'85 250ES - switching to reverse, light comes on but doesn't always kick into reverse

[Tantrix]

I'm having a problem that I need some help diagnosing. I noticed it quite a few times tonight when me and the wife rode the 250ES. I'm going to try to be as detailed as possible here.

While riding tonight, about 5 times out of 10 when I had to switch to reverse, it acted like it was in reverse but when given some throttle it wasn't.

This is how it happens:

I push the reverse button down and pull my lever back, then from neutral push my gearshift lever down. The reverse light will come on as normal, then I'll give it some throttle and it won't move. I'll then push the reverse button in again and pull the lever, and when I pull the lever that 2nd time you can feel it "kick" into reverse.

My clutch is adjusted per the service manual (turn counter-clockwise until resistance is felt, the clockwise 1/4 turn).

I am wondering if this may be causing it:

When you pull the left lever on the handlebars, it automatically engages the rear brake no matter what because a rear brake cable runs to that lever. In other words...when you push the reverse button down then pull the lever, it pulls the reverse cable on the engine AND engages the rear brake . However..my left lever doesn't have a brake cable connected to it because my cables were shot and all I've replaced so far is my front cable. Could my trike not be wanting to shift into reverse sometimes because when I pull the lever it isn't engaging the brake at the same time like it would be if that brake cable was there?

In short: Does the trike have to be at a complete stop (as in NO moving) to reliably shift into reverse?

If this is the case, I will try holding my front brake on the right lever while simultaneously pulling the left lever and shifting into reverse from now on until I get that left brake cable replaced.

So...let me know if it's the brake thing (what I'm hoping it is), a transmission problem, a clutch problem, or whatever else it could be.


Thanks in advance guys.

[TravEX]

Mine will do that occasionally, just shift down again, don't worry about pulling the lever, and you're good to go. The rear brake would have nothing to do with the engagement of reverse. I think that reverse lever is on the rear brake lever so that you are stopped when you shift to reverse, it will engage if you're rolling a little.

Travis

[Tantrix]

Mine will do that occasionally, just shift down again, don't worry about pulling the lever, and you're good to go. The rear brake would have nothing to do with the engagement of reverse. I think that reverse lever is on the rear brake lever so that you are stopped when you shift to reverse, it will engage if you're rolling a little.

Travis

Yeah, I figured Honda paired that reverse cable with the brake so you were at a complete stop when you switched into reverse. Since my rear brake isn't fixed yet I'm doing what I mentioned above and pulling my right (front) brake in at the same time I switch into reverse to make sure I'm not rolling any.

Oh well...nothing to be alarmed about I guess. Was just bugging me.

Thanks Trav


:TrikesOwn

[atc4everbob]

Hey Tantrix. Try doing this. When this happens, hop off the bike, do 5 push-ups, and run around the bike as fast as you can twice. Hop back on it and immediately try reverse again. If it still doesn't work, repeat.

Just kidding Tantrix! Just a joke. I know what you mean about the light coming on and nobody's home. My '85 Big Red does the same, and I think all of them do. The first couple of times this happened to me really made me nervous. Not any more. Just the nature of the beast man. With mine, I don't have to touch the hand lever again. If the indicator light is on, I just push the shifter down again and it pops into reverse. You have a good bike there Tantrix. Enjoy every ride...

[badasskfx]

try checking the adjustment on the lever for the reverse actuator. make sure when you pull in the brake with the button pushed in the little lever on the engine moves full swing!

[Tantrix]

Hey Tantrix. Try doing this. When this happens, hop off the bike, do 5 push-ups, and run around the bike as fast as you can twice. Hop back on it and immediately try reverse again. If it still doesn't work, repeat.

Just kidding Tantrix! Just a joke. I know what you mean about the light coming on and nobody's home. My '85 Big Red does the same, and I think all of them do. The first couple of times this happened to me really made me nervous. Not any more. Just the nature of the beast man. With mine, I don't have to touch the hand lever again. If the indicator light is on, I just push the shifter down again and it pops into reverse. You have a good bike there Tantrix. Enjoy every ride...

You know what, I've never tried that before. This usually what I do:

1) Push down reverse button
2) Pull lever
3) Push gearshift down into reverse (reverse light comes on)
4) Give trike some throttle

1-4 being normal procedure

5) If it doesn't move backwards, I push the reverse button down and pull the lever again then I feel it engage into reverse. Basically when it does this I pull the reverse cable again. What I haven't tried before is just pushing the gearshift lever down again.

I'll try this next time and see if it works. For some reason pulling the reverse cable a 2nd time gets it into reverse without touching the gearshift lever again so I've been doing that.



try checking the adjustment on the lever for the reverse actuator. make sure when you pull in the brake with the button pushed in the little lever on the engine moves full swing!

This is something I suspected too, to test it I knelt down on the right side of the trike and pushed the reverse lever on the engine up with my left hand as far as it would go then with my right hand pushed the button and pulled the left brake lever and the reverse lever on the engine didn't move any further. It is indeed bottoming out as far as it will go when I push the button and pull the lever. I guess the reverse cable is fine.



Thanks for the tips fellas. :TrikesOwn