Neutral recommendations ?

[StealthFighter]

There have been a few threads regarding people experiencing false neutrals and/or trouble finding real Neutral. Sometimes its a mechanical issue that is repaired and others its clutch lever adjustment, or not giving the shift a firm kick...

My question is - what are the recommended techniques when you find yourself with a false or elusive neutral while actually out on a ride?

• False Neutral between upper gears, for example shifting from 3rd to 4th:
  • Should you kick up again to try to get 4th?
  • Kick down to go back to 3rd?
  • Hold in the clutch, pull over, kill the engine, and start over?

• Elusive real Neutral while at a stop. No bike is perfect, but what does our transmission expect?
  • Should you always shift down 3rd-2nd-1st when coming to a stop, then go to neutral?
  • Get down to 2nd, roll to the stop, go down to Neutral, wait out the stop, then go down to first for the takeoff?
  • How about coasting to a stop from 3rd or 4th, and then kicking down through the gears at the stop to find Neutral?

Never had any shifting issues previously, but after experiencing both above issues once each while out on a recent 500mi ride I'm questioning my techniques. (Bike is going to dealer next week for a std service, will have it checked)

-Stealth

[ttpete]

I'd start by bleeding the system, both at the slave cylinder and the master. Sounds like the clutch isn't releasing fully, and that can cause everything you describe.

[cts]

first of all, just KICK THE SHIFTER!! you have to mean it when you up shift!!
if you search the forum you can find a post i had written maybe 2 years ago about how you should set up your shifter so that it would minimize the chances you could get a false N... after i fixed the possition of mine i had a false N only 3-4 times and i was always to blame for not making a good gear change...

you can also set your oem shifter as reverse so that you can check if the false N you get are due to the fact that you dont change the gears as you should!In reverse its easy to just kick the shifter down, so if you push the shifter all the way down and you still get a false N, then i guess you have a problem, either big or small! ...i bet you wont get any though...

ttpete is right too...you should bleed the system both at the slave cylinder and the master...

[FlyingQ]

I know it's sounds too simple, but adjust the angle of the shift lever to better suit your foot/positioning. I was originally getting way too false neutrals 4-5 and 5-6, particularly while doing track days. A simple repositioning of the shift lever to better accommodate my boot worked wonders. Have not had any issues since.

[MinuteMan]

Originally Posted by cts

first of all, just KICK THE SHIFTER!! you have to mean it when you up shift!!
if you search the forum you can find a post i had written maybe 2 years ago about how you should set up your shifter so that it would minimize the chances you could get a false N... after i fixed the possition of mine i had a false N only 3-4 times and i was always to blame for not making a good gear change...

master...

False Nutreal when downshifting 3rd to 2nd gear...