Cannot select Neutral when Hot???

[Old man]

Hi All,

Bike is 4mths old @ 10,000kms has just had oil change, (it up for a service at 12,000 about 3-4 weeeks from now) Neutral can be selected easily when the engine is cool, but after running hot for a while it is impossible to select neutral, (when riding in town at peak hour you are constantly on the clutch, and at lights popping it into neutral gives the hand a rest) I can select neutral if i anticipate and select while the bike is still moving, once stopped its a no go!

What gives???

Old Man.

[dubkeith]

Most likely your clutch cable is stretched out of adjustment or, clutch is worn enough to cause a stick (doubtful at 10k). Try reving the bike up to 5g or so and try to shift into neutral then. This is not a remedy, just a way to tell if the clutch is sticking.

Try adjusting your cable out a bit to see if it helps but not so much that the clutch slips at higher rpm. Drop the clutch in third gear or so to see if it grabs. Don't drop it in first or second and make sure your not in a turn and on clean pavement. Not that i think i have to tell you this, just incase.

Hope this helps.

[rob1bike]

With the bike in neutral, press the shifter down while moving the bike foward or back, like 6" to a foot. Should drop right in. Mine does this some times. My kz 750 does the same thing.

[s4gs]

4 months old @ 10,000kms... Where have you riden to... Perth?? That's a hell of a lot of k's in 4 months.

Do as rob said. Move it back or forward a bit & it'll pop right in. Mine use to do this ALL the time when new. Not so bad now at 6500kms. Would have thought at 10,000 she'd be fine.

[Gisser]

Old Man, the most likely reason you're having trouble shifting into neutral at a stop is clutch drag.  A dragging clutch loads the transmission and the resulting friction can make the half-shift into neutral a bit sticky.  Make sure you adjust for minimum freeplay in the clutch cable, that way when you pull the lever to the grip you'll have full clutch release.  Synthetic oil can also help here. 

Rolling the bike backwards of forwards is a solution for a different problem.

[GeeP]

Don't shift to neutral at a stop!   

You should be in first, left foot down, right on the rear brake, hand on the throttle and looking around like you just broke out of jail.  The possibility exists that the guy behind you won't stop.  Be especially careful if you're the only thing at a light.  Motorcycles present a very small profile from behind.

Always watch your mirrors and look around for exit routes.  I usually stop pointed off to the right in the right tire track.  If things go south behind me I can head for the ditch, or split between the rows of cars to the head of the line. 

Those little rubber hand balls are good for helping your grip.  Squeeze one of those while reading or watching TV a few hours a day.  Gradually go to stiffer and stiffer balls.   

[gsJack]

Check the oil level, is it a bit overful?  I've had this happen several times, with the oil a little over the full mark it just jumps back and forth right past neutral when hot.  OK cold.  It shifts normal again when the oil level drops below the mark.

It came up here before and others reported the same problem.  Yes, I know the oil being overful can't cause this, but it does.  

Old man?  My kids are older than you.

[zOU]

easy: too much oil

Drain some and you'll be ok.

[ixolas]

I'm going to have to go with rob on this one.. when I first got my bike I had a hard time getting into N when stopped until one day I accidentally rolled forward maybe 3 inches then it popped right in.  Since then anytime I can't get it into N i just roll it a tiny bit forward and it goes right in.

[rob1bike]

I misread the post, he's have'n trouble skipn over neutral, from second to first...sorry, I'll shut it!

[Gisser]

I'm going to have to go with rob on this one.. when I first got my bike I had a hard time getting into N when stopped until one day I accidentally rolled forward maybe 3 inches then it popped right in. 

This works when the motor is off because the trans can get bound up between the clutch and the rear wheel.  In this case, moving the wheel can unload the gears enough to shift easily.  I think GSJack was on the mark given all the provided info (overfilled crankcase creates more drag on the clutch at idle).   

[s4gs]

Well... seems its to much oil or you just need to roll the bike forward a bit.
Let us know which one works.

[ducati_nolan]

I've had this happen right after an oil change, but after a couple hundred miles on the oil, it got better 

[Old man]

Hi all, Thanks for the input, i tried rolling back and forth...no go, i checked the oil level.... all good, i swore at it a lot ....made me feel better but did'nt fix much, then i adjusted the clutch cable....me gear slipped in and me little green light came on!! cheers Gisser. Should have checked that first....

Cheers, old man.

Ps: GsJack, i hope i am still riding when i am as young as you! I picked up my 'oi, old man' from my son...now its stuck!

[zeda3000]

Ok the reason is so sample . "OIL" some oil not so match to GS500 like Valvoline and you had this problem. Use Castrol GPS and see the difference. I had same problem until Castol GPS. now all ok.

[NateDogg]

Hmmmmm....

Old man, I am having the same problem.  My gs500 will NOT go into neutral while warm.  When cold it goes in fine, but as soon as it warms up... no dice.  I've tried adjusting the clutch cable but to no avail.  Any ideas??? My bike has 6500k on it so it's still really new.

[Old man]

Old man, I am having the same problem.  My gs500 will NOT go into neutral while warm.  When cold it goes in fine, but as soon as it warms up... no dice.  I've tried adjusting the clutch cable but to no avail.  Any ideas??? My bike has 6500k on it so it's still really new.

Apart from the great advice in these posts i have nothing. Since i adjusted the Clutch cable its all been good.

Old Man