[BC910]

Terrible, I know. Sign up then go an start asking questions...
Well, gotta ask someone.
First, let me introduce myself.
My name is Robert.
Live in Greenwood IN
Just got my first Vic. An '06 Vegas!
BEAUTIFUL BIKE!!!
Great running, great sounding (I'm pretty sure it has stage 1 slip ons). mustang seat...
But havent even riden it yet! AND NOW IT's WINTER!!! Guess I got an other 3 or 4 months
OK, so now the question:
This bike was laid down (softly) before I got it. When I got it we repainted the bike, and straightened the handlebars, etc.
The bike fell on to the left side and everything on that side needed a bit of attention. Hell, I still gotta replace the turn signal lens (bulb didn't even break).
The shifter...
Seems as though it should have some sort of spring to return it to a position I can get my foot under, but it doesn't. I thought maybe it was linkage and adjusted itl. Now I can get my foot under it and shift but it doesn't feel "right". Is there some sort of spring that is supposed to be on the linkage or in the gearbox that may have come off when it was laid down? There is also maybe a 1/4 to 1/2 inch of play at the pedal. In other words it will freely move about 1/4 to 1/2 inch up or down without affecting anything and without any "spring like" resistance that I would expect. i mean play isn't always unusual but, again, it just doesn't feel right...
But I know it is a Victory, it could just be the way they are and I'm not used to it. and if that is the case, than tell me! I would be super happy to find out that I am done fixing this thing!

Thanks in advance
BC

 

[diamondrmp]

Yes there is a spring. Here is a page from the manual.

Click the thumbnail to enlarge. You will see comment number 1 pointing out the spring.

 

[BC910]

Thank you so much. I knew it wasn't right.
OK, now please deal with me here. I am not mechanically challenged, just new to bikes all together (for the most part)
I am assuming that the crank case <--- I'm actually nottalking about the crank case, sorry, I was tired, it was late, I miss typed... (at least where I need to get to for that spring) is realatively dry (free of oil) but I would imagine it still has a gasket on the cover. Similar to, say a valve cover, there's oil in there, but it's not swimming. Am I correct?
OR is it dry and no gasket 'cause, hell, I'll break it open tonight if that's the case. It looks like (in the pic) that the "loop" on the spring goes around a screw so I doubt I have lost it, probably just has dislodged and rotated is my guess, but what do you think?

 

[BC910]

Also. Off the subject a bit.
How would I know if the pipes are stage one slip ons after all? the stage one slip ons seem to look an awfull lot like stockers from the pics I've seen...

 

[kevinx]

Sounds like you are describing a normal shifter action. The peg does not snap to center. It stays in the area of center, and if you are not riding it will not shift properly through more then one, or two gears. Proper shifting requires load against the counter shaft. Now all that being said. Adjustment of the lever needs to be done with the threaded rod, and not the arm bolted to the engine. If the arm is in the wrong place then the attack angle will cause poor shifting

 

[BC910]

I'm really starting to think that the spring is off/broken or whatever. Just went out to the garage and started her up. While it was warming, I sat on her and noticed that when it is shifted up a gear (say from 1st to 2nd) the lever will stay up and if you were to try to shift from 2nd to 3rd you can't until you push the lever down, then back up. This isn't to say that the lever sticks up, there is just nothing there to return it back. I'm sure if I were riding it, the vibration of the road alone would drop it back down. But it aint right.
So thanks to all of you for the help so far. Looks like I'll be cracking her open soon for some "Spring hunting"...

 

[diamondrmp]

Yes there is a gasket and some oil.

 

[kevinx]

The only spring is the centering spring for the ratchet, and it will NOT cause what you are seeing. Sounds more like you may have a sticky eye in one end of the shift rod at most. Until you can ride the bike you are not going to be able tell anything. I'll say it again....YOU NEED A LOAD AGAINST THE COUNTER SHAFT FOR THE SHIFT MECHINISIM TO WORK PROPERLY. If you feel the need to tear down something you appear to know nothing about for no good reason. Then go ahead, but as someone that fixes these things for a living I think you are making a mistake

 

[diamondrmp]

I had to lube the eyelets for a similar reason. Like Kevin is saying don't tear into your bike if its not necessary. Try lubing the eyelets and see where that gets you.

 

[BC910]

ok, so I think there's a misunderstanding here.
I'm not dealing with a stuck or sticking shifter...
I'm dealing with the exact oposite. There is NO resistance (and nothing to return) on the shifter...
I've been looking at the shop manual and my bet IS the return spring. In fact that was my question, "is there a return spring or something" (if memory serves).
Once again, I'm new to bikes but not mechanically ignorant.
Once again, I appreciate all the help. I'll keep y'all informed as to what happend.
The nearest dealer is about a half hour north, so I'll go there tomorow to buy the gasket. But before I buy, I'll feel a few shifters on their bikes and I'll b able to tell the difference right there. As long as I'm correct, I'll pick up a gasket tomorow (hopefully) and get at it by the weekend.

 

[kevinx]

I'm going to try this one last time, and I would like you to bare in mind that I am a Victory mechanic for a living. A stiff eye will not make it stick; it will make it feel fuuny.
More importanly......
UNTIL YOU TRY RIDING IT; YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS GOING ON.
I would more then highly recomend that you have someone fmailier with motorcycles ride it before you do anything. I have been working on Vics for six years now, and with the exception of a few 04's have NEVER SEEN a problem with a shift ratchet.

 

[BC910]

Opened it up today...
I know what some had said, but I know what I felt.
As I said before, although new to motorcycles I am not mechanically inept.
So what did I find after prying the primary cover off?
Well, I did find all the gears, the stator, some oil and a spent gasket.
But, more importantly NO RETURN SPRING! Not a broken, or "off" spring. NO! NO RETURN SPRING! No sign of one, no NOTHING!
OK, so I know where I am going tomorrow in hopes that they have it any way.
As promised, heres some pics.

 

[BC910]

5$ part + $30 gasket just to get at it = it's finaly fixed!!!

 

[kevinx]

Holy Crap. How could someone not notice leaving that out???

 

[BC910]

I have NO FRIGGEN' IDEA! but it's fixed now. Shifts perfectly... a litle louder than I'm used to but that's the "nature of the beast" as I understand it.
As far as the spring goes... the bike's only got 11k miles, I doubt it needed a clutch...
maybe the shift rod bent when it was dropped and they just replaced it without paying attention. either way, I'm sure they got it back toguether and then noticed it and decided to deal with it instead of going thru the whole preccess again. (that's my guess)

 

[kevinx]

I have NO FRIGGEN' IDEA! but it's fixed now. Shifts perfectly... a litle louder than I'm used to but that's the "nature of the beast" as I understand it.
As far as the spring goes... the bike's only got 11k miles, I doubt it needed a clutch...
maybe the shift rod bent when it was dropped and they just replaced it without paying attention. either way, I'm sure they got it back toguether and then noticed it and decided to deal with it instead of going thru the whole preccess again. (that's my guess)

Quite often the end of the ratchet will break off even with the primary cover when dropped, and it was prolly done then. Still can't belive anyone would let it out of the shop with that spring missing.

BTW my apologies for doubting what you were feeling. That spring missing completely is just WAY beyond the scope of normal*LOL*

 

[BC910]

I understand.
I figure you just didn't get what I was explaining.
There realy was no question that there was a spring missing. The real question was weather or not there was supposed to be one there or not in the first place. I got my answer when I looked at the service manual.
duh, I know

 

[diamondrmp]

Holy Crap. How could someone not notice leaving that out???

Unfortunately brother most aren't as efficient as you!!