First Gear Suddenly Jerky CB200

When did you last adjust clutch?
When did you last change oil?
What type, weight, and brand was the oil?

Sounds like clutch "chatter" from slipping in low gear, but could be shift drum or the actual gears..... Need MORE discription/symptoms.... Steve

Oil was changed about 600 miles ago. Clutch hasn't been adjusted for a while... 4000 miles? Most recent adjustment was drive chain adjusted about 300 miles ago.


I'll go do the clutch adjustment now.

The reason I asked about the brand and type of oil is SOME additives and synthetics will actually CAUSE slippage......But you would have noticed that sooner than 600 miles.....

Clutch adjustment didn't help.


Don't remember the brand, but it was 10w40. I only use the kind that doesn't have the "energy conserving" seal on the back.

May simply not be engaging all the way - perhaps something simple in the shift shaft to shift drum connection, under the right side engine cover there.

Could also be some chain snatch going on - is the drive chain real loose, or worn sprockets??
Chain snatch is worse in the low gears (if that's what's happening).

If none of those things pan out, you may be looking at a teardown to get to the tranny itself.
Though it's unusual for first gear to go bad, generally it's second or higher.

Okay, here are some more symptoms:


If left in first gear overnight, the first takeoff of the morning is perfectly smooth. No hitches, no jerks.
After that, I have almost no first gear at all. Grinds like crazy if I try to use it. I have taken to starting off in second gear. All other gears function as normal.

Occasionally, the shifting between all gears is extremely loud and clunky. Usually, shifts are smooth and relatively silent.

When shifting from first to second, it's got a hair trigger. I used to have to do a full shift to get it to go from first to neutral, but now it seems as though it'll make the jump if my foot even comes near the shifter.

Seems like it's not going all the way into first gear the way it's prone to jump out. I've never been into a transmission of any kind. Engine work is no problem.

Must be a bug goin' around, buddy - yesterday wifey's CB200 started jumping out of 3'rd and 4'th gears.
Looks like we both get to do some tranny work.
The CB200 tranny is pretty much the same as all the other Hondas of the era.
Get yourself a gasket kit and have at it.......