Possible to require the dreaded spline lube at 13K miles?

[voodooskin]

Last couple of rides, hard (impossible) to downshift sometimes _but_ blipping the throttle and it will downshift easy enough.

Bike's a '97 LT with only 13k miles.

It seems the symptoms match the spline lube issue but is that reasonable given the low mileage?

The other question would be: if it does require this, what damage if any if I live with it for a riding season? The pix of the amount of disassembly required to do this job freak me out almost as much as the cost to have someone else do it

Thanks brick gurus!

[Flying Duck]

Mileage is low but the grease is 14 years old.

It's not that hard. You just need to keep things organized and it takes a fair amount of time.

Back when I didn't know about the sticky downshifting symptom, I got about 8-9 k out of my K75RT between the time I noticed sticky downshifting and the splines stripped completely on both the tranny and clutch plate. (1,500 miles form home)

Bite the bullet and either do it or have it done. It's good way to learn about the bike.

Everybody is intimidated by their first spline lube so you're not alone.

[jpberens1994K1100RS]

There are so many variables & unknowns it's quite impossible to guage if damage is being done.
Lot of it depends on the rider & usage. I've seen some can't shift for chit & the harder they try, the worse it is, for the bike. Some seem to make it seem easy.
If you baby it it"ll go a while, but you don't know WTH is in there. It could be dry & gone from age.
Safer to do it now, less expensive too.

The main indicator here is you noticed a change in the bikes operational system. ANY change is cause for further investigation until a solution is evident.

I think there are good folk near you who can help you with this.

YOU CAN DO IT!!!

[BobZ(IL)]

It is possible to pull the gearbox back a little bit, clean, inspect and slather some grease on the splines and be riding again in no time. Not too big of a job. Totally removing the box a bit more of a job.

As duck says, grease can deteriorate over the years, miles not so much an issue . I think it's pretty important to look, you definitely do not want knife-edged splines.

[Flying Duck]

It is possible to pull the gearbox back a little bit, clean, inspect and slather some grease on the splines and be riding again in no time. Not too big of a job. Totally removing the box a bit more of a job.

I'm as lazy as the next guy but I don't' think the slide it back a bit approach allows you to do the job properly.

[old guy old bike]

You can do it in a weekend. I would suggest that you pop the clutch nut off and install a new o-ring. Mine was a few years older and it was hard as coal and just as brittle. Cheap insurance.
Jeff

[mtnroads]

Check your clutch cable adjustment - if you have too much slack in the cable and it's dragging it will be reluctant to shift unless you blip the throttle. And personally I almost always blip on downshifts so I might miss the symptoms you're having.

[voodooskin]

You can do it in a weekend. I would suggest that you pop the clutch nut off and install a new o-ring. Mine was a few years older and it was hard as coal and just as brittle. Cheap insurance.
Jeff

Thanks for the head's up!

Any other items that are easily swapped out that would be worth doing while the bike is 1/2 disassembled? Thanks for the suggestions everyone.