Burman B52 - Gear Change

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chappers1962
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Burman B52 - Gear Change

Post by chappers1962 »

Riding around in this sunny weather on my newly restored 1956 G3LS is a dream. Engine settling in after a major rebuild, suspension working very well, however the only part of the bike which doesn't seem right is the gear shift. Shifting up from 1 to 2, 3, 4, the gears engage really smoothly. But shifting down at road speeds (i.e 4-3-2-1), the gears grind a bit and sometimes need a bit of coaxing to engage. Not sure if this is part of the idiosyncrasies of a unit designed in the 40's (my other ride is a 2017 silky smooth Honda VFR 800) or there is a need to replace something in the gearbox.

I stripped the gearbox down during restoration, but everything seamed in good order. New clutch plates have been fitted together with new clutch cage bearings.
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spookefoote1956
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Re: Burman B52 - Gear Change

Post by spookefoote1956 »

I usually get a crunch going in to first but that appears to be par for the course. Is your clutch set right? Do you have after market levers that aren't pushing the plates far apart enough?
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1608
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Re: Burman B52 - Gear Change

Post by 1608 »

Not sure how familiar you are with these old g/boxes but it helps to blip the throttle when changing down. Is the clutch hub free of notches and are the plates separating properly. Have you adjusted the clutch push-rod as per the book. play at the h/bar lever doesn't guarantee the correct push-rod clearance. Hope this isn't teaching egg sucking etc.
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chappers1962
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Re: Burman B52 - Gear Change

Post by chappers1962 »

Will re do the clutch set up checks and also try the blip of throttle technique. Quite possibly a case of '1st brit Bike anxiety' and therefore just need to alter technique after riding japanese bikes most of my life. Thanks for the help guys.
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Re: Burman B52 - Gear Change

Post by Plugsnpoints »

chappers1962 wrote:Will re do the clutch set up checks and also try the blip of throttle technique. Quite possibly a case of '1st brit Bike anxiety' and therefore just need to alter technique after riding japanese bikes most of my life. Thanks for the help guys.

That explains it. On most old British machines the gear lever is on the opposite side to a Japanese bike. ;)
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chappers1962
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Re: Burman B52 - Gear Change

Post by chappers1962 »

Plugsnpoints wrote:
chappers1962 wrote:Will re do the clutch set up checks and also try the blip of throttle technique. Quite possibly a case of '1st brit Bike anxiety' and therefore just need to alter technique after riding japanese bikes most of my life. Thanks for the help guys.

That explains it. On most old British machines the gear lever is on the opposite side to a Japanese bike. ;)
:headbang: worst is when I pull the front brake lever on my Honda I nearly somersault the bike due to muscle memory gained from trying to heave the lever on my Matchless to persuade the dam thing to stop!
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1608
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Re: Burman B52 - Gear Change

Post by 1608 »

When was the last time anybody drove a car without PA brakes, :o :o :o
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Re: Burman B52 - Gear Change

Post by SPRIDDLER »

1608 wrote:When was the last time anybody drove a car without PA brakes, :o :o :o
When I had a 1927 Austin Ruby with Bowden cable brakes. The drums were so distorted that when braking my foot and knee went up and down like I was pumping up a tyre.
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Plugsnpoints
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Re: Burman B52 - Gear Change

Post by Plugsnpoints »

SPRIDDLER wrote:
1608 wrote:When was the last time anybody drove a car without PA brakes, :o :o :o
When I had a 1927 Austin Ruby with Bowden cable brakes. The drums were so distorted that when braking my foot and knee went up and down like I was pumping up a tyre.
That reminded me of taking my first driving lesson. I nearly put the instructor through the windscreen when braking. I'd been learning to drive in was mum's Riley 1.5. The car was old then, and had drum brakes all round with no servo :rofl:
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Re: Burman B52 - Gear Change

Post by 56G80S »

Snap! I was driving Dad's company minivan. Had learned in a column change Ford Consul and Hillman Minx (early one). Dad nearly went through the windscreen at the top of our road!

On topic. I found the same when I changed from the smooth non standard AMC to the correct B52 Burman and soon went to a little throttle blip.

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