Downshift issue

[MisterA]

Hi everyone, first time posting…. Just got a 2015 f6b deluxe, used to have a st1300.. it seems to have an issue, and I’m wondering if anyone has a solution…. Whenever I downshift into 2nd gear, when I give it throttle, it will “catch” like it wasn’t completely in gear? It only does it on the downshift, and only from 3rd to second…. I can work around it, but pretty disheartening, and a bit nerve racking when it does it…. I’d appreciate any feed back.

[SpencerPJ]

I would start with an oil change. Mine is finicky around, 1st . N . 2nd

[Davidk]

Synthetic oil helped my shifting dramatically

[Sorcerer]

Does your F6B have a heal toe shifter?

[MisterA]

It does not, I can’t say for certain if it used to or not though..

[SeaSteve]

At the risk of turning this into another "Oil" debate...

I ran Mobile One Full Synthetic and Honda Full Synthetic, but returned back to Honda GN4.

For ME, my 2016 F6B (with 40K miles) transmission shifts better with Honda GN4 10W-40.

[F6Dave]

I'd be curious if the 3-2 shift would work better if you tried to rev-match by 'blipping the throttle' a bit as you downshift. It's kind of like double-clutching on a car without synchronizers on some lower gears. It makes the shifts smoother on some of my bikes. I just looked it up and there are lots of articles online about this shifting technique.

[MisterA]

I’ll try that to see, I’ve finally pinpointed that it’s only on the 3-2 downshift, so now I can try that! I know that the oil thing is prevalent, I’m using mother Honda synthetic.. this shifting issue is hard for me because I was very used to downshifting in the corner, like turning into a slower street.. and this “catch” freaks me out. Lol. Thank you everyone for the advice and effort responding. I love this beast, it is by far the most comfortable bike out of the 5 I’ve owned in my life, and even tho I know it’s a “cruiser” man it’s powerful…

[F6Dave]

What's nice about the F6B is it doesn't fit in any category. Almost a cruiser, almost a tourer, and almost a sport tourer. When people ask me what the heck it is, I often say it's a crotch rocket for old guys.

[tenxxx]

When you down shift to second its sounds like it going too far past second.
Try a little more investigating and see where neutral is after you down shift to second before you let the clutch out.
Neutral should be an easy touch on the shifter from second.
Also while you are coasting with the clutch in, go back and forth in the gears at low speed and get a feel for the way it shifts.
Check your clutch adjustment. Give the clutch lever a longer pull and see what that does.

[MisterA]

That’s great advice, you guys rock… it came with grip “covers”? They’re like bigger grips, that are chrome with black rubber.. I’ve been wondering if these are interfering with the clutch.. but I assumed that if they were, I’d be struggling in more shifting. When you say more pull, are you talking about the dial on the lever that is labeled 1-5? Right now it’s on 4

[DaWadd]

I would change that dial to 2 or even 1. Might be your issue.

[tenxxx]

Yes mine is set to 2. Thats where I get the least amount of clatter on downshifts.
And it took a while to learn to shift it. I would get the "ghost shifts" cause I wasn't putting it all the way in gear.
When I up shift to 4th gear once in a while it would jump back to 3rd after I let the clutch out and got back on the gas a bit.
It jumped back to second from third once. I made a clutch adjustment too. Hasn't done it since.
And, when I let the clutch out in first gear the trans has a wired rattle that bothered me for a while, but you get used to it.

[MisterA]

Thanks you guys, I’m finally getting a day off, so I’ll try some of these strategies and let you know, I sure appreciate all the help!

[terryboyle]

For what it is worth, I have owned a VFR800 and a Super Blackbird and the sport bike shifting was spectacular. When I first started on my F6B I had some false neutrals. I was just barely catching the outside end of the shifter and it was not getting the solid, direct shifting this bike requires.

[tenxxx]

Does anybody else have a loud 4th gear?

[F6Dave]

Honda GLs are definitely not the smoothest shifting bikes I've owned. I had a few Kawasakis and Suzukis that shifted much better. I suspect Honda realizes these bikes will often carry and tow a lot of weight, and they sacrifice smooth shifting for durability.

[gadgeteer]

What's nice about the F6B is it doesn't fit in any category. Almost a cruiser, almost a tourer, and almost a sport tourer. When people ask me what the heck it is, I often say it's a crotch rocket for old guys.

Great answer!

[98valk]

My 3rd to 2nd shift feels real "notchy". Like it wants to stop half way (kind of like the feel of going from 2nd to 1st). Knowing this, I just make sure I press all the way through the shift. Has always done this. No problems.

[MisterA]

So have definitely narrowed it down to the fact that it only does this from 3rd to second, it doesn’t seem to fully engage the gear, but once it “catches” it goes into gear and stays until I change gears again. Someone said it might be a bent shifting fork, I tried the “rev matching” but that didn’t work. Anyone else have any ideas? I’m really not wanting to take it in for Maint as the cost of just undressing it will be insane…

[98valk]

If I make a shift that I am unsure of (due to being sloppy), I hold the shifter with my foot until I let the clutch out, to be sure it stays in gear. I suggest trying to hold the shifter down when going to 2nd gear while letting the clutch out. See what happens. Good luck!