Gearbox very clunky/miss shifting/ sloppy / grinding when fully warmed up

[Andyrew]

My newly acquired 02 triumph tiger 955i has an issue with finding gears after about an hours riding. It miss shifts, grinds, and is generally sloppy, Like I have to select the gear just perfectly or it just goes past it and finds a neutral or starts grinding. Is this a common issue and how is this typically fixed? The bike only has 10k miles on it and is in immaculate condition apart from that, with all the farkles and it looks like all the other common problems fixed (Apart from the fuel sender not working.. Gonna grab a new one)

Also where do you get your OEM parts from?

Thanks guys!

[Bixxer Bob]

I've not heard of anyone having gearbox problems; the gearbox on a Girly is normally slick and positive.  Given that it happens once it gets really hot, are you sure you don't have a clutch problem?  The first things I'd do is check the  oil level and clutch adjustment then if that doesn't reveal anything, put it on the stand, engage a high gear, pull in the clutch and turn tge gearbox over with the back wheel while looking / listening for problems.   Next step after that is drain the oil and look for swarf / filings.

Could the previous owner have known about this before he sold it?

[Chris Canning]

Have to say the gearbox on mine isn't great,whilst I'd go with what Bixxer said you can't rush mine at any price over the years I've tried to force the pace and it just gets it's knickers in a twist so I have to be very positive when putting into gear,the gearbox on the 1050 sport I rode last year was way better,but because I've had mine a long time to perfect the art of making sure it's in gear(all done in a millisecond) before I let the clutch out not something that struck me as important,the complete opposite I crash the gearbox up and down on my XT minus the clutch and it works great(and it's quick) the thought of doing that on my Tiger  would probably leave me with a box of bits.

I've always viewed the box on my Tiger somewhere between the tractor gearbox of my 1100s and a Jap bike but slick it ain't.

[Mustang]

My newly acquired 02 triumph tiger 955i has an issue with finding gears after about an hours riding. It miss shifts, grinds, and is generally sloppy, Like I have to select the gear just perfectly or it just goes past it and finds a neutral or starts grinding. Is this a common issue and how is this typically fixed? The bike only has 10k miles on it and is in immaculate condition apart from that, with all the farkles and it looks like all the other common problems fixed (Apart from the fuel sender not working.. Gonna grab a new one)

Also where do you get your OEM parts from?

Thanks guys!

sounds like it could quite possibly have a bent or worn shifting fork.or has the bike been down on the left side so the shifter shaft bent ? or possibly you just haven't mastered the art of shifting a triumph tiger as chris said.


OEM parts from the dealer or bikebandit.com for usa bikes
either one is gonna screw you about the same on the price .

[Bixxer Bob]

Guess I'm just lucky then; my Girly box is like a switch, very little movement and a positive click into place - compared with my Honda anyway - it needs a good heft, especially up the box, and tends to be cluncky 1st to 2nd unless you give it time.  Upchanges on the Girly are slick clutchless too.

Given the very low mileage it would need abuse to have worn already but, and as Mustang says, it might have been down on the left side; you'd need to look for evidence of that.

[NortonCharlie]

My Tigers shift great also, used to get the mystery neutral once in a while.  I would definitely look into the clutch as was suggested earlier.  Double check the drive chain isn't overly tight as this can cause a lot of trouble.  And if you don't know Tigers and adjust your chain it is to tight.

[Andyrew]

I recently tightened the drive chain it was about 1 1/4"- 1 3/8" full cold thats me pressing down and up, total slack. The service book showed 35-40mm which I think means I was on the low side, possibly a hair to tight. Where do you guys tighten the chain at?


Im certain my forks are past their wear limit, Its got to be something mechanical, as it was quite bad. Seemed like every shift was a hunt and search.

Priced it, up, ~350 in parts at bike bandit and looks like I have to remove and split the engine. So thats probably a grand in labor if the dealer does it.. Anyone done this before? What should be looked at/replaced at the same time? Any specific seals?

[NortonCharlie]

I usually set mine so I have about  1/2 inch of slack at it's tightest point (for me it is pretty close to that when I have most of my weight on my seat and about 30 lbs of gear on the bike.  If I remember right if I set about 1 3/4 - 2 slack when it is up on the center stand it comes out pretty close.  The dealer set my chain to tight once and I noticed something wrong 1st bump I went over.  The chain was stopping the suspension from going over center.

[tntmo]

Mine is also a bit clunky and I find a false neutral if I shift lazily.  My bike has a lot of miles, so figured that it might just be getting wore out a bit. 

[Chris Canning]

I recently tightened the drive chain it was about 1 1/4"- 1 3/8" full cold thats me pressing down and up, total slack. The service book showed 35-40mm which I think means I was on the low side, possibly a hair to tight. Where do you guys tighten the chain at?

You can't set the chain by measuring,it doesn't have a linkage it works on how much weight is on it,sit on the bike lean down and check the tension of the chain with your finger.

[Andyrew]

Well how do you measure it if your sitting on it? That seams like a 2 person job no?

[Chris Canning]

Well how do you measure it if your sitting on it? That seams like a 2 person job no?

You don't measure it just lean down and check the tension.

There you go,you can always tell when it's right people will be telling you it's too slack,that is set for two up you may get away with a little less but not a lot.

[Andyrew]

Yup, thats what it looked like before I adjusted it... 

Hopefully I didnt do any damage to the shift forks or gears in the 50 miles I rode it.. I'll adjust it back tonight.

Thanks for the visual Chris!

[Chris Canning]

No worries we've all been there at some time,still remember setting off on our first holiday on our 885i bike felt all vibey stopped at a fuel station leaned down while we were still sat on the bike and the chain was like a banjo string  because I'd made the mistake of taking any notice of the hand book.

[Mustang]

doubtful you could hurt shift forks by over tightening a chain .
you'll be fine ..............
enjoy