Troubles of getting it in neutral when hot + stationary...

[Phil Tarman]

Kawasaki has an automatic neutral locator. I had one on a 2008 KLR, and there is one on my Versys 300. When the bike is not moving, it will only go into neutral when shifting from 2nd to 1st or vise versa. A simple mechanism that works flawlessly and gives no problems.

I liked the neutral finder on my Kawasaki Concourses. It worked really well.

 

[DirtFlier]

"...When the bike is not moving, it will only go into neutral when shifting from 2nd to 1st or vise versa...HondaFan"

Nearly all motorcycles use what the car racers call a "sequential transmission." This means one movement of the shifter will only proceed to the next gear or neutral, in either direction.

 

[Shadowjack]

This symptom used to occur in my old 1200 Goldwing, and I knew it was time for an oil change. Always improved after that.

 

[mikesim]

Waaaaayyy back in the day, the engineers at Royal Enfield solved the problem. On the side cover with the shift lever was an additional lever, the neutral finder. When you came to a stop depress the lever with your toe and voila! you were in neutral. If my remembery is correct, an Italian bike (?) also had this feature.

Mike

 

[ST1100Y]

This symptom used to occur in my old 1200 Goldwing, and I knew it was time for an oil change. Always improved after that.

On the ST1100 clunky gear changes are sign of worn hub dampers... diagnosed the same last year on the NT700 I got for my GF at a dealer; the PO had them never changed...

 

[ST1100Y]

FWIW: after replacing the clutch and changing to fully synth oil the issue has resolved...
I somehow have the previously used semi-synth under suspicion...

 

[ST1100Y]

And... after the recent oil change (10W30) the issue has again raised his head... fine getting neutral while rolling, once engine is fully hot and being stationary, you've a hard time finding neutral...
And last Friday, during the annual MOT inspection, the bloke there had just those difficulties...
No issue though, he was happy having an "un-tinkered" bike there, she passed with flying colors...
Still interesting why the clutch obviously drags just so slightly once the engine is hot that it jams up the gears...

 

[Chucksklrst]

Kawasaki has an automatic neutral locator. I had one on a 2008 KLR, and there is one on my Versys 300. When the bike is not moving, it will only go into neutral when shifting from 2nd to 1st or vise versa. A simple mechanism that works flawlessly and gives no problems.

Except when the rpms are up during a cold start warm up. After it idles down all is good, And works good. Both of my Versys do this. So Before a cold start I shift into natural and then start the bike.

 

[cliffh]

I would make a quick check of the clutch cable, at the transmission end, and make sure you have free play in the cable. You could have the lever adjusted at the handlebars, but a slightly binding cable can keep the cable tight at the transmission end causing the clutch to drag a little.

Cliff

 

[ST1100Y]

I would make a quick check of the clutch cable, at the transmission end, and make sure you have free play in the cable. You could have the lever adjusted at the handlebars, but a slightly binding cable can keep the cable tight at the transmission end causing the clutch to drag a little.

Cable was replaced last year and properly adjusted, plus all worked fine before, the only thing changed is a new filter and oil...

 

[Hondafan]

"...When the bike is not moving, it will only go into neutral when shifting from 2nd to 1st or vise versa...HondaFan"

Nearly all motorcycles use what the car racers call a "sequential transmission." This means one movement of the shifter will only proceed to the next gear or neutral, in either direction.

Here is a better explanation of the Kawasaki neutral finder.

Kawasaki positive neutral finder - how does it work? - Fort Worth Motorcycle Riders

www.fwmr.net

 

[mikesim]

Cable was replaced last year and properly adjusted, plus all worked fine before, the only thing changed is a new filter and oil...

Did you by chance use a different oil than you normally use or any type of additive? Is my remembery faulty of didn't you just replace the clutch discs on the bike? This was your girlfriends NT, right? If the freeplay is correct, this is truly a puzzlement.

Mike

Sorry, I reread the earlier posts and answered my own questions. Thankfully though, it was a relief to find that my remembery isn't totally gone., but the puzzlement is still there. If you are certain that this problem occurred immediately after the oil change, I would change the oil and filter once again with a different brand of oil and see what happens.