks. Honda’s dime if the bike was still under warranty. If out of warranty, on your own dime. Mine got better with mileage. The 13 went to the scrap yard at 35,000 miles. I beleave there was a parts number change for the 14 model year transmission gears.

[Texas TC]

I had ghost shifts on my 2008 and 2012 full Wings. Drove me crazy. My 2013 F6B has over 44,000 miles and it has never happened. Knock on wood. I hope this transmission never acquirs that nasty habit!

[stevenolts]

sounds like bull to me
something must be wrong
it never happened until 35000 miles
now I all of the sudden have been shifting lazy 5 times in a week over the last 500 miles
stevenolts

[Sorcerer]

In some of the discussions over the years, some started having problems when they changed foot gear. My understanding is that the cuts on the “dogs” on the transmission gears were changed in 2014. On a side Q, when was your last fluid change for the clutch.

[53driver]

Pretty much all the "ghost shifting" has boiled down to some sort of operator "error."

[opas ride]

The coating that Honda puts on the gears was changed, I believe, after the 2013 model year for some reason...Perhaps to reduce this so-called "ghost shifting" as a few have reported....I would look into this info if these shifts become more frequent and see what Honda has to say.....As I said on an earlier post this has only happened once or twice to me over 4 years, but I only have 14,300 miles on the bike....Regards and ride safe....

[VStarRider]

Mine used to ghost shift enough to make me paranoid. It was always a drop from 5th to 4th, unexpectedly.

After the bike had about 5,000 miles on it, this phenomenon has all but completely disappeared. Currently has ~17,000 miles on it and I cannot remember the last time it happened.

[VStarRider]

One more thing ... as I learned on this forum awhile back ... one must be a little more aggressive with the throttle and shifting to keep gear changes smooth. Not sure why, but it is just the way bike is. I don't mean shifting at 4000 rpm, but being more deliberate with the roll-on in each gear, and waiting until at least 2000 rpm to shift (even though the motor creates enough torque to shift at 1800 rpm and still keep up with traffic).

I came off a VStar 1100, and with that bike, one could be lazy with shifts and throttle inputs in each gear as it would just clunk its way through each gear with minimal toe pressure on the lever.

[stevenolts]

It never happened until now after 36000 miles with no problems ever before this!!!!!
I can't believe that I have been shifting lazy 10 - 15 times during the last week.
Something is wrong it is not lazy shifting all of the sudden after 36000 miles?????
stevenolts

[Sorcerer]

Let us know what the dealer says when you get it back from the shop. Are you still under factory warranty?

[2wheelsforme]

My 15 has shifted on it own about three times in the 20K I've had it. Most recently it went from 5th to 4th on it's own while riding consistent about 50 MPH. Have not worried too much about it and still have until August to decide on the extended coverage.

[Ixol Phaane]

I've experienced this a few times with my '14 over the years. It first happened somewhere around the 25-35k miles mark. I honestly believe it was pilot error... i.e. being lazy when shifting. It's probably happened maybe a half-dozen times in 80k miles... but it's never really unexpected because I know when I've screwed up the shift on my own. So... there it is.

Ride safe!

[Frye]

Happened on my 2016 with 2500 miles just this past week. It was on a lazy back road ride. I up-shifted, a moment later it downshifted, then shifted back to original gear. I assumed I hadn't pushed it fully into gear.

[VStarRider]

Mine did the first ghost shift of the year yesterday. I think it was after a lazy upshift. It's been awhile. If the "OD" indicator does not illuminate, that is a guarantee that you are not fully engaged in 5th gear.

[stevenolts]

mine does it between 1st and 2nd only
I think
It does not do it all the time but at random and way to often
this just started after 36,000 miles

[dadeo]

The transmission on my 2015, which has about 8,000 miles, sometimes does this when when I get lazy. It seems to happen less often after the first service when the oil was changed.

[keller123]

i have 13 and yes did it a couple times, i am calling lazy shift, did not put all the way into gear. It down shifted

[tenxxx]

My 2013 did it a few times. 5th down to 4th once. Out and back in 5th once. Jumped out of 2nd into neutral once. Perty sure it was lazy shifts.
I have ADD, so it will probably happen more. Getting in the habit of taking off in 2nd. 1st is so low its not needed unless I'm taking off on a hill.
I ride a lot with Harley's and noticed my 2nd gear is much the same as their 1st. Its like a creeper gear. Good when pulling a trailer.
My 13 has 10k miles. Bought it at 8500k and did it right away. If it had done it on the test ride I would not have bought it.
It also makes a rattling noise while letting the clutch out.
Ride safe my friends

[stevenolts]

Well I took it to the Honda dealer in Ft Walton FL
They rode it for 5 mins / it had no problem while they rode it / so there is no problem for them to fix.
I made sure they had it in the log.
If the transmission fails now they can't say I did not try to get it fixed. I have extended warranty until 2022.
They suggested an oil change with full synthetic. I have used Amzoil since 500 miles so that should not be a problem. Other than that after 38000 miles without being at the dealer they said it needed new tires only. I have a new set waiting in the garage. I have done all the maintenance myself (I guess I must be doing it OK????)

What do you guys think??? Would you accept this answer? It has done this shift in the last few months about 10 -15 times.
stevenolts

[olegoat345]

This worked for me.
I took a short piece of 3/4" ID of clear vinyl hose (rubber would work) & pushed it over the toe shifter. Used a small zip tie to make sure it stays in place. It's just thick enough to give me a little extra lift. To date, no missed shifts. I also use AMSOIL oil.

[stevenolts]

Just to make this clear I have never had a mis-shift in 37000 miles
I now have had 10 -15 (maybe more) in the last 1000-2000 miles.

THIS PROBLEM IS NOT A MIS-SHIFT!!!!

Unless maybe I am getting old timers out of the blue / I am going to be 58 next week.
I play soccer and I am very active so I am not suddenly weak shifting.
Maybe I am having a stroke or something who the f**k knows

This problem is not happening on my other bike the 81 Honda CB750K.
Stevenolts

[VStarRider]

Just to make this clear I have never had a mis-shift in 37000 miles
I now have had 10 -15 (maybe more) in the last 1000-2000 miles.

THIS PROBLEM IS NOT A MIS-SHIFT!!!!

Unless maybe I am getting old timers out of the blue / I am going to be 58 next week.
I play soccer and I am very active so I am not suddenly weak shifting.
Maybe I am having a stroke or something who the f**k knows

This problem is not happening on my other bike the 81 Honda CB750K.
Stevenolts

I hear your frustration. Unfortunately, I think you have done everything you can do. Still annoying to wonder when its gonna drop out of 5th to 4th, particularly if you are passing another vehicle or in some other situation like that.

[olegoat345]

sounds like it's time to take it to someone that sleeps, breaths & eats Gold Wings, maybe small shop. I'm bettin' it's a fairly simple fix, just need somebody that cares enough to "just fix it."

[edgeman55]

http://www.justwings.com/index.html

From what I have read this is the tranny guru for Goldwings.Go to his site and read about Ghost shifting and what he has found and how he repairs it.Fix does not look cheap as the engine must come out of the frame.

[stevenolts]

Thank you for the info.

Hopefully this would be covered by the warranty????

I will take it back to the dealer if it keeps happening???

stevenolts

[stevenolts]

The Honda dealer could not reproduce the problem on the first time I brought it in to them. I took it back the and they took it out for a long ride and it happened once for them. So they now acknowledge the problem exists.
They called the problem in to Honda and the answer is:

If I sign saying that I will pay for the labor etc.... if they can't find a problem then they will open it up and take a look. I have to take a risk (of from what I saw above $4000.00 in labor etc...) even though I have a warranty until 2022.

What do you guys think?
stevenolts

[Rickc]

Sounds like BS.
The dealer has acknowledged the problem exist yet you are obligated to pay for their time if they can't find the fix, I want that job.

[tenxxx]

Most of us blame it on lazy shifts. And that probably what it is.
But, We should not be having this problem no mater how we shift.
Ive had many bikes over the years and never had this happen. Many of them Hondas.
This bike has an engineering problem with the trans. They are all capable of doing it depending on how you shift, to enable the glitch.
Lucky for Honda we love everything else about it. Unlucky for us the fix it way out of reach for most.
I guess Honda thinks they addressed this but Im still hearing about it even in the 15's and 16's.
They must figure if we can live with it so can they.
A class action would have done the trick.

[stevenolts]

My 1981 Honda CB750K has never done this and I drove it all last week when on vacation. I bought it new in 1081 so I have had it a long time. My 2010 Harley Fatboy never did this in the 27,500 miles I had it. My 2007 Honda 919 / CB900 never did this. My 1973 Yamaha DT175 Enduro never did this.