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#95289
I've has this problem intermittantly over time on my 4-speed gearbox. Occasionally when you kick the bike, it actually engages first gear. I'd put this down to grit getting between the tqwo levers and causing them to bind against one another. It turns out this wasn't the issue.

On a recent strip to fit trials gears I found the issue was corrosion and friction between the kickstart shaft and the foot control lever shaft that runs in a sleeve over the top of it. This is comparatively easy to get at, clean and grease. However there's a reason it's corroding.

There is nothing preventing water entering the outer compartment of the gearbox via the "keyhole covers". Especially when riding through a river/flood. However, it can't get back out again other than the same way or by evaporation and that leaves it about 1/4 full of water. You can actually see a "tide mark" of rust stuck to grease inside my gearbox here.
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I can't stop it getting in but I can make sure it can get out again by a highly technical medification known as a "hole". In fact, two "holes", one either side of the bottom screw boss.
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