Issue with the reverse gear

Dane said:
Wow, someone else having as much fun as I've had with reverse. Here's what I've found and I'll sum up with points mentioned above:

1) Even though it says R--any time it blinks, something else is stopping it from working
2) Can't have the kick stand down
3) After the R goes steady, you cannot press clutch or brake or it will start blinking
4) any type of noticeable incline or decline will stop it from working, slight gradient changes seem to be okay, however....
5) If you reverse and happen to have the back wheel go into even a very small ditch, you won't be able to get it out of the R setting easily. You're basically stuck and it won't go into N. You have to rock the bike for a bit, maybe even turn it off, then you can get it back into N and push it out.
6) Even though you have to start the engine first, Reverse works directly off the battery so yes, connector looseness can be a factor.
7) even though you have done all the proper steps and the display is a steady R, it will sometimes still not kick into reverse immediately when you press the button. You may have to play with the Reverse/N gear a bit and then try it a few times for the actual gear to kick in.

Anyone have anything else to add?
Click to expand...
Yes, what a pain-in-the-butt 'feature'!
If they're going to bother putting a reverse in this machine, they could at least have made it actually useful.

Our '18 Goldwing has a reverse system similar to the R18's, except that it is simple to use, and it works when the rider determines it's appropriate, and doesn't second-guess the rider's judgement, then refuse to function.
 
sllmhjn said:
Alright, took it out again and tried the reverse assist on my driveway (rear sloping downwards) this time and it worked. However, it wasn’t until I reversed it all the way back to a level surface again that I was able to flip the gear back to its normal state.
Extremely finicky from my initial experience but the good part is the system is not faulty at least.
Click to expand...
I had the same issue but with the rear sloping upwards. I wanted to reverse just a little bit to get enough clearance in the front to get out. But it would just not get out of reverse gear. I had to continue backing up till I hit level surface to get off reverse. In real world situations this can be a real pain especially if there are cars waiting or trying to get around you.
 
avi said:
I had the same issue but with the rear sloping upwards. I wanted to reverse just a little bit to get enough clearance in the front to get out. But it would just not get out of reverse gear. I had to continue backing up till I hit level surface to get off reverse. In real world situations this can be a real pain especially if there are cars waiting or trying to get around you.
Click to expand...
Owners manual page 49 and 50.
 
From page 50

Reversing should be done without a passen- ger.
On downhill gradients, the reverser is not able to provide any holding function as is the case when a gear is engaged.
The reverser cannot be used on steep gradi- ents.
Gradient for reverser max 20 %
Activating reverser
Turn the selector level 1 to the R position. Gear indicator 2 switches from "N" to "R". The reverser can be used as soon as the display "R" stops flashing.
Using reverser
Release brake.
To reverse, press and hold starter but- ton 1.
"Automatic cancellation
Reversing is canceled automatically: if the gradient is too steep
if there is an obstacle
if the reversing motor overheats
if the side stand is folded out
if the front wheel brake is operated
"R" will flash in the display if reversing is canceled.
Deactivating reverse"
 
Black Dog said:
From page 50

Reversing should be done without a passen- ger.
On downhill gradients, the reverser is not able to provide any holding function as is the case when a gear is engaged.
The reverser cannot be used on steep gradi- ents.
Gradient for reverser max 20 %
Activating reverser
Turn the selector level 1 to the R position. Gear indicator 2 switches from "N" to "R". The reverser can be used as soon as the display "R" stops flashing.
Using reverser
Release brake.
To reverse, press and hold starter but- ton 1.
"Automatic cancellation
Reversing is canceled automatically: if the gradient is too steep
if there is an obstacle
if the reversing motor overheats
if the side stand is folded out
if the front wheel brake is operated
"R" will flash in the display if reversing is canceled.
Deactivating reverse"
Click to expand...
That addresses reverse being automatically cancelled. The issue that I (and the referenced poster) have is that you can't get it OUT of reverse while on a grade. You literally can't move the lever from the R position. You can still reverse the bike, but you can't get it out until you are on flatter ground. It's very annoying. Oh, and this happens on grades that are much less than 20%.
 
sllmhjn said:
Hi guys,
I received my R18 first edition the last week. Took it out for a drive a couple of times. Absolutely love it. On my latest ride, I thought I’d try to reverse the bike using the reverse assist. So, turned on the bike, engaged the reverse gear and the display confirmed so by showing ‘R’
but pressing the button did nothing, the bike didn’t move an inch. I heard some whirring sound every time I tried to reverse the bike while still being in ‘R’ gear as confirmed on the screen but the bike didn’t move.
Has this happened to anyone else as well? If so, how was that remedied?
Click to expand...
I have a not dissimilar problem, but in the opposite direction. The bike reverses perfectly but then I can’t get turn the reverse lever back to “normal”. It sticks. Any ideas?
 
tommymck said:
That addresses reverse being automatically cancelled. The issue that I (and the referenced poster) have is that you can't get it OUT of reverse while on a grade. You literally can't move the lever from the R position. You can still reverse the bike, but you can't get it out until you are on flatter ground. It's very annoying. Oh, and this happens on grades that are much less than 20%.
Click to expand...
Is it just when you’re in a gradient? Because I can’t get it out of reverse at least 50% of the time
 
Jason-Malibu-R18 said:
I have a not dissimilar problem, but in the opposite direction. The bike reverses perfectly but then I can’t get turn the reverse lever back to “normal”. It sticks. Any ideas?
Click to expand...
Is there pressure on the reverse gearing from the bike's weight?
I find, like with many direct mechanical linkages, to get it to disengage there cannot be any pressure on the linkage. I occasionally have to roll my bike back and forthba couple inches to ensure any pressure on the linkage is relieved.
 
An easier to reach lever helps when doing a "reverse jiggle" to unlock things... the wunderlich one works for me.

One thing worth trying.... when reversing (up an incline) stop with the front brake and hold it on... apply release pressure on the reverse lever and hold against it.... and let go of the brake for a second..... the binding of the mechanism will change direction and the reverse lever should move out of reverse as it does.
 
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I use my Reverse Gear after every ride, as I have to back my bike into the garage which is slightly uphill and then it transitions slightly downhill; I rock my bike slightly forward (pushing it now uphill) and quickly squeeze the front brake to hold the bike and to release any tension on the Reverse gear.

If I don't remove the weight of the bike in the form of tension on the reverse gear, it's basically going to be stuck in Reverse... the trick is to remove the tension or the weight of the bike on the Reverse Gear.
 
Cu Dubh said:
Is there pressure on the reverse gearing from the bike's weight?
I find, like with many direct mechanical linkages, to get it to disengage there cannot be any pressure on the linkage. I occasionally have to roll my bike back and forthba couple inches to ensure any pressure on the linkage is relieved.
Click to expand...
Great advice Cu. Thank you. Will give it a shot!
 
I don't use my reverse much but I think I remember it happening once, level didn't want to switch back from Reverse to drive. I shimmied the bike a little forward and aft until I felt it release and could switch it. just as Cu and Scott describe. I didn't think much about it at the time. I don't know what the mechanism looks like but we're not using a clutch for reverse so I imagine it's a reverse drive gear we're moving with the lever to directly engage with the starter motor. if any load between the teeth still, little lever doesn't have enough leverage to disengage the gears. interesting design. glad to have the reverse if I need it though. I love her but the TC is a heavy girl.
 
Jason-Malibu-R18 said:
Is it just when you’re in a gradient? Because I can’t get it out of reverse at least 50% of the time
Click to expand...
It was unreliable enough for me that I just stopped using reverse. In my experience, it only seemed to happen when I actually needed it to work. The bike seemed to know when I was just testing it in the driveway and when I actually was out and needed it to get out of wherever I was.
 
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