False Neutral

[Bandit]

I've hit into false neutrals heaps on my bike (only been riding for about 2 weeks), it happens usually when I try and do a fast gear change. Last night my bike didn't even hit into false neutral and I got hear my gears griding away inside the drivechain , it scared the shit outta me cause my gear stick on flicking up and down until I clicked it back up

[bear]

Didn't hit any false neutrals for the last wee while until the weekend just been. Coming back from Castlepoint, and the bike decided neutral was a good idea, tried to flick it into a gear (up and down) while still rolling along. Every time I tried this a good rattle/grinding sound was produced.

Coasted to a stop, and then the bike was fine, gear selection as per normal, didn't have any other false neutrals for the rest of the ride back to Wellington.

Should you be able to flick it into a gear while still rolling (was able to do this another time it happened)? And is the rattle/grinding a bad sign?

[Rainbow Wizard]

I get "Can't find neutrals" ... Wanna put the stand down. Change into Neut..No not second... First... Neu - BUGGER! - Always. Any clues?

When stopped it seldom allows a direct neutral shift. I often click down whilst stationary and neutral doesn't show so I click up from 1st to get it and and almost inevitably get 2nd and unless I give it just a quick tap down it goes back into 1st again. It's a pain. So is the fact that usually when I cane it a bit it often drops out of second, that's a real piss-off!

Anybody got a quick-fix for that one?

[T.I.E]

i only find false neturals changing up gears, the foot gets too lazy. but never changing down. and usually when i'm acclerating. what a noise revving engine. ouch

[MSTRS:Me]

False neutral is not the problem it used to be on the jappers of the 70's. Still happens occassionally (once in 9500ks on the GSXR) - nature of the beast in a m/c g/box? I usually don't use clutch on up changes - can feel things more positively.

[bear]

i only find false neturals changing up gears, the foot gets too lazy. but never changing down. and usually when i'm acclerating. what a noise revving engine. ouch

Mine have all been on the downshift.

[Ixion]

I don't get false neutrals - I get "Can't find neutrals" ... Ride the bike for a while and change down coming to a stop. Wanna put the stand down. Change into Neut..No not second... First... Neu - BUGGER! - Always - So now I just kill the darn thing in first. Pop it into Neutral then.... ANy clues?

Inevitable (almost) characteristic of the wet clutch used on most motorcycles. The oil causes a bit of drag, so even with the clutch disengaged the gear shafts will still want to turn . Since the rear wheel is stationary this causes a load on the side of the gear dogs. Hence , hard to disengage the dogs

If you have a separate chaincase like the old Brit bikes you can experiment with different viscosity oils . Never did all that much though for me but some people swore by it. Real troublesome ones you can dismantle the box and grind a wee relief on the dog faces. If you know what you're doing,

Easiest solution is just to flick it into neutral a yard or so before you come to a halt. Time it right so that it's just on the edge of the overrun. Then give the bike a wee push forward when you engage gear to move off, to stop the clonk.

Now, if you want a *REAL* PITA gearbox, take a look at that pile of industrial revolution era scrap iron that Mr BMW borrowed off a 1920 Foden and put on his otherwise quite nice bikes. No problems at all getting in and out of neutral. Getting in or out of gears,any gears, is another matter entirely. The worst gearbox ever put on any bike I had a 1923 James witha hand gear change that was a better box . How such a monstrosity can be considered acceptable rant rant rant Anyway, you may have guessed that I don't see eye to eye with German gearbox designers !