this might be a issue with the gearbox

Still waiting to shear my first key....probably will happen at some point.

Curious- is there a pattern (anyone) as to what you are doing when it shears, or is it random?
 
Still waiting to shear my first key....probably will happen at some point.

Curious- is there a pattern (anyone) as to what you are doing when it shears, or is it random?

Yes HoughMade there is a pattern and it involves dropping the engager in at too high revs when stationery. My Schwinn Alloy7 Fosscati Indian Pacific had never broken a key until at 5000 kms I made this mistake while talking to someone as I set off.
The Schwinn D7 Fosscati Billinudgel Bullet is easier to shear cos it's heavier and the Honda is a bit more powerful so the way to avoid it happening is to be careful. Carelessness and showing off are the two things I need to avoid.
 
Well, I can't drop the engager...I disconnected it. We'll see how long mine lasts.
 
Another question for you two 4 stroke pros. Busy working on the 4 stroke shift kit so I am learning this whole 4 stroke thing. What is the purpose of the engager "clutch" if the engine has a centrifugal clutch?
 
Another question for you two 4 stroke pros. Busy working on the 4 stroke shift kit so I am learning this whole 4 stroke thing. What is the purpose of the engager "clutch" if the engine has a centrifugal clutch?

It's Don Grube's idea and it's a good thing cos it enables us to start with a bit of throttle in cold weather so the bike doesn't take off like a rocket without the rider. It also enables us to rev up outside pubs and scare the Hells Angels away! Seriously it's a good idea and I like to freewheel down hills with the engager off. I also like to give a couple of revs when I go past my friend's farms to let them know it's me. The Hoot gearbox hasn't got an engager so you can't do this but that's not the worst of its problems. It's the reverse anthropomorphics of the pull to engage and releese to let out that I find difficult to get used to.
 
Yep- if I didn't have a rear wheel stand that allowed me to start the bike with the wheel in the air, life would get really interesting....and not in a good way.
 
Well that was my only logical explanation but wanted input from the experienced. So what is your take on the keys? Are they too soft and shear or are they too hard and crack. Since I haven't installed it yet should I just replace them before I install the box?
 
The keys I've seen in pics looked soft- not cracked, deformed and sheared. Like I said, mine are fine and I think that has a lot to do with the fact that I do not use the engager.
 
I wonder if you did away with the "clutch" lever and used a thumb shifter, would make it easier to wrap your head around the fact that it is not a "clutch" and just something to engage and disengage the drive.
 
I wonder if you did away with the "clutch" lever and used a thumb shifter, would make it easier to wrap your head around the fact that it is not a "clutch" and just something to engage and disengage the drive.

The thumb shifters I've seen probably haven't enough travel to pull the engager in and out. Also the spring that pushes against the lever is pretty strong so it might keep coming out of engaged mode. The clutch lever locks in the in position to hold the engager in. I honestly think that if you're careful it is OK. I've broken 2 - one by showing off and panicing at a junction and the other by talking to someone as I took off and not thinking about what I was doing.
Fixing the sheared key is easy if you buy a length of 1/8" x 1/8" key a hacksaw, file & a small 3 jawed gear puller. That piece of key goes first cos it's to protect the gearbox from more serious damage. The key could be a tiny bit thicker but has to be thinner than the engine shaft key which is harder to replace. If it happens far from home it's not much fun. Today I think I'm going to have to take out the final drive shaft and look at the engager slider and key because it isn't disengaging properly on a brand new gearbox. That is a nasty messy job and as is so often the case I find myself doing what should have been done in the factory which is getting a proper fit to all the components in the gearbox. This gearbox is just a bad one in several ways which means fron 4 gearboxes so far I have a 25% defective product rate.
 
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