only shifts two gears,

Been a long time since I posted. Still driving my bike. A 1982 750 Maxim. Am 2nd owner (was Dad's bike) I have put on about 41K of the 46K on the bike. Is my daily driver average 45 miles per day. 4miles daily on dirt roads, 40 miles on highways. Worked fine going in to work. Parked bike. Started fine after work. Went to store. Went to park and neutral lite didn't illuminate. Thought maybe was just blown bulb until tried to feel neutral manually. No neutral at all. Turned off bike with clutch pulled in. Started bike back up. Let out clutch. Bike felt like it was in third gear. Got onto highway and. Upshifted once. Felt like forth gear. Would not shift any higher. Bike maintained 55 mph no trouble. Bike would only downshift once then upshift once for turns. Luckily there are only four turns to get home.

Downshift and feathering the clutch prevented stalling. I work second shift so it was night when I got home. Couldn't see anything amiss. Clutch cable was replaced about two months ago. No clattering or noises from bike. Acceleration and responsiveness seems normal.

Bike is due for New rear tire and differential check, which was planned for this week. But am worried now this is foreboding.

Any ideas what to check? Could it be something simple like adjustment of the shifter lever? Thanks!

 

If there was no crunching sounds, try checking the springs on the gear selector drum outer edge. There are 2 springs, one returns the pedal to the central position when you lift or depress it, the other smaller one, keeps the finger like, arms held in contact with the drum.

Check your manual, but I have found the springs either broken or disconnected giving the same symptoms you're describing.

 

Thanks for the reply! These springs are external? Meantime will try to locate my Haynes manual. Been doing renovations in apartment, everything is discombobulated.

 

Looks like they are just behind the casing at the gear shift pedal.

Here's a site I often use for it's great schematics.

http://www.cmsnl.com/yamaha-xj750rj-sec ... ml#results

 

You problem is either a broken spring in the shifter "mousetrap" (common) or your primary chain guide has begun to disintegrate and hunks of it are getting stuck in the shifter forks. (Also rather common.)

Either problem can be diagnosed by removing the shifter cover on the LH side of the bike. Behind that cover you gain direct access to the shifter mechanism, plus there is a large hole in the inner case that allows you to see into the top of the gearbox. It is usually possible to spot the broken hunks of plastic and pluck them out through this hole if this is what is happening.

Replacing broken springs in the mousetrap is easy; if it's the chain guide breaking up then the only way to replace it is to pull the engine and split the cases.