1998 Kawasaki vulcan 1500 shifting problem

[HighBoy1975]

I recently acquired my fathers 98 Vulcan when he passed away a couple months ago..... But it will only let me shift from 1st to 2nd can anyone help me figure out what's wrong with it and how to fix it? This bike means the world to me and I really need some help on it

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[DragonLady58]

Great to have you aboard! We need some more info though to help you thru this problem. 1st, check the obvious, is the gear shift hitting anything? Shift arm isn't bent, is it? Shift shaft coming thru cover is straight? Has anyone been into the leftside of the engine? Has it been laid down or in a accident?
When did this happen and what was the bike doing when this was 1st experienced? Will it shift from 1st to 2nd smoothly? Is there any transmission noise? When your in 2nd gear, any vibration or grinding noises? When you try to go into 3rd gear, will the shifter move like its going to shift into gear, or is it when you try to shift, the lever is locked solid? Or does it feel like something is in the way and is trying to shift into place?
Goes into neutral fine? Smoothly? Any noises? Final thing....shift the gearbox to 2nd gear without the engine running, then rock the bike back and forth, trying to shift into 3rd. Any noises? Crunching or grinding? Does it go into 3rd?,
Check these questions out and tell us whats going on. Afterward, Drain the oil good, look in the pan carefully, with a flashlight, and tell us if theres any metal glitter, pieces in the oil and get back with us....
One more thing, is it a classic?

Try these out, and it will tell us which section your problem is in....

[DragonLady58]

OK, checking back.... Let me just say this, If the shifting problem is related to your shifter, linkage, ratchet mechinism, your home free. If its hung between 2 gears, a little finesse might be required. If its a bent shifter fork, worn syncro getting cocked, or something inside the gearbox, its teardown time.
Lets not jump to immediate teardowns though, since it could be something simple.
The Vulcans are tough as nails though, and will outlast you if treated with respect and some decent peroidic maintenance.
These bikes usually have no problems though unless someone has ridden the wheels off it. One word of advice though. You cannot go to stomping on the gearshift, that is absolutely the worst thing you can do. Trying to force her into gear will bent your shifting forks, break a piece that might just be otherwise just gummed up from non-use.
Take your time, get back with us on the questions.

My classic that I just ride around here locally that I've converted to a bobber, I picked it up really cheap from its previous owner because it was locked up, he didn't want to pay for a teardown, he was getting a newer bike. I bought it, put it up on the bike lift totally expecting a teardown. I pulled the side covers off and had found the bolts that held a piece in the side cover were left loose, guy was going to take off for a ride, these loose pieces got jammed in the gears and locked it up.
I in turn got a great deal for $750, only taking me 1 day to get things straightened out. So, you never know, sometimes, its something extremely simple.