• NEW USERS: If you haven't received your Confirmation Email: There has been an ongoing issue with the forum's send mail function and many new users haven't received the email to confirm their registration. I've done my best to manually process these, so there's a good chance if you've signed up in the past 30 days that you've already been validated and can proceed with posting on the forum (don't forget to introduce yourself!). If you still can't get in, please use the Contact Us link on the bottom of any page to send me a message and I'll process you manually. Thanks for your patience! ~Jerk

TEC Gear Level & Linkage + Running In Experience

DJ_DC

Well travelled
Location
Northern VA, USA
Hi all,

I'm a new rider (1 month!) and my local RE dealer in Northern Virginia just happened to have a single Meteor 350 in stock when I stopped by with my short list of bikes to try. I took the plunge, brought it home, and have generally been thrilled with the bike, coming up on about 150 miles of back roads and coffee shop runs. The unseasonably warm weather has been a blast!

Like a few others have expressed in the forum, though, I'm not a big fan of the heel / toe shifter. I like the concept and have no problem with the mechanics of it, but I find I'm constantly fidgeting with my foot position to sit properly on both ends of the shifter, which is a bit distracting, and I'm also finding it easy to accidentally hit the heel plate when I don't mean to. Some of you will immediately say, "practice!" and yes, I know- but my satisfaction with the setup has declined rather than improved with experience.

So... Have you any of installed TEC's replacement toe-only setup? If so, what do you think of the new setup and the installation process?

ALSO: shift aside, my only real frustration with the bike has been the extensive "running in" period (we'd say "breaking in" in the U.S.) that RE requires on the M350: 310 miles for stage one, 1240 miles for stage 2. My dealer was fantastic in nearly every respect, but this extensive limit took me by surprise. I'm not ready for 65 mph on the highway regardless, but we have enough 55 mph larger local roads needed to get from Point A to Point B that I suspect the sub-50 mph limit will be...a challenge well in advance of that 1240 miles. Anyone else champing at the bit to get past this hurdle? For those of you have had your Meteor longer: have you found any difference in the way the bike runs, handles, or just feels following this running in period?

See you all out on the road!
 

Stig57

Well travelled
Location
Wigan
I have a Classic and agree the running in period feels excessive. However, the engine does smooth out after about 400 miles and also has more power so I guess the running in is working as it should.
 

Aitrus

Well travelled
Location
Georgia, USA
Agreed. I've had my Meteor since mid-November. Closing in on 900 miles now. The first 225 miles were on backroads from the dealership coming home, varying the speed and revs up and down through the entire range, but never going more than 65. Since then I mostly ride it back and forth to work along 45 - 55mph roads, and not going over 60 mph on the fastest portions.

I really noticed a change around the 450 mile mark - just after the first oil change / tappet adjustment. I'm guessing that all the rough spots and edges in the workings had finished being ground down around that point. Now she's butter-smooth.
 

DJ_DC

Well travelled
Location
Northern VA, USA
Thanks, Stig57 and Aitrus - really helpful to know.

Quick follow-up: I consistently have a bit of a "clank" downshifting from 2nd to 1st (clutch all the way in). Did either of you have this in the early miles, and if so, did it go away with that 400-500 mile mark? I expect my dealer to check it when I bring it in for that 300 mi. service/adjustment, but just curious.
 

Stig57

Well travelled
Location
Wigan
I've had no problems at all. Gear box is pretty slick. I used to own Guzzis and Harleys so a hammer on a tin can sounds slick but the Classic is really good :)
The gear change on the Meteor is via a linkage so I wouldn't be surprised if there was more clunk than the Classic.
 

RTD

Well travelled
Location
AZ
Meteor over here is a year old, and the run-in period was indeed,,,a stretch. Lots of studying google maps to find the “backiest” of back roads to every destination. For the first dealer service I picked a shop up in Pennsylvania (coming from Baltimore) which ate up the miles on some glorious country roads... also good for practice since i’m a new rider as well.

But yes: after about 500 miles the engine character really started to emerge. Smoother everything (and it seemed pretty smooth at the start), nicer exhaust note as well: it picked up a bit more of the sound of a tough old lady with decades of whiskey & cigarettes; just a hint of it, but love the sound.

& same with the downshifting. In my experience it’s satisfyingly “there” without sounding problematic.
 

DJ_DC

Well travelled
Location
Northern VA, USA
Awesome to hear- thanks for sharing your experience! Really encouraging to hear. My dealer is closer by, in Northern VA, but I may look for some of those PA back roads as well!
 

Overdrive

Well travelled
Staff member
Location
Southern UK
I think the clank you are describing could be because you’re shifting down too early. Small capacity low power bikes like these often have a very ‘short’ first gear to enable them to move from rest when fully laden without too much clutch slip. This means that when first is selected from second, the differential in gear and shaft speed is high, with the resulting clunk as the dogs engage. You could try momentarily blipping the throttle as you change, or only selecting first when you’re down to below walking speed.
The Himalayan with the standard final drive of 15/38 is similar - with 16/38 it’s less apparent, although in some off road situations the clutch gets a harder time.
 

DJ_DC

Well travelled
Location
Northern VA, USA
That's really helpful, and it makes perfect sense. It usually happens when I'm slowing to a final stop at a light or sign, so perhaps I am downshifting too early. I'll try to be mindful of that and see what happens. Thanks for the tip!
 

Aitrus

Well travelled
Location
Georgia, USA
Agreed with what these guys say about downshifting. I usually slow down to almost full stop in 2nd. The bike is capable of starting from a dead stop in 2nd without lugging the engine. If you're used to engine braking, slowing waaay down before shifting to first might take some getting used to. I came off a bigger V-twin, so the shifting on this bike to me feels really soft - sometimes so soft I can't tell if I've shifted or not.

My initial problem with the gearbox was that I would find false neutrals all over the place. It was a combination of two things: getting used to the heel shifter, and the clutch had too much free play in it. I followed Ol Man Ronin's video on tightening it up, and now I don't have any more shifting issues.

 

DJ_DC

Well travelled
Location
Northern VA, USA
Yep, I do use engine braking - I'm a new rider but used this method all the time in cars, so it feels natural - so this makes sense. I appreciate the video recommendation too! I've watched a bunch of Ol Man Ronin's stuff (like a lot of us Meteor owners, I suspect) but somehow missed this one. Thanks!
 

scooter85

Getting there...
Location
Tn.
Hi all,

I'm a new rider (1 month!) and my local RE dealer in Northern Virginia just happened to have a single Meteor 350 in stock when I stopped by with my short list of bikes to try. I took the plunge, brought it home, and have generally been thrilled with the bike, coming up on about 150 miles of back roads and coffee shop runs. The unseasonably warm weather has been a blast!

Like a few others have expressed in the forum, though, I'm not a big fan of the heel / toe shifter. I like the concept and have no problem with the mechanics of it, but I find I'm constantly fidgeting with my foot position to sit properly on both ends of the shifter, which is a bit distracting, and I'm also finding it easy to accidentally hit the heel plate when I don't mean to. Some of you will immediately say, "practice!" and yes, I know- but my satisfaction with the setup has declined rather than improved with experience.

So... Have you any of installed TEC's replacement toe-only setup? If so, what do you think of the new setup and the installation process?

ALSO: shift aside, my only real frustration with the bike has been the extensive "running in" period (we'd say "breaking in" in the U.S.) that RE requires on the M350: 310 miles for stage one, 1240 miles for stage 2. My dealer was fantastic in nearly every respect, but this extensive limit took me by surprise. I'm not ready for 65 mph on the highway regardless, but we have enough 55 mph larger local roads needed to get from Point A to Point B that I suspect the sub-50 mph limit will be...a challenge well in advance of that 1240 miles. Anyone else champing at the bit to get past this hurdle? For those of you have had your Meteor longer: have you found any difference in the way the bike runs, handles, or just feels following this running in period?

See you all out on the road!
where do you find anything about a 1240 mile stage 2. what is it. nothing in my owners manual about it
 

DJ_DC

Well travelled
Location
Northern VA, USA
where do you find anything about a 1240 mile stage 2. what is it. nothing in my owners manual about it
The manual gives limits for 0-500 km (310 mi) and then 501-2000 km (1243 mi).

8210

This is from the PDF of the manual available as a download at the RE US website; I don't have the hard copy in front of me at the moment since I'm away from home. Do you (or any other readers here) have something different in your manual? Curious if so.
 

CiscoGoodDog

Well travelled
Location
California, USA
Hi @DJ_DC My dealer just said to roll on the throttle easy. The user manual is a good guideline. Just accelerate slowly and don't wind it up too much. On the open road I would vary my speed (in 5th gear) between 50 and 55 mph. Listen to the engine and get a sense of how it is running. The dealer was right, just roll on the throttle easy ;-) Have you put 300 miles on you bike yet?
 

DJ_DC

Well travelled
Location
Northern VA, USA
Hi @DJ_DC My dealer just said to roll on the throttle easy. The user manual is a good guideline. Just accelerate slowly and don't wind it up too much. On the open road I would vary my speed (in 5th gear) between 50 and 55 mph. Listen to the engine and get a sense of how it is running. The dealer was right, just roll on the throttle easy ;-) Have you put 300 miles on you bike yet?
Not yet! Just shy of 200 mi at the moment. I had a few good days of unseasonably warm weather last week to get out on the road (in No. VA) but winter is back- so finding good riding days are a challenge and will be for another 6 weeks or so. (50 degrees is great, but 30- not so much.)
 

Steve Farrer

Finally made it
Don't forget that shifting from 2nd to 1st you pass through neutral so the mechanism has further to go. Once you get the feel of the engine you will automatically sort it out unless there is something catastrophically wrong with the gearbox. (Just winding you up, it is probably fine.)
 

DJ_DC

Well travelled
Location
Northern VA, USA
Don't forget that shifting from 2nd to 1st you pass through neutral so the mechanism has further to go. Once you get the feel of the engine you will automatically sort it out unless there is something catastrophically wrong with the gearbox. (Just winding you up, it is probably fine.)
Yeh, good point- I'll keep that in mind! (The mechanism, not the catastrophic potential. ;))
 
Top Bottom