The Hodaka Club Forum

Shifting should be "snick, snick, snick". A "no sweat, no thinking, NO stomping and NO holding the shift lever to wait for the shift" sort of deal. If it doesn't smoothly and positively snick through all shifts in both directions, there is adjustment, maintenance or repair work needed.

Captain, I'm sure this has been addressed elsewhere but for all posterity, could you give us a blow-by-blow, detailed (like you are describing it to a 4th grader which, according to my wife, is where many of my psychological developmental features have been arrested) description of how to "snick" a shift. I get the basic aspect of nudging the shifter with the transmission unloaded and allowing the application of the throttle to enact the shift. Details I'm interested in include how do you know how much to lift the shift lever? What are the problems of concern if you complete the shift sans clutch with the movement of the shift lever alone? Are there technical differences when moving up vs. down through the transmission? I've always been a clutch man. I've got a finger over that lever and it is in frequent motion other than times when I'm under WOT conditions. In point of fact, I'm probably somewhat abusive to the clutch, but I probably manipulate the clutch as much as the throttle on any given moto (woods and hare scrambles much more so than motocross) and still operate under the "its cheaper to rebuild a clutch than a transmission" school of thought in terms of keeping the revs in the powerband. Thanks Captain.

It would take at least a chapter to answer all those questions, and I'm not willing to write a full chapter right now - so here are the "Cliff's Notes". In Hodaka-ese, "to snick the shift" means to nimbly, smoothly, quickly move the shift lever all the way to its limit of travel and immediately release it to allow the shift lever to re-center itself. Do NOT hold the shift lever at the limit of travel. NO. Do not "stomp" the lever. NO. (Stomping will NOT make the shift happen more quickly, it will only stress components and lead to damage.)

The up-shift "snick" is done in co-ordination with a "clutch blip" or a throttle blip (clutchless) - your choice. For me, down-shift "snicks" are done in co-ordination with a "clutch blip" - I just haven't gotten comfortable with clutchless down-shifts (even though Harry T. recommended the technique to me).

In ALL cases - the "load" on the gears MUST be interrupted for the shift to happen. The nifty thing is that the Hodaka shifter mechanism with the springs on each side of the ball receiver, allows slight "mis-timing" of the "snick" and the "blip" . . . and the shift will still be completed just fine. The mechanism in the shift cover "indexes" for the proper positioning of the control shaft, and the springs provide compliance/stored energy to complete the shift. Snick.
Ed

There are 2 methods that I know of. A & B. I put it into 2 separate posts.

Shifter Mechanism Adjustment (Hodaka)

A: Trial and error method
Place a stand or block under the motorcycle so it is held upright with the rear
wheel clear of the ground. Shift transmission to low gear. Remove the two
Phillips head screws securing the shifter cover to the magneto cover and set
cover aside. Using a metal stylus, scribe a line from the head of the shifter
arm adjusting bolt down and across the shifter guide. Turn the lock nut
securing the shifter arm adjusting bolt counterclockwise one turn. (Prevent
adjusting bolt from turning while loosening lock nut by holding with a 10mm end
wrench). Rotate the eccentric shouldered adjuster bolt 1/4 turn
COUNTERCLOCKWISE from scribed line and tighten lock nut (against prevent
adjuster bolt from turning while tightening lock nut). Rock rear wheel forward
and backward to test for low gear engagement. Repeat process for second,
third, and top gears. If engagement appears to be satisfactory, test ride the
machine as final proof. If the transmission fails to shift properly during
the road test or while rocking the wheel to test engagement, back off the
adjusting bolt lock nut, reset adjuster bolt position to 1/4 turn CLOCKWISE
from scribed line on shifter guide and tighten lock nut and test as before.
Properly adjusted, the transmission will not skip a gear, neither will it
allow the gear to come in and out of engagement under acceleration. After
adjusting, check lock nut for tightness and replace shifter cover and screws.

B: Measurement Method
Remove magneto cover assembly. Remove the foot change inside cover. Measure
from the inside surface of the magneto cover to the nearest face of the shifter
sliding pin. The proper measurement is 35.1mm (1.38 in.) (measured at the
center of the shifter arm slack). Loosen the lock nut and adjust the eccentric
bolt as necessary to achieve the proper measurement. Tighten the lock nut and
re-install the inside cover. NOTE: If desired, the inside cover may be left
in place - in which case, the proper measurement is 37mm (1.45 in.)

Thanks guys
I must admit to only pottering around the paddock for a very short time so far, so haven't really giving the gears a proper trial yet, but from that it seemed they may be slightly "awkward" . I'll see how things go when I get to give it a better trial

Well every story should have a happy ending....
Finishing touches today
DS sticker put on. Pretty disappointed in this repro decal. It's way too big, bigger than the lid by a bit which meant cutting it into individual sections to sort of make it fit. Also doesn't have the "TM" lettering on it. So at some point I'll toss and do my own. On the plus side (BIG PLUS side )
I fitted this today as well....one number plate

Sweet ride. BTW - thanks Captain. I missed your response to my "snick" inquiry.