Yet another Roadster with a dead transmission

Slipping out of gear once already shifted while applying power is exactly what was originally wrong with mine. It was the result of a shift fork that was warped from the factory. The warped fork caused dog damage, dog damage made it harder to shift, harder to shift led to bending the fork more, bent for led to more dog damage, cycle that ad nauseum until the dogs were rounded over and it wouldn’t stay in gear.

On my bike the original repair was the full output assembly, shift drum, all forks, and all the little pieces were renewed also. Upon delivery, everything was great, except, I couldn’t do a 3 to 4 shift at high RPM, I had to let rpm fall to 4000ish before it would go into gear, otherwise grinding.

The problem is N O T a result of the rider, it’s quality control at the factory. Bearings backwards, circlips backwards, bent and warped forks, missing spacers, wrong spacers. ALL things I’ve seen people have straight from the factory. Go up the chain about warranty repair if it’s still within the time period.

The 4th gear issue is what eventually got me to send my bike to Carpenter and undercut all gears plus install the billet 4th gear. Yes it costs, YES it’s worth it.

I wish everyone could feel the way my bike now shifts, it’s totally transformed. The slightest most gentle movement of the toe and it drops in gear and LOCKS in gear. It’s quiet, no clunking, no grinding, no nothing just functions better than even when it was brand new.

I am convinced every single trans failure has been caused by an undertrained or undercaring technician at Hinkley. The only that won’t fall into this category are situations like warp9.9s where he shattered a gear.

Best of luck, find a tranny specialist NOT the dealer if you have to come out of pocket.

HowardRoark said:

So, I'm posting this for a couple of reasons. One, to add mine to the list of Rockets with a failed transmission that was supposedly fixed after '10 and two, to see what guys who were successful in getting their claims covered said to corporate. I have 39,000 miles on her. I can't get it out first and brought it to Triumph. Triumph denied the claim. I've already had the detent spring issue last summer and she has a Barnett clutch. Over the past couple months, I was getting occasional slipping only in 2nd to the point where now I believe the dogs may be broke? The motor hasn't been split yet, but I guess I was looking for some guidance? Of course, I've searched and got a lot of useful information, but just wondering what you guys thought?

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I feel the pain as well....
my solution take the transmission gears out have robinson transmission of new york undercut the gears get them to include better circlips and a better 4th gear repack it all or like me have it repacked and ride worry free.

rocketjohn said:

I don't get on mine hard until at least second gear.

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First is the only gear that doesn't seem to have any dramas!

You can get on first with peace of mind, first is actually the safest to hoon in for the tranny, it’s the most likely gear to spin the tire and release most of the pressure on the gear when doing so.

4th gear is the weakest gear.

Claviger said:

You can get on first with peace of mind, first is actually the safest to hoon in for the tranny, it’s the most likely gear to spin the tire and release most of the pressure on the gear when doing so.

4th gear is the weakest gear.

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Especially when you are in 5th and 4th wants to engage at the same time........my seat still has teeth marks...

Capture of what my "fixed" transmission was doing when the dealer gave it back to me. Fails to go into 4th gear.

@Claviger An added bonus was it's no longer hard to get into first when stopped, and slightly more effort to get into fourth than the other gears works as a gear indicator for me. Guessing tighter tolerances on the billet 4th? Wondered if you noticed either?

Its much easier to slip into 1st now. Fourth feels no different than the other on my bike.

It's a sad fact , a wrongun is a wrongun no matter how you try to care for it . If your lucky enough to get a goodun, they seem to take any abuse you throw at them . With the exception of long distance wheelie that is !

Nat67 said:

It's a sad fact , a wrongun is a wrongun no matter how you try to care for it . If your lucky enough to get a goodun, they seem to take any abuse you throw at them . With the exception of long distance wheelie that is !

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Well I reckon I got a goodun, nearing 13000 miles, and nary a hiccup. But I suspect should it get way up there say 60,000 then something might grenade itself...the law of averages will catch you somewhere.