1981 430 XC shifting trouble

I am looking to purchase a beautiful 81 430 but am very cautious as to why you would have trouble going up into 3rd gear while in motion under power but have no trouble while it's parked? All other gears shift smoothly. It seems to be related to rpm's but it could just be me. I tried shifting by hand while in motion and it just felt like it was topped out until the rpm's dropped and then it would shift to fourth. My 1977 250 is a flawless shifter up and down, it just doesn't like neutral and neither do I .... From what I'm told and by the evidence I see the 430 has been all rebuilt by a professional with less than an hour on the clock. I really want to purchase this bike but do not want to get into cracking the case for the money being sought.

so youre saying while riding the bike it wont shift into 3rd? i would say something i wrong with the dogs or a bent shift fork perhaps? the bike has all the other gears?

what does the seller say about it? the bike should shift easily, of course. there is something wrong with it that will require splitting..not much else to do

Yes, sorry for the confusion, while riding the bike it doesn't go into 3rd easily. You have to try a few times and by then the rpms have dropped and it goes into 3rd. It has all the other gears.

Third gear is used so much in the 430 that the dogs are usually worn. It would have to be inspected.

yup, the seller has to recognize this...if not you have to walk, which is too bad.

Sounds like an opportunity to buy it cheap!

Marty

There are little pins that a claw grabs to turn the shifting drum. They are visible without splitting the case. I have had some worn ones but gave up trying to get it apart and just switched to another shifting drum assembly. That might be an easy fix, relatively. The rod that the shifting fork rides on I have found bent a bit. The first one I discovered the bend because a fork didn't easily slide all the way end to end. The bore the rod goes in is about an inch long if I recall. Can not really see how that would be rpm effected. I have trouble seeing how a shifting fork on this design would bend they are kind of compact.

I do not know how to evaluate the professionally rebuilt aspect. An inspection of the oil drained from the engine can be helpful.

The claw thing that turns the drum maybe could use a bit of weld and filing or grinding. The people that bought the 1998 125 I know like me replaced that part pretty early on but a different design.

Fran is right it just maybe pulling the clutch cover to fix it. How's the clutch? Sticky? Lube the clutch cable it could not be releasing fast enough to shift. Oil level in the tranny.? That's the only way it could be rpm effected. Say nothing to the seller buy it cheap then go to work.

My last complete non running 83/430 the PO said it needed a clutch. He had the clutch cover off. I said nothing. For $150 I adjusted the center clutch release rod and had a running bike. The clutch plates and discs were perfect.


I'm temped with used bikes to go through them once and forget about it. Crank bearings, seals, piston, rings, gaskets up front. The ride the tires off of it. There easier to restore when there running.

If your going to weld the claw use a good TIG strong rod. I don't have my books handy for a hard face type quality rod. This way the claw won't wear. Being retried since '05 I lost some welding memory.

The 400/430 motors are very track able to ride.

Well guys, I went ahead and pulled the trigger on trading my 2009 TE510 for the 1981 430 XC and an undisclosed amount of cash. We both felt it was an equitable trade and were happy with our deal. Im going to miss my TE it was a flawless performer and an all around fun dual sport but I haven't been able to sleep very good since I saw the 430 on craigslist. I had an 81 430 CR in high school and it's been a treasured memory for over 25 years so to own one again is so cool. Having a young family and not a lot of surplus income, this will be a slow moving thread for sure. I am anxious to resolve the third gear issue but for right now I'm just beaming that my dream bike is sitting in my shop! Take note on the PO restoration, he did a nice job, but this will be my rider and raced once a year at the Desert 100 in Odessa, WA it may never look this good again. Any suggestions on a new expansion chamber? The stock pipe is all dented and that spark arrestor looks silly poking way out the back. What about a skid plate? I want to preserve this bike as much as possible but still be able to give it a good beating.

The bike looks like an awesome starting point. Now you get to open her up & see what shape it is in. A worthy project for sure.

bet dyno-port has a pipe and silencer if not try HAV or Up-tite and Ricochet off road will have your skidplate you sure thats not an 82 still a sweet ride had one like it 30 years ago its #2 on the i wish i had it back list oh well oh i have a boost bottle for it

pretty sure dp only makes pipes for lc huskies..so likely only andy i think

WELL SHIT UR RIGHT NUTTIN OLDER THAT 86 ON THE WEBSITE