TE511 - crappy pot metal shifter keeps loosening. Aftermarket Replacements?

ZipTy racing has more top tier racing experience than anyone (I go so far as to say in the world with maybe some rally guys excepted) on the 449/511 models, I would give them a ring for any special things/tricks they may know, they are usually open for discussion. I never saw NickB or CoryG getting DNFs for stripped 449/511 shifters and Ive been on the same courses, ridden with and been passed by both at various times. Also use the high strength locktite, 271 Red for one type. Once you set your pedal its not a many cycle remove piece, 271 red is good for this type perm install stuff, 242 blue is more for multi cycle removal parts. And proper torque is more important than muscle F&*K torque. Stripping the threads and the screw loosening from the threads are 2 different issues, proper torque with red locktite or equivalent high strength stuff is probably the best bet. Most all the euro pedals are forged aluminum and are pretty high quality, but all pedals as well as footpegs will be engineered to be sacrificial parts. Build a pedal too strong and one hit could damage the shaft or even the transmission internals.
http://www.loctiteproducts.com/product_advisor/projects/index.pl/3/2/21

We use various flavors of Loctite in my industry. Directed heat will loosen all of them if there is concern about using red. Solder iron or heat gun work just fine.

Install a new KTM or GASGAS on your old shifter. See if that fixes the mechanical failure.

One of our crew uses the unscrew your gas cap, lift, roll bike out from under it and install a KTM under it then screw it back on.....I tell F that, KTMs have that stupid freaking gas cap design!!

The shifter is going to be replaced. I am going to try to order one today. First day back from the desert that the shop is open.
I have the shifter off and my first day off I plan to spec out the lever and CAD one up, take the image to my buddy's machine shop and see about pricing a run of billet shifters for this thing - may just be a new vendor of these things LOL. I work in medicine, but heck, I used to work in a machine shop in my younger days and have enough experience to draw up a shifter.

BTW, I didn't call the bike "Jap Crap", Timken called japanese bikes Jap Crap (which I disagree with for numerous reasons: parts availability, prices, aftermarket, and so on ...). Just to be clear. I did call the husky a POS though (I was pretty pissed at the time) LOL. Further, even in this thread there are posts of others that have had this same problem.
And you know getting to that lever is a huge pain in the ass. Either that, or you never have tried to access that bolt ...
A new, 2012 bike that is slower, heavier, and more problem prone (stalling, shifter woes, too soft suspension) than my 2005 YZ is questionable in my book. On the upside, it does have electric start and a license plate, which are the main reasons I went with this bike, but I am not sure those amenities are worth the 9k it took.
I am fearful that ordering the shifter is going to be a long wait. I have needed parts such as this for my other Euro Bikes and ordering has taken weeks to months to procure the part which has sucked. More so with this bike as it is my desert bike and well, now is the season ... I am hoping a long wait for parts won't be the case - we will see. The reality is, I am stuck with the bike for now and will try to make the best of it. I am awaiting a return call on the shifter regarding availability as we speak.

I understand some of the comments here are secondary to you all and your affinity with the bike. I want to love this bike too, but I am not naive enough to love a bike that just hasn't produced.
So far this bike has been the belle of the ball that when you get her home and out of her dress just happens to have a big pecker staring you in the face. Not at all what I want, or expected. To say the least ...

On a lighter note, I will say this, the steering damper works great though! Thanks Motosportz!

not in stock.
7-10 business days (so goes the promise - heard that one before ...)
Yeah, that is normal.
That would be how long one would wait for a Japanese shift lever ...
Perfect.

And somehow I am supposed to be thrilled with this bike ...

well, here is how my Husky is doing at the moment.
And how my yammer does every time.
Not stoked on the long wait for my shifter.
Just sucks. Much to be said for riding standard (read:widely available) motorcycle brands.
Called basically every southern CA dealer - none have a shifter in stock.
Further, the shifter has been quoted at $58 ...
Yep,
Stoked ...

Bill's has it in stock !!!
Stoked !!!
Thanks to Bill and MotoSportz for the help!

I will post up when this think stays tight!
PS, Bill says he has sold 2 of these in the past couple of weeks, so something is up.
Just sayin'

Japanese parts are not that easy to get anymore. I have a kx250f apart in my shop right now that I have been waiting for a shift drum for 9 weeks. Customer is not happy either.

Um, ship.drum???
Whatever it is, probably not as in demand as a shift lever.

I fixed that up for you. The shift drum for the kxf is a known problem. I'm just a small one man shop out in the sticks and even I have done a few.

O

Haha,
I waited almost 3 months for a shifter pawl for my track bike (duc 999), and was beginning to feel.like that was going to be "deja vu all over again", but motosportz and Billz saves the day!
Signed me n the bike up for relationship counseling - hoping we can salvage our heated yet tumultuous affair LOL