1st gear

im new so i don't know what this 1st gear problem is that everyone is having with there bike,Is it around certain mileage what should i look for in shifting mine seems to shift pretty good, but i don't know because i haven't owned any other xj's before , although it seems to have a long space between 1st and 2nd like a longer throw but 3rd 4th and 5th all the same. it's not hard to shift to 2nd just take more shifter movement up to 2nd is that normal.

 

There's ten gears all constantly meshed on 2 shafts.
5 gears are all fixed on 1 shaft- - the other 5 gears are NOT attached to their shaft at all.
a "dog" is slid by a fork to engage each gear, one at a time.

You have a slightly bent fork, maybe somebody stomped on the shifter??
It needs to be bent back (but how??) or replaced.

 

There is a longer throw between 1 and 2 because neutral is between them.

 

ok thank you i figured it was normal but just checking on the 1st to 2nd gear change... i still don't get what the symptoms of the 1st gear issue guys are talking about on here

 

It's a second gear issue and the issue is it jumps out to neutral. Not real common on XJs.

 

ah ok thank you, I was wondering what it was

 

It's that Jap bike positive neutral thingy I think. On my Harley Ultra Classic, finding neutral is like getting a female date in an all men's prison.. lol