I have an '04 R1150RT with just under 13,000 miles on it, about half of which I've put on in the year I've owned it. On the trip to Bloomsburg, I started experiencing downshift problems in almost any gear except 6 to 5th, which would require my sometimes shifting back up to shift down. I wasn't sure if I was creating the problem through fatigue altering my shifting style, if the heat was a factor, or if a problem was developing. Upon getting home though, I discovered that the shift linkage was definitely stiff and dragging on the downshift return. I cleaned and lubricated the Heim joints with teflon/lithium grease spray. They were very dirty and doing this significantly increased the snappiness of the return in the shifter. (Haven't road tested yet.) I noticed the joints were relatively unprotected, but there appear to be remnants of what might have once been felt washers around the joints. The fiche calls for a "bush" in the joint, but its difficult to tell if this is what is meant by that. Anyone have any information?