OK .. so ... I cant' find neutral !?!

[cyclin-scott]

Here' s the deal ... When riding everything is great. The bike runs great, handles great, ... great great great. EXCEPT, when I pull into the drive and get ready to stop, I can't find neutral. I know it's suppsed to be btwn 1 & 2, but it's not there! Am Imissing something?

Thanks, Scott

[ajgs500]

This is another one of those "it just takes practice" things.  Put the bike on the centerstand and practice shifting from 1st to N to 2nd and back down again over and over and over again!!!!! 

[budget speed demon]

also keep in mind that it can be harder to put the bike into neutral when its not running.

[scratch]

With the bike off, push down on the gearshift and put it in gear, then push the bike forward (or backward) until you feel resistance.  Back off a little bit, and gently nudge the gearshift up into neutral.  Check to make sure you're in neutral by rolling the bike forward or backwards; if you feel resistance it's in second.  Practice that a bit, and then try it from second gear, gently pressing down.  Then after a good long ride, check your oil level, sometimes a low oil level will give you these symptoms.  Check your oil weekly to prevent this.

Your light could be burnt out, in which case, you must feel for the neutral (Use the Force, Luke...).

[mike_mike]

I'd say its a feel thing, and takes practice!

As as soon as you find it, you're going to wish you never found it when you're reving in neutral instead of going into gear at the stop light 

[cyclin-scott]

I'm not worried about being in N at a light ...

The only thing that I'm really puzzled about is that when I shut the bike off, all it takes is one "click" and it's there. What's that about!?! The indicator isn't burnt out, b/c it comes on, when it's in N, when the key is on. But when riding, or after I'm done riding, I can sit in the drive way for 10mins and I'd never find it. I just end up shutting down and placing it in N then.

Does that sound different from what you guys were already thinking?

Thanks again for your help...

[annguyen1981]

also keep in mind that it can be harder to put the bike into neutral when its not running.

I actually don't have trouble finding neutral when engine is off...  I also don't have trouble finding neutral when actually moving.

[scratch]

Roll the bike forward or backwards a little.  That always helps.

[cyclin-scott]

Roll the bike forward or backwards a little.  That always helps.

I don't think that I'm being very clear ... once I start the bike and it warms up, I place it in gear, go ride ... after that the bike will not (or I can't get it) back in N unless I cut the bike off and then place it in N.

I don't shift into N while sitting at lights, but rather when I pull up the gate on post and need to show my ID. It really wouldn't be very helpful to have to help my hand on the clutch.

Anyone have any ideas .... in addition to the possible low oil level?

[budget speed demon]

are you running stock clutch plates? if your useing an aftermarket clutch, such as Barnette(sp?) the plates are actually thicker than the stock ones whitch can make it harder to find N while the bike is running. 

[ukchickenlover]

Check clutch lever free play. This is the when you first pull in the clutch it will feel loose then tension. The loose part is the free play and can be adjusted at the handle and at were the clutch cable enters the engine. It tells you how in the haynes manual.
If this does not help try releasing the clutch very slightly and then pulling it back in. This can help to lign up the gears better.

[Destro]

Roll the bike forward or backwards a little.  That always helps.

What scratch says is correct, the probelm is the clutch plates aren't meshed up quite right and don't want to move when stopped.  The problem is this is an issue from an eliminator 125 to the Hayabusa, check any forum and you will find a post just like this.  Probably when you shut the bike off you let off the clutch, which allows them to move a bit and line up correctly and then it slips right into N, since you are relaxed and not worrying about crashing.  So let out the clutch a little til you feel resistance, pull it back in and shift to N or move it around a bit and accomplish the same thing.

The other option is to jump up and down on the gear shift and let the whole world revel in your newbness!! 

[ASIA 1]

Maybe check motor oil is over limited

[LPC2104]

I'm a total noobie and had the same problem.  I found that 9 times out of ten, I was pressing to hard and skip neutral.  Try to just tap it if you're going into neutral.  The 1 out of 10 times that doesn't work, I roll it forward and back a little like scratch said.

[scratch]

This is not related to your problem, but it is related to the gearbox and clutch.

Here's another test: with the bike off, put the bike in gear and roll it forward until it stops.  Now try to get it out of gear.  If you can't get it out of gear, that's good, that means the engagement dogs have positive engagement, and this means that the gears wont disengage while you're riding (which is good).  This also means that pressure is being exerted on the gear dogs, and with resistance being provided by the clutch, the gears can't just slip out.  You need to back off a little to get rid of the pressure/friction.  If the clutch is out of adjustment, it's providing resistance.  Now, why can you still shift 1st to 2nd?  I don't know, I'm not an engineer, I only know what I know.

[RVertigo]

I have trouble from time to time... My foot gets too excited.

Do a slow half-shift to go from 1st to N....  And do a light tap to go from 2nd to N...

[3imo]

easy fix.  let the clutch out a bit while trying to get into N.
-----

works everytime. sometimes. 

I had this issue and it was fixed by reading the troubleshooting guide of the clymers book. 
adjusting the clutch-play should do it.

unless as DESTRO said, it's the clutch plate.  I'd check the clutch play first.

[natedawg120]

neutral is just really really easy to miss.  Once my bike has warmed up a bit I miss neutral all the time if i try to get there.  Mainly because, as stated by RVertigo, my foot gets to excited.  I am used to firm shifts and to get into neutral you don't need a firm shift, you need the exact opposite a slight bump up from firts to neutral.  Myself, constiously thinking about it, i can still miss neutral.  I think if you just practice and possibly use the force, you can find neutral .  Good luck