Hitchcocks Forum

Got problems with clutch few weeks a go clutch over heated in traffic .Striped it down found plates ok just sign of over heating .Went out for a ride fine for a bout 45min then lost 3rd 4th gear managed to home in 2nd any advice .The bike 500cc bullet 2001 model 4 speed. Thanks Steve

Hi Mort, two things here, clutch,check the mainshaft nut has not become undone at gear change side of gearbox. If loose when the clutch is pulled in the main shaft moves with clutch pushrod causing drag. If you have lost 3rd 4th gears one of the return springs in the change mechanism has likely broken. See if you can get the gears using the neutral selector lever. Vince

Same as what Vince says.

I had the same thing on my year 2000 Bullet 500. I only learnt about the neutral finder trick later.... not much fun driving home in 1st and second.

I can't remember much about the repairs, but one thing to be careful of is only to undo the neccessary nuts inside. A couple of them DON'T need touching and will cause it to need resetting later... all for nothing!

I used to have problems with the clutch overheating in traffic on four-speed box. The problem was down to the gearbox outer casing flexing, Which is a very common problem. Eventually the casing split; I replaced it with a new one, which, although it was the same part number as the old one, was rather beefier and better made. I have just fitted the little strengthener modification, part no 90221, as I had noticed that is beginning to flex again.
I'm afraid I've recently done what Chris advises against, and thrown that the detente plunger and the ratchet mechanism out of adjustment, so I'm having to tinker with that to get it sorted!

An experiment to see if I can put this video clip on:


Original Video - More videos at TinyPic

Using the clutch a lot in traffic will overheat the two push rods and alter their length, you will notice this at the handlebar lever. A way to minimize this is to replace the steel ball between the rods with a ceramic ball; these stay cooler and usually don`t need lubrication.

Chris, looking at your video, it strikes me that the slot on the detente plunger screw always has to be horizontal. The reason for this is that the chisel-shaped plunger itself turns with the screw and it won't engage with the slots in the selector quadrant unless this is so. Is this correct, anyone?

John yes, the screwdriver slot is aligned with the chisel tip of the plunger and must be horizontal to engage with the swinging fork. It says so in the manual, the Redditch one anyway. However, I have come across a plunger where the chisel had broken out of the sleeve and just stayed where it was, probably the result of a PO's butchery!

REgards, Mark

Hi John, I have seen what you mentioned, in other videos.

I made this video perhaps 8 years ago and it has all worked perfectly since then. Perhaps, however, that's "in spite of" rather than "because of" the position!

I certainly had no knowledge of this position at the time and was extremely careful to leave it how it came from the manufacturer... perhaps not always a wise move!

Will be interesting to read any other comments. atb, Chris