Jump to content
Yamaha Tenere 700 Forum

Two problems - Ticking at startup, and getting stuck between gears on downshift


mpb1

Recommended Posts

I have two problems with my T7, wondering if I'm running the wrong oil for this thing.

 

750 miles on the bike, one week old.

Changed oil and filter at 575 miles with black-bottle yamalube 10w40 with a yamaha oil filter, same PN as came from the factory.

 

Brand new the bike seemed to run like a dream, after about 400 miles it was awkward to shift, it seemed like it wanted to be slammed around which makes no sense.   I noticed the bike can easily be shifted from 2nd to N, I've had about 15 motorcycles, none of them have done this.  I have 3 yamahas now, none of them do this (dirt bikes).  Maybe its a feature for slowing down to stoplights?  

 

I waited as close to the recommended 600 miles for the first change as I dared, then did the first change with dino oil as most would recommend.  The oil looked as expected for a first change, not totally opaque with a sheen of metallic fine clutch brake-in particulate.

 

The bike immediately sounded better.  And I think shifting may have been better.

 

Now 150 miles later, the shifting is total Shet.  It gets stuck between 5th and 4th when down-shifting. and between 4th and 3rd.  This is not racy riding, just going around town.  The gear indicator shows blank when this happens and I have to let the clutch out to get it to decide on a gear.

 

Also on cold start-up there is a loud tick, not a knock like a bad rod or something, but a loud tick like a hydraulic lifter.

 

The bike has rolled over one time at idle engine speed, so it was momentarily upside-down when it had about 70 miles.  Not sure if this could be related, just giving all I have for info.

 

I'm ready to change the oil again to full synthetic gold bottle yamalube.  My YZ250FX shifts like it can see the future on that stuff, noticeably better than semi-synthetic silver bottle.  I had a few gallons of black bottle around because my KLR really likes it.  It has been hot, 100F, but well within the recommended range for 10w40 in the manual.

 

Any ideas?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wracking my brain i checked oil level, it was just a touch anove the sight glass when the bike was perfectly level.  I drained about 1/3 quart and now it is exactly half way between the lines on the case around the sight glass.  Oil looks good and still yellow with 200 or so miles on it.  Bike os still hot so not sure if it changed the ticking.  Didnt take it more than around the neighborhood so i cant tell if it changed the shifting. Ill probably have it out again tonight.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Premium Member

I would say continue riding, keep breaking it in.
If in a few thousand miles its still acting up, go see the dealer? 
Once its broken in, you can switch to full synthetic oil too, it won't take long. 

 

Tazmool

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi

My bike is just due for first service, taking it in next week , I also have pretty much the same issue with gear change, I thought it was just me, but it seems not, constantly finding a false neutral going down into 3rd and 2nd gear, and yes shows blank then let the clutch out a bit and into gear it goes, I know your problem exactly!!, changing up through the gears is sometimes perfect and at other times clunky and hard, it's really starting to piss me off, it just feels like I'm destroying the gear box.

When I rode the demo T7 before purchase it felt totally smooth and sure in gear change.

Edited by Stevoh
More info
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have the same problem with about 690 on the clock running Semi synth 10w50  I've found that If I tick gears down gently this happens.  If I deliberately tap them down not forcefully but  with purpose it downshifts as expected.   I hear no ticking like you're mentioning.  Upshifts are butter smooth like my WR250R. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ill get to 1000 miles tomorrow and check back in.  Ill stay away from the highway and see if city driving changes anything.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Make sure you don't have any of your 'friends' hanging around with you when you start your T7. 😉

 

 

 

 

  • Like 1
  • Haha 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Goldentaco said:

I have the same problem with about 690 on the clock running Semi synth 10w50  I've found that If I tick gears down gently this happens.  If I deliberately tap them down not forcefully but  with purpose it downshifts as expected.   I hear no ticking like you're mentioning.  Upshifts are butter smooth like my WR250R. 

 

Doesn't make any difference if I change down hard, if it's going to go to false neutral it will.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had some issue with the gear position switch. Also sometimes, I had some problems with downshifting ,  it got stuck between the gears.  After they have exchanged the switch  for a new one the shifting is smooth and everything works fine. I use full synthetic  10w40 Yamalube oil.

https://www.tenere700.net/topic/1315-gear-position-switch-issue/?tab=comments#comment-13653

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guys, the bike is under warranty! Take it to the dealer. At least they are aware that there is a potential issue. Then when repaired report back to the forum. It's probably just tight and needs running in, but what if it isn't? 

"You should have bought it in 2 weeks ago " now it's your fault......😫

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mine ticks slightly also. More so upon cold start up. Spoke to dealer & several forms. Both told me it was normal & their T7’s did the same. Said that engine has always been a tad ‘ticky’. 2oookm on mine , first service complete & no issues. Just a the little ticking sound lol 
Hopes this puts your mind at ease! 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 minutes ago, Vito said:

Mine ticks slightly also. More so upon cold start up. Spoke to dealer & several forms. Both told me it was normal & their T7’s did the same. Said that engine has always been a tad ‘ticky’. 2oookm on mine , first service complete & no issues. Just a the little ticking sound lol 
Hopes this puts your mind at ease! 

Mine T7 do the same. After twelve years on Dr650 things like that don't bother me at all. My old Dr is a real tractor and I got used to it. I know, when you buy a brand new bike the expectations are big, but if  I worry less then I live longer🙂.

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mine was the same however changed to 10w40 fully synthetic after 1000 and level half way and has completely changed it, much smoother and happy camper!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Okay I swear this is a different bike today.

 

Drained the oil to 1/2 way between the marks sitting tippy-level.  Still second oil the bike has seen, second filter.  Yamalube black 10w40 with OEM filter.

 

Started cold this morning and sounded like a sewing machine, no tick.

 

Rode 50 miles trying to focus on letting gears wear in to each-other.  Slower acceleration holding each gear until maybe 7k rpm, then downshifting high so gears would see force in the decelerating direction with higher RPM (4-6k rpm).

 

The bike felt like a different machine.  I'm going to try this for a little and get to 1k miles maybe mid week and change oil again to full synth.

 

I really think the oil wants to be 1/2 way between the marks, or between the marks at least.  I'm just so used to my KLR with a big tank I guess.  If you fill the tank and the oil to the top mark then start riding, the motor will lock up due to lack of oil before it runs out of gas.  That thing has to be filled TO THE TOP of the glass to make it through a fuel tank at high speeds.

 

I'll keep updating.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My GS was the same. 2/3 up the sight glass. Just riding mine now with the sight glass 2/3rds and it awesome 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've been complaining to my wife about mine doing the same thing. It's fine early on in the ride, but as the miles increase so does the effort to downshift. Start the next day and no issues again. I did my initial 600 oil change and now at 1100. When I get home in a week I'll probably do it again and go to full synthetic and try the "not to the full mark" approach. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One more ride in, everything perfect.  850 miles on the clock now, probably switching to synthetic by the end of the week.  Bike reacts better to downshifts around 4k rpm than it does around idle.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mine is clunky on down shifts at slower speeds. The clicking up top when cold doesn’t bother me that’s typical Yamaha valve train set loose to make it to the 26,600 first interval check. 
 

The transmission Is not Suzuki slick at all. I don’t have any missed gears yet or false neutrals but it takes some effort to shift it. I adjusted my shift lever down more first day as it was way too high for my small foot. I just passed 600 miles and I have changed the oil and filter. Yamalube 10w40 regular oil and a Yamaha filter. Hot it’s at the top level line. Not going to worry about it at that level as it was way over filled from the factory. Shifted the same before oil change and after. 
 

I heard these engines are a bit of a problem in the transmissions when raced in the MotoAmerica class they compete in. I remember my old Super Tenere was not a smooth shifting bike either. It never became a real problem though. 

Edited by roy826
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yep I had the same concerns with mine & got the dealer to note this on the 1st service, but it gets a lot better with more klm done. mine has now done over 6000 klm & its perfect. the only niggling thing about the gearbox when you are on the back wheel you cannot dump it into the next gear with no clutch. 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have a  low mileage Yamaha Virago 1100 it experienced gearbox shifting issues when it heated up on a long trip. Would jam in a false neutral, I would have to pull up to find a gear. A friend of mine had a similar problem on an old Kawasaki Z650 which he fixed. He recommended I swap oil, to a full zinc variety. Hey Presto problem solved! For you Australian riders PENRITE oils has full zinc. I will shortly be doing a scheduled oil change to full synthetic 10W 40 PENRITE of course. I always let the dealer do the first change on a new bike. Yes, I feel ripped off. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I reqlly think i just need to let the gears mesh more.  Sitting in 6th 90% of the time probably wasnt helping.  

  • Like 2
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I saw the down shift blank screen thing only once and it was from I think 4th to 3rd. It was weird but I haven't seen it since... I just thought it was a random fluke thing till I read all your posts. Sorry no help here but I'll report back if I see it again. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had this downshift behavior a few times on the first couple of rides, but now with more km's on the clock it does not happen anymore. So I think this is an issue that goes away with mileage.

 My old V-Strom used to do this all the time when downshifting from high rpm, even with 125k km's on the clock.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So....got my bike back from first service yesterday, I mentioned the false neutrals and clunky up change I was experiencing, they rode the bike, I'm guessing after the oil change, and said it all working normal.

Done about 200 km since yesterday,

road and single trails, changing gears has improved quite a bit, I did see the blank screen a couple of times but it was very brief and went into gear no problemo, dealer said they used semi synthetic oil at service, anyways I'm a lot happier now.

Hopefully with more miles it will improve even more.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

Our Friends

Tenere across the USA

Tenere 700 Forum. We are just Tenere 700 owners and fans

Tenere700.net is not affiliated with Yamaha Motor Co and any opinions expressed on this website are solely those of ea individual author and do not represent Yamaha Motor Co or Tenere700.net .

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.