Newbie Gear Shift Question

[Suney]

Hey guys
New guy here with a zxr250 and I have a few questions regarding gear change.
My gearbox is 1 N 2 3 4 5 6 like most bikes.
My question is that how come most of the time I can't get into neutral when downshifting? Does it skip it or something? I can only get into neutral when fully stop?
Also when shifting from 1st to 2nd, how come most of the time I only have tap up once to shift up which misses neutral? But just recently it goes from 1st to neutral to 2nd? I think I'm not tapping it up far enough?
Anyways if someone could explain the reasoning behind this it would be greatly appreciated. :wari:
Cheers!

[Oscar]

Hey guys
New guy here with a zxr250 and I have a few questions regarding gear change.
My gearbox is 1 N 2 3 4 5 6 like most bikes.
My question is that how come most of the time I can't get into neutral when downshifting? Does it skip it or something? I can only get into neutral when fully stop?
Also when shifting from 1st to 2nd, how come most of the time I only have tap up once to shift up which misses neutral? But just recently it goes from 1st to neutral to 2nd? I think I'm not tapping it up far enough?
Anyways if someone could explain the reasoning behind this it would be greatly appreciated. :wari:
Cheers!

Check your chain tension.
A sloppy chain can affect shifting...

[Coyote]

Is it normal for you to accidentally shift into neutral when trying to speed off from the lights or is that a problem?

Also at the track day, I came across neutral between 3rd and 4th and rev'd to bloody 22000rpm, is that a mistake of mine or a problem?

I tightened the chain after the track day

[Oscar]

Apart from oil or chain tension, I can't think of any outside influences on gearbox action. Some bikes do have a detente spring accessable from underneath, but I haven't seen one for 20 years.

Some bikes have shit gearboxes. My TDM has a Massey Ferguson gearbox, I'm sure - the thing goes into gear when cold with an audible clank, very offputting but they all do it. It gets better when it's warmed up.

[What?]

Is the gear shift lever attached directly to the shaft coming out of the gearbox, or is it on a pivot and connected to the box by a linkage?

If it has a linkage, remove the lever from the pivot, clean and grease, then re-assemble.

No linkage - could be your technique as far as up-shifts from 1 - 2 go, but may be a clutch drag problem (adjustment most likely) for down-shift issues.

[Suney]

I was just outside playing on the bike before and noticed when shifting from 1st to 2nd.
If I tap it halfway it goes into neutral and if i tap it all the way up it goes into 2nd.
This is the same when shifting down.
Is this normal?

[Biff]

I was just outside playing on the bike before and noticed when shifting from 1st to 2nd.
If I tap it halfway it goes into neutral and if i tap it all the way up it goes into 2nd.
This is the same when shifting down.
Is this normal?

Welcome Suney :spudwave:

That sounds pretty normal to me. A half shift between 1-2 and back down from 2-1 should land you in neutral. You're probably just getting used to the gear box. Just give it a gentle 'tap' on the way back down the box.

Enjoy :niceone:

[sedge]

Kwaks have a positive neutral finder mechanism in the box, this means that when you aren't moving you can hit neutral easily.

If your changes aren't positive you'll hit neutral on the 1-2 change.

On the other hand I found that when my old ZXR250 needed an oil change and chain tensioning the gear change would 'go off' a bit.

Sedge.

[TwoSeven]

It will normally skip neutral if the clutch cable is badly adjusted or the clutch is worn and its still engaged.

[Motu]

Maybe it's because you ''tap'' - keep your foot on the lever as you let the clutch out,then if it's not fully into gear it will when the clutch starts feeding in.Not finding neutral is pretty common - that's when you ''tap'' from 2nd to get neutral.

[FROSTY]

correct me if Im wrong here guys but dont those zxr250's have a device making it only possible to get neutral from first gear?
I know with mella yella its only possible from first.

[sedge]

correct me if Im wrong here guys but dont those zxr250's have a device making it only possible to get neutral from first gear?
I know with mella yella its only possible from first.

Pretty sure they do... Positive neutral finder...

If you tap down from 2nd you can hit neutral, but only when you are stopped, otherwise it drops to 1st.

Of course you can still hit false neutrals all over the place if you half arse the changes.

sedge.

[Wonko]

I only seem to be able to find neutral on the 1-2 movement, never the 2-1. I can find a false neutral there as well in either direction.

[cowpoos]

Apart from oil or chain tension, I can't think of any outside influences on gearbox action. Some bikes do have a detente spring accessable from underneath, but I haven't seen one for 20 years.

Some bikes have shit gearboxes. My TDM has a Massey Ferguson gearbox, I'm sure - the thing goes into gear when cold with an audible clank, very offputting but they all do it. It gets better when it's warmed up.



hey bro...I got masseys the got good dam gear boxs... :angry2:
go pick on kubota or belarus...

[DEATH_INC.]

correct me if Im wrong here guys but dont those zxr250's have a device making it only possible to get neutral from first gear?
I know with mella yella its only possible from first.
No,the 'positive neutral finder' is built into the gearshaft and stops the gearbox from engaging second unless your moving.....If you shift carefully you can get neutral from first or second.It's just much easier from first,especially when stopped.

[カワサキキド]

How many k's has I done?
It took me a while to get use to my gear box, and I was use to riding dirt bikes, some didn't even have a clutch.
For a smooth change up I need to be either on full throttle or gently cruising, nothing in between. Changing down the bike needs to be in motion, changing into first to fast is always interesting.And if I can't find neutral I move the bike a little.
If I very gently move the lever up from first when I'm moving I can find neutral, but I don't see why you would want to do this. At the lights I flick all the way down to first when I'm moving then into neutral when I've come to a stop.

[Suney]

I was just curious because its very different to what I'm use to (5speed manual of a car) :)
Thanks guys!

[Aaron]

I was just curious because its very different to what I'm use to (5speed manual of a car) :)
Thanks guys!

Yah, this caught me out too. Was a little frustrating because I'd need to fully stop, downshift to first then up to neutral at the lights. Being an unco newbie this sometimes left me late off the mark. I discovered the 1/2 tap quite by accident. Again my unco newbie gearshifting resulted in some fairly... slack gear changes, and it was after a few starts at the lights then upshifing into neutral that I finally clicked (bit slow I know).

Bike is now run in and so is my gear changing, positive movements result in no dodgy gear shifts and a light tap from first or second will find neutral comfortably.

Don't remember reading this 'trick' in the manual, but maybe it's SOP for bikes :confused:

[Hoon]

I can't change my ZXR400 into neutral while moving (well sometimes I can but it takes a few tries and you have to be VERY light on the lever). Also I have never gotten a false neutral changing from first to second and I clutchless shift 90% of the time too. Neither do I have false neutrals between other gears - if I don't click far enough it just spits it out of gear back into the next lowest gear so yeah must be that fandangled positronic neutered thingy.