Hitchcocks Forum

Hello, I recently have purchased a 2004 RE 65 trials bike 500cc, 5 speed gearbox.

It is having problems with gear changes. When I go up through the gears( left foot gear change). When I change from 2nd to 3rd. It either selects a false nautral or engages and then pops out of gear. The popping out of gear is very annoying and is more common than selecting false neutrals. I use it in heavy traffic, so this is worrying, especially if you are filtering. I should point out. If you select a false neutral when attempting to change from 2nd to 3rd. And you try to reselect 3rd it will usually just skip 3rd and go to 4th or 5th instead.

Now I have owned an Enfield before with the 4 speed box. I'm aware about the different techniques different people will use to change gear. I have tried quite a few. But the problem still persists.

I have Pete Snidal manual. In that manual it suggests for firing out of gear. That it could be a Camplate issue or parts around the Camplate. Part numbers 18,20,21. Part 18 is the Camplate itself, part 20 is worn pawl end, 21 is soft or broken pawl spring. Or that it could be incomplete engagement. There is a whole other list for incomplete engagement.

What do you guys think? I thought I'd check first because according to Pete. To do the Camplate you need to remove the engine from frame.

Problems with the 5 speed box such as this have been discussed at length in these pages over the last couple of months or so. My reply has always been to check the clutch adjustment very carefully, certainly when mine begins to suffer problems such as this then adjusting the clutch always improves the situation. However there are those that report that despite meticulous attention to the clutch the problem persists. It would therefore be good to hear from anyone who has stripped one of these boxes and found another solution to the problem.

I'm with Frank, a good clutch = good gearchanges a bad clutch = nightmares and no simple 1234 fix

Cheers guys, will double check the clutch. Sometimes when changing gear on some rides it works a treat. And doesn't give any issues. Then other rides it can be a right pain in the arse as discribed. I might lube the cable as well to see if that helps. As I have read that,even something as small as lubing the cable, can do wonders sometimes. I did do a search and could find nothing which would would resolve my issues. I always search first, before posting. Good common sense practice!

Interesting you make the comment that some days it is better than others. I find the same and can't explain the difference. Temperature perhaps, humidity perhaps, road surface perhaps or maybe just my attitude but some days it's just plain better than others. Not just the gearbox though it's the rest of the bike too. As the MOT tester says, they are quirky machines!

I haven't had enough trouble with 5 speeds to need to try mods but I'm wondering if grinding a few mm out of the clutch perch would allow a little more lift on the balls to push the rod a fraction futher, you only need a half a millimeter extra push on the rod to completely lift the plates

Hi guys, today I adjusted the clutch. So far so good. No false neutrals, no popping out of gear. On the test ride it was as good as a modern bike! Time will tell, when I get in rush hour traffic next week.