Before I do my big bore kit, I decided to let a couple trusted friends ride it as a 250 so I could get more comparisons to the upgraded power afterwards. As I was riding to meet them, a minivan crossed the centerline on an S-curve, forcing me to the outside of the lane and then lean back in to make the turn. Unfortunately along with it being only 40 degrees F outside, there was also all kinds of dirt on the road because of construction at the intersection. Needless to say I went down, and pretty hard too. Once I stopped tumbling and sliding I was able to get to the bike and pick it back up. Got it up over the curb and it started right up, but wouldn't shift. I was still a little hazy from the crash (40mph going down and sliding can do that) and didn't realize that I was stuck in 6th gear. Anyway, getting it started and babying the clutch while I gave at least 1/2 throttle to get it off the curb let me know I was in a high gear, and once I got up to speed and checked the rpms, I knew it was 6th. This sucks. Luckily, I wasn't too far away from home, but taking the corners was terrible. Didn't want to go down again, and had to baby the clutch more.

From what I've been reading, I just broke the shift star, correct? Should be a relatively easy fix, and probably one I will do at the same time as I do the big bore kit now. Mainly just looking for confirmation before I spend more money on the bike that I don't really have right now.

BTW, bike has a couple scratches on it, left mirror glass popped out (aftermarket anyway), and the handlebars/clutch lever are bent more now than they were before. It's on my wish list. I've got a scab on my left knee, a scrape on my right shoulder blade, and a small cut on my nose from sunglasses. Gonna need new gloves and should probably get a new helmet as well.

 

Glad you were not hurt!
Yeah, you probably broke the peg on the star that moves the trans between 5th and 6th gear. If you were in 5th and went down on the left side, the shift lever was probably jammed upward and broke one peg on the star.
You can confirm this pretty easily, just remove the small cover below the countershaft sprocket and you can see the star, likely find the broken peg laying on the bottom of the case cavity. The hardest part of getting the cover off is that you have to remove the c/s sprocket.
You would also want to check to be sure you did not bend the stud that centers the shift mechanism. The stud also limits the upward and downward travel of the shift mechanism and can bend when the lever is shoved up in a fall.
The process is well outlined in the factory service manual.
Good luck!
TC

 

Glad that you didn't get to banged up. I had a similar experience and it damaged the shift ratchet mechanism. Broke the welds that hold the ratchet to the shifter shaft. There is a sticky that gives you a good idea on what to do to get access to the problem area. https://www.kawasakiforums.com/forum...-change-35512/

 

Appreciate the quick feedback. Yes, I've begun to look through the Shift Star feed that is 'stuck' on the page. I was notified by some friends of mine who used to have a klx and had apparently encountered the same problem. Once they started talking about what it was, I knew right where to go. Is it absolutely positively necessary to take off the c/s sprocket? As in there's no way I could just wiggle everything around it? I don't have a chain breaker tool, nor do I think I have anything strong enough to break that nut loose. Should I use a metric socket or a standard socket? Should be 1-1/16" which is what, 26 or 27mm?

The problem now lies with the fact that I have no lift, hardly any decent tools, and no repair manual. I can buy or make a temporary lift, borrow tools, but I have had the most difficult time trying to track down a repair manual, with little to no luck. My main source of service has been through threads and pictures here, along with YouTube videos if I get lucky.

I really hope there isn't much else damaged, as I shouldn't be spending more money on this bike than I have to right now (although we all know I will). I'll see what all I have to make a basic lift tomorrow when I get home from work, and I might just go ahead and leave the oil out of it since riding doesn't seem to be a good idea right now.

 

You could rent or borrow a tool to remove the CS sprocket nut (it's what I did after struggling with a breaker bar and getting nowhere). Then with the sprocket removed the chain should have enough slack to pull over the shaft and slide back and far enough out of the way.

Just a thought...if you leave the oil out, zip-tie the key to the handlebars or tape over the ignition...so you don't accidentally start it.

 

If you do a search you can find a full manual on-line you can download, free (legal, not so sure, but such is life, I downloaded one).

As for tools, go to Sears or Lowes and buy a basic small 3/8 drive socket set that has from 8mm up. I saw them on sale at Ace Hardware for I think $10, but not positive. Craftsman isn't quite the top line with the truck tools like Mac and Snap On, not sure about Kobalt, but both are plenty good for doing a bike. Same with wrenches. Most used are 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, maybe 17mm and whatever axle sizes are needed. Sears tends to stick in a 16 and an 18 which have some automotive applications, but I've never seen a 16 or 17mm fastener on a Japanese bike.

You don't need the most expensive, just some quality. If you look at sockets and wrenches where they stamped the hex or twelve point, you will see on cheap sockets and wrenches the actual flats are often deeper in the socket, there is what looks like a long bevel from the rim into the flats. The best sockets and wrenches have better stamping, the flats are very near the outer rim. This is important to avoid rounding the fastener heads due to the wrench slipping.

You can have a decent tool set for $100. Get:

• Good combination wrench set (Craftsman/Kobalt) with 8 - 15mm wrenches
• Good 3/8 drive socket/ratchet set (Craftsman/Kobalt) with 8 - 15mm sockets and a 3 or 6" extension.
• Good open end wrench set (Craftsman/Kobalt) with 8 - 15mm wrenches
• Harbor Freight torque wrench for $12 bucks using a coupon from a magazine
• extension set from Harbor Freight.
• Good 1/4 drive socket/ratchet set (Craftsman/Kobalt) with 6 - 12mm sockets. I find I use 1/4 drive a lot and usually not too expensive.
• Find a JIS screwdriver or two to fit the Japanese standard screw heads. Only three sizes, but not cheap. If you get a 1/4 drive set you can use a socket with an extension and the ratchet or handle if one was in the kit, buying only the hex bits, possibly a bit cheaper.
• Cheap smaller dead blow plastic mallet.

I think most all of that can be sourced for under $100, especially with the Christmas specials at Sears and Lowes plus the magazine coupons for Harbor Freight. Buy big sockets and wrenches for axle and axle nuts either in a cheap set at Harbor Freight or by single tool at Lowes or Sears if you can.

I will say a 1/4 drive has multiple uses with all the 1/4 hex drive fastener bits out there. With a good 1/4 drive metric set that has a screwdriver handle you buy a 1/4" socket at Sears and whatever tips you want, like JIS, SAE Phillips, flat blade, square or torx. You can cut off a piece of an allen wrench and use it with the appropriate socket if you don't want to buy allen sockets. The length is only limited by the lengths of extensions you may have. I also like the fact that the handle can have the ratchet plug into the top of the handle allowing me to crack a fastener loose then use the screwdriver handle to spin it out.

I use mine all the time for the side covers, battery, and even the cam shim work. The small socket fits in easy and makes quicker work. The nuts and bolts can easily be loosened if they were properly tightened before. Fact is a 1/4 drive torque wrench can be had from Harbor Freight for that same $12 if wanted.

I've gone ballistic on tools - the curse of a gear head. Tools to a gear head are like jewelry to rich old diva - love to look at and buy them. You can never have enough.

Last thing. Harbor Freight has some good tool box deals too, look them over. Nothing worse than a wad of tools in an open box, totally disorganized - although that is what the bike lift looks like right now - a tool box allows nice organization and easy access.

 

Black Friday is coming up.

A few years ago my wife got me this 200 and some odd craftsman set for 99 dollars. Has a ton of stuff in it. I carry it when I need to work on stuff at other peoples houses

 

I'll probably end up borrowing a tool to get it all done right now. Eventually I'll have my own toolbox and large selection of tools, but for right now I'm just working with what my dad has. I've got a little set that I keep in my car that I've been using on the bike, but it only goes up to either 15 or 17mm wrenches, and half the stuff I don't hardly use on anything. It does have JIS bits for a ratcheting screwdriver, but they didn't do so hot when dealing with the carb earlier. As far as running it without oil, I leave the pan under the bike completely full as a reminder. It's just the way I was raised and how I've developed my own strategy. Usually won't put the plug in until I'm ready to add oil and start it to check for leaks.

I have been linked to the downloadable version of the repair manual, but I would rather have a hardback version that I could take with me instead of toting my computer around, and I really don't want to print the ~560ish page manual. I will probably run by Harbor Freight tomorrow and pick up one of their torque wrenches as I'll be needing one for the 351 kit as well.

Yes, black Friday is up soon. I get an addition discount on work on top of whatever is on sale, so I'll definitely be looking to see what kind of tools I can get. Too bad it's only Walmart, but it's better than nothing.

 

I keep my service manuals on a tablet I keep in my shop. It works real well for PDF service manuals.

 

I might just end up saving mine to a Flash drive I can take with me whenever I go to a buddy's place to work on it. I'll still be able to use it, but won't need to take a computer.