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1st gear problems

4583 Views 15 Replies 6 Participants Last post by  dharmon012
I'm new to the forum and this issue may have been addressed previously. I bought a 2006 zx10r with 22k miles. I did some minor work to get it running again but my main issue is first gear.

First gear on my bike feels like it's slipping and it doesn't matter how much throttle is applied. The bike feels as if the clutch is applied then suddenly connects. I do not have this issue in any other gears, so i believe my clutch is okay. I thought it would be one of the transmission gears on either the input or output shafts. I pulled the engine and manipulated the sprocket while inspecting both shafts. No defect was visible.

I've read other posts stating the kickstand sensor can give similar problems similar to what I am having. My next course of action is to loop the sensor and try it out again in warmer weather.

I have no idea what would cause the could be now. If the kickstand is not it I guess I will try the clutch.

Has anyone had similar problems? What was your fix?

Thank you in advance.
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Sounds like clutch problems. They always appear in lower gears cause there is higher torque applied. I don't think a kickstand switch could cause a problem like this. How should he do?
If the clutch is bad, it would slip more in the higher gear. If it's not slipping more in other gears, it's probably not the clutch pack.

I would take the clutch apart and inspect the basket and the gear that the basket is attached to, make sure 3 rivets that the clutch basket is attached with aren't damaged/broken/gone. Then I would look at the inner hub, it's the smaller hub with teeth on it, it has small pins pressed into it and if those are moving back and forth that would be the problem.

Kickstand switch wouldn't cause any slippage feel. Bad kickstand switch would have the engine cut out, like you're hitting a rev limiter.

Pull the clutch out and post some pics, or post a video while the bike is running so we can see/hear what its doing.
thundercoupe9 I will get some pics posted Wednesday after i get the engine put back in the bike. Thanks for the info on the clutch basket, i had not thought of that. When you say inner hub do you mean the sub clutch hub? Will it be the top part in the center?
thundercoupe9 I will get some pics posted Wednesday after i get the engine put back in the bike. Thanks for the info on the clutch basket, i had not thought of that. When you say inner hub do you mean the sub clutch hub? Will it be the top part in the center?
Ok, I'll take a look at it after I get the engine put back in. Thanks
So I pulled the clutch and everything going looks good. All the friction plates are withing standards. I did notice that two friction plates were side by side then two steel plates. Could this have been the problem? The still plates look to be in good shape, nothing warped.
So I pulled the clutch and everything going looks good. All the friction plates are withing standards. I did notice that two friction plates were side by side then two steel plates. Could this have been the problem? The still plates look to be in good shape, nothing warped.
Your plates is in wrong order. Clutch should start with friction plate and steel plate after. Alternate till your last plate being friction.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
Your plates is in wrong order. Clutch should start with friction plate and steel plate after. Alternate till your last plate being friction.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

Exactly. You shouldn't have 2 friction plates touching each other let alone 2 steel plates. If that's really what you have, then that could be the issue. And I'd get new friction plates to replace at least the ones that were touching each other. :headshake:
I knew the stack was wrong but didn't know what issues the wrong order would cause.
I knew the stack was wrong but didn't know what issues the wrong order would cause.

Not sure if that's the cause or not, but it should be corrected in any case and then see what happens
Well I still have yet to get the bike put back together. I've been waiting on some new parts to come in before I put everything back on. When the weather here gets a little warmer I hope to get out and see if fixing the clutch stack has corrected the issue I was having. Thank you for everyone's input.
Ok so the bike is back together but my problem is still there. I'll work on getting a video posted soon when I get time to ride more.
check the chain tension too. my old gen 1 had some weird issues that felt like slipping and bucking and i narrowed it down to the chain was too loose.
my old zx6r had worn out gear dogs that would slip in and out of first gear. that would get real sketchy as it would buck and slam around
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