I've just started having another problem with my vn750, nuts! The problem now is that I'm having great trouble shifting into 2nd gear from 1st, while the bike is moving. It shifts into neutral and then, if I'm lucky, and only after many many tries, it'll finally go into 2nd. Sometimes it won't shift into 2nd at all and I'm forced to ride it in 1st. I try again and it'll go into 2nd. This happens with such frequency that I've begun to keep it in 2nd when coming to a stop.

There's absolutely no trouble at all downshifting through all the gears, though.

Could it be a problem with the positive neutral finder ? Its acting just like the scenario where you're stopped in first gear and try to shift into 2nd. You can't because the positive neutral finder is doing its job.

I'm just guessing, I dunno. Any ideas ? Thanks

Chances are it's the shift pawl that's worn and needs replacing. The good news is that you won't have to pull the engine to do it and the part is cheap.
For a look, this is the Ron Ayers website with the part shown. It is part number 13165.
http://www.ronayers.com/fiche/400_0214/gear_change_mechanism/gear_change_mechanism.cfm?man=ka&groupid=10900&parent=10700
Hope this helps.

What does the shaft pawl do? (That's a new term for me - just curious.)

You didn't mention what year your bike is or how many miles and that always helps in trying to determine the cause.
If you do find that the shift pawl is worn then also consider replacing
( 92081A ) 92081-1829
SPRING,CHANGE LEVER

Older bikes, (86-89) have had this little spring break on occasion and when that happens you are pretty much stuck in 1st or neutral.

Oh and Cindy.. How's this for what it does?
Most Japanese engines use a some sort of a Shift Pawl. To shift gears, you want to turn the drum only small amount and then hold it there. The shift pawl only turns the drum a set amount, each time the pawl is moved. Each time the gear shift lever is pressed down the pawl turns the drum the same amount. If the shift lever is pulled up, the pawl reverses and moves the drum in the opposite direction, the same amount. The shift lever moves the pawl and the pawl moves the drum. The drum, in turn, moves the shift forks and the shift forks move the gears in and out of mesh. The pawl presses against pins in the shift drum, but then a spring pulls the pawl back to a middle position and the drum kind of just sits there.

Most Japanese engines use a some sort of a Shift Pawl. To shift gears, you want to turn the drum only small amount and then hold it there. The shift pawl only turns the drum a set amount, each time the pawl is moved. Each time the gear shift lever is pressed down the pawl turns the drum the same amount. If the shift lever is pulled up, the pawl reverses and moves the drum in the opposite direction, the same amount. The shift lever moves the pawl and the pawl moves the drum. The drum, in turn, moves the shift forks and the shift forks move the gears in and out of mesh. The pawl presses against pins in the shift drum, but then a spring pulls the pawl back to a middle position and the drum kind of just sits there.

Great explanation, thanks!! "The shift pawl's connected to the..clutch drum; the clutch drum's connected to the..." :beerchug:

"The shift pawl's connected to the..clutch drum; the clutch drum's connected to the..." :beerchug:

LMAO !!

And great explanation, Dianna!!

Yeah, I guess Kawasaki has made some changes to the vn750 through all these years. I have a '93 model.

When I purchased my used vn750 I noticed that the shift spindle had some in out play of about an inch. I thought this was normal. The fact that the shift pedal was rubbing against the frame causing wear didn't really register anything in my pea brain.

Anyways, fast forward to about 3 weeks ago when I had to replace my stator: I figured out that the spindle play was NOT normal. The inner circlip had come loose and one of the washers was nicked. I think that washer was getting eaten by some cogs. I managed to fix the circlip back into its groove and that was that.

Yesterday I noticed the spindle has once more developed the same play. No doubt the circlip has come loose again. This in turn probably is causing the washer to move around abit and probably is getting in the way of some parts, thus causing the problem. This is my new theory.

I'm not about to go through the motions of a stator replacement just so I can fix the circlip back onto its groove. What I have done is fabricated a small tube out of some copper piping cut to the amount of the play. I placed a washer over the seal so as not to damage the seal and then inserted the copper tube between the washer and the shift pedal.

This has fixed the in-out play and seems to have fixed the problem I was having with shifting into 2nd from 1st.

If there ever comes a time I gotta pull the engine again then I'll fix the circlip back into its groove. I'll still place that tube, though, just to prevent the spindle from moving into the case and knocking that circlip off.

I don't understand: you mean you don't want to pull the engine again after just three weeks? :hitanykey

I'm with you on that - if McKnight needs a repair and I can jury-rig it from the outside, that'll be exactly what I do. :beerchug:

No real change there as far as the shift lever and the play. That is usually caused by the bike falling on the left side. The shift lever shaft takes the first hit and the inner circlip pops out of place.

You did what several others have done to fix this by placing a collar on the outer part of the shifter shaft to remove the play. One other option is a washer, spring, washer mod in place of the collar. Same principle, just different materials on hand to repair it.

The one thing that the kawasaki engine guard or the wingerline guard do is help prevent the shifter shaft from taking it hit if it goes down.

You've given me some food for thought...

I had no concept of any shift pawl or change lever spring... but now I think I grok a little bit. Since I have not dropped the bike, causing the spindle to move inwards, I have to conclude there must be something inside applying force pulling the spindle inward. This may explain the "springiness" I encountered while trying to pull the spindle outward so I could take up all the slack and install the tube, or collar, I fabricated.

Something is pulling the spindle in. Maybe something is bent, worn, or broken. Maybe the previous owner dropped the bike, the spindle moved in and bent something inside...

I'm the type of person that tends to leave well enough alone. However, this enters into conflict with my need for perfection. Oh, I'm so conflicted! :). The solution fixes the problem but doesn't eliminate the cause.

I'm sore tempted to dig more into this, now that Skyrider says I don't need to pull the engine to fix the pawl. If this is true, and I have no reason to think otherwise, then it might also be true that I don't need to pull the engine to fix all the other stuff attached to the other end of the shift spindle. YAY!

Thanks again folks!

P.S. I'm assuming you get to the shift pawl by opening up the outside clutch cover ?

the shaft is connected to the rear shaft by a threaded rod that you do have to split the crankcase to get at. The front shaft being knocked in would have shortened the length of travel on the threaded rod. Mine was a royal pain to shift before the shaft broke, then I learned how to pull the engine and split it.

If you look at the Ayers diagram Hyper posted (above), you can at least see what might be pulling the shaft - looks like it's attached to an internal shaft, that then comes 'round and attaches to all the stuff that attaches to the shift pawl. If I had my druthers, I'd druther replace the pawl and see if that reduces the "pulling" on the shaft. 'Cause otherwise, I don't know how you get into the inner workings 'cept by pulling the engine.

Check this item on eBay 200138231454...in case you want to split the crankcase. :)

heh...maybe I WILL leave well enough alone.

Thanks guys.