[AFNurse]

So, I was almost 1/2 way to work this morning riding the bike....bit crisp....47 degrees, but not raining. nice ride....when I am pulling away from a stoplight got into second or third gear (not sure which) when I went to change into the next gear........NOTHING! Now this is 5AM......DARK.....I look down....my shifter is just sitting there......get my heal on it,....nothing, get my toe under the front of it...nothing.......just rocking back and forth freely..... Too far from home to turn around and make work on time.....so I went on it to work. Have you ever heard an Electra Glide doing 55-60mph and rapping out 4K on the tach??!! Got to work.....got off the bike (thankfully the low end torque is such that I can get rolling from dead stop in whichever gear I am in!), and look......still to dard to get a good feel for what is up, but looks like my shift linkage broke......or at least became disconnected from the heal/toe shifter.......I will have to look at it after work.....try to decide how to get home! So, THIS is how my Monday got started........ Guess I should be thankful that it didn't come appart in Neutral or first gear!

[chucktx]

such is the life of a harley rider!!!!! check the shifter at the shaft that goes through the primary. i have seen this bolt loosen up before....i havent seen or heard of a linkage breaking, especially on a bike as new as yours. let usknow what ya find!!

[ironhorse]

heard of the heal toe shifter having problems think it was with the splines when the clamp bolt wasn't tightened up properly and vibed loose then stripping is the levers acuating the thru shaft or not just throwing the thougt in there. although it sounds as the lever is ok itself.

[AFNurse]

well, went out to the bike after work (remembered to throw a roll of 1inch silk medical tape into my pocket just in case)..... Here is what I found..... that 12 inch linkage that connects the shift pegs to the tranny.....goes horizontal..... well, it is threaded on both ends and the part on each end has a ball/socket type of end that is bolted to parts at each end...... the front end of it had wobbled out. I slipped it back together, taped it, and rode gingerly back home.... think I will take the truck to work tomorrow....now I need to figure out if I can get the end parts and put new tips on the threads or if it would be just better to buy a new linkage complete with the ends...... THANKFULLY, didn't have to ride home in 3rd gear...oh ya, I figured out that I was in 3rd this morning when this all happened!!! Thank goodness for tape!

[FlynDutchman]

Makes me wonder.....I have to disconnect my shift linkage to change my oil filter...Guess I better check before I go for another ride...I guess It cant hurt...It aint the first thing thats vibrated loose on my bike. & by the way thanks for the idea...I think I might throw a roll of tape in my tool kit just in case...I mean why not, I have bungees in there, why not tape too ?

[cowboy]

Man AFN you got lucky, when my 03 did that shiftet on the floor board thing it was a bushing in the tran's , bushing $15 labor 385, I was at a sealership for a recall when mine went out

[SK]

Glad it wasn't anything major or a bigger hassle there AFNurse. I'd think about using some LocTite when you put it back together.

About 5 years ago I was headed from California to Kanab, Utah to meet CD for the BikeTalk Ride. I was out in the middle of Nevada..I mean out in the middle of nowhere about 60 miles west of Tonapah. Come to a T in the road before getting on US-6 and try to down-shift coming to a stop and nothing. Look down and the shifter is laying on the floorboard..at least I didn't lose it. The bolt had come out that makes it pivit. Fortunately, one of the bolts to the sidecover on the Royal Star fit perfectly and I had hex wrenches to move it over and tighten it up. I'd have been screwed in 5th gear (4th and 5th are OD gears on the RS) as it's way to tall to start from a dead stop. It was getting pretty hot out in the desert going into Labor Day weekend..so I felt pretty damn lucky to not be stuck. Got some LocTite first chance I could and never travel without it in the saddlebag.

[ironhorse]

blue, red, green, or the jd clear there sk what is the preferance ya carry mines blue

[AFNurse]

this was a ball/socket type of failure......think about putting locktite in your hip socket.....what happened was it actually wobbeled out the socket so the ball fell out. think I will be replaceing the unit.....

[chucktx]

the ball socket failed....they should be available at the stealer....there will be one with left handthreads, one with righthand....be sure to get the correct one...the nuts that lock it are the same, right/left. use a bit of locktight, as you know. check the other one for wear also.

[AFNurse]

I am actually thinking about replacing all together.... here is one that I really like.... Shift Linkage The one at the top....bit spendy, so not sure yet. The other option is to replace the screw on part with the joint....I am thinking tho that if it went out once, it will again....this one I am looking at is billet.....so probably does not have moving socket stuff....less breakage??!! not sure yet.

[chucktx]

that is a pretty cool looking linkage....but yes it has the moving ball and socket also...just not shown in the pic.....it is gonna look more like the ol' carb type linkages on automobiles.....a bit of lube on those ball sockets do wonders for there life expectency.....lol lol but most get overlooked...and everytime ya wash the bike, it gets washed away, to be replaced by the dirt from the road......one other thing i notice...no room for any adjustment to allow for other parts wearing.....
chuck

[AFNurse]

hmmmmm moving parts also....that isn't so much fun! now I am going to have to think about this a bit more!

[ironhorse]

if'n you like the custom look but don't wan't to spend the change. go with the replacement balljoints (you don't have to get them at the stealership) then go to a weld and machine shop that has a pattern cutter with plasma on it and have them cut out your own design from some mirror stainless or aluminum the add it to your lever with some small screws with covers or small ubolt/jhook probably cut your cost and be a one of a kind.

[SK]

Originally Posted by ironhorse

blue, red, green, or the jd clear there sk what is the preferance ya carry mines blue

Generally use blue, as it holds well and you can break the seal if need be.

AFNurse, guess I didn't read your post clear enough. Here's to making the right choice when you change it out. That silky medical tape is pretty strong and flexible..ain't it? I've got a few extra rolls laying around.

[Sleepy]

I remember coming back from the last bike talk ride with Marc and we got to Green River..got gas and my linkage broke before we got back on the Interstate. Marc and I rode back to the Truck stop..bought some zip ties ..put the ball back into the socket and zip tied the assembly together and it lasted all the way home..and then some..zip ties should be a part of an emergency kit..it is for my bike.

[cowboy]

I keep the blue loctite & zip ties & for $150, I would go the stock linkage , put the $150 on the paint from chuckTx

[Ted]

Originally Posted by ironhorse

blue, red, green, or the jd clear there sk what is the preferance ya carry mines blue

I would go for Red

Color Melt partial cure min. Full cure Hr. Break torque lbs
Green-------400----------10--------------1 to 2-----------50
Red---------300----------10--------------1 to 2-----------175
Blue---------300----------20----------------6--------------70

[chucktx]

my take on the locktite, is blue is the best to have on hand, especially in the tool kit on the bike. there are a lot of fastners that wont handle the "torque" required to break the red. i do use the red a lot, but it is in the shop, not in my tool kit. if red is required on the road, the blue will get ya home, then use the red.

[AFNurse]

So, went to the Stealer today.....only shift linkage that was out was under mulitfit, the one I liked was 200$ SO, talked with the gal, she pulled up the computer and we looked up the OEM shift linkage.....they had one on stock, so she pulled it out from the back room....opened it up....YUP! THAT IS THE ONE! How much? 19$.....take out the door after tax was 21.xx$...... Guess I will wait some time before I get something "more custom!"......