Hitchcocks Forum

Hello again, on my 2003 500 bullet e.s. there is a false neutral between 2 & 3rd and although I have learned to live with it I was wondering if any forum members know of an easy fix ! I have searched the term on the board and the main discussion seemed to be suggesting swapping my 4 speed for a 5 and its sound a major faf, ideas welcome, kally

You only have one false neutral? I've got one between each gear if I look hard enough.

My 2005 4 speed box changes up quite well, however downshifts can be problematic, particularly 3rd to 2nd. when I often get a false neutral, then I just flick it up into 2nd, a pain, but as you say, its part of the fun of those Albion boxes. I do find when changing down, slow the road speed, and engine speed right down, pull the clutch in slightly, rather than fully back, and you will feel the gears engage. If you pull the clutch right back to the handlebar, you don't get that mechanical gear engagement feel, so you can end up with a false neutral as there is no feedback from the gearbox. That works for me most of the time.

I'm not sure that the following, from Pete Snidal's book, covers exactly what you need, but I hope it might spark off ideas for you (or others, who know more about it than I do.)
I wouldn't personally be thinking about a new gearbox yet. I have recently made some slight adjustments to my Bullet's 'box, which improved it a lot.
How far have you dismantled anything yet? Ask again on here for advice?
Good luck.

Going Past or Not Reaching Gears on Changes
FAULTY SHIFTER PLATE ADJUSTMENT
The position of the shifter plate determines whether or not the shifter ratchet returns to center, so that changes
in either direction will equally engage teeth to impart movement.
If the ratchet is not providing enough movement in the upshift direction there will be consistent trouble upshifting,
ie getting from 3rd to 4th - it will stop in the false neutral between these gears. This can be due to the ratchet
not returning to proper center, which would be remedied by rotating the adjuster plate anti-clockwise. In these
cases, it will almost always work properly in the other direction - there will not be too much movement in the
opposite direction, since the shifter stop(s) will prevent excess movement.
116 The Enfield BULLET MANUAL by Pete Snidal O 2002
CHAPTER 9 - THE GEARBOX
If it is not providing enough movement in the downshift direction, eg consistently failing to reach I st gear from 2nd,
leaving you in neutral, this can be due to the ratchet not returning to proper center, which would be remedied
by rotating the adjuster plate clockwise.

New to Albion boxes, just under a year. Cluctch cable adjustment helped a bit and then a few months later, new gearbox grease and oil helped more.

Still have the same as John G,, 3rd to 2nd goes past and sometimes need to stick it back up.
1st to 2nd also fun, but only...... 1 in 10 times-ish.

Found this in a manual:

Remove the nuts and the foot control stop plate.
Loosen the adjuster plate pins.
Move the adjuster plate:
Anticlockwise to make 1st gear engagement easier.
Clockwise to make 2nd 3rd 4th gear engagement easier
(Then... obviously... tighten up the pins and replace what you removed before.)

This adjuster plate etc is shown at the left of the video, once the outer cover is off. It only takes less than 1/8 inch to start making a difference. No need to go mad!
Also, the selector /detente plunger (at the right,) should have its slot horizontal, not vertical.
https://youtu.be/mYu34eP8Mzw

NB On my video, it goes on beyond the adjuster plate; no need to start dismantling things after that, as shown!

Thanks for that Chris , I will check this out. Someone mentioned grease & oil !! regards kally

Having had all sorts of bikes over 55 years of riding I can confirm that the Albion gearbox is the worst I've come across.
Having said that, if you're slow and firm with your changes and (crucially) the clutch is adjusted properly, you can get results.
Downward changes almost demand blipping the throttle to get anything like a clean change and you soon learn to snick into neutral before coming to rest.

Well, they aren't really the very best.
But having got mine set up properly, I do enjoy it.
And the rest of the Enfield, which also has one or two eccentricities...