Problems shifting into neutral

[Merc110]

While i'm riding I have no problems shifting gears, but when I'm done and want to put it in neutral it is very difficult. Do you think my clutch cable may need adjusting or the foot shifter itself? thanks for any info!

[BockinBboy]

http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=61429.0
http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=61338.msg710487#msg710487

The thread(s) above talks about a similar issue.  If its really bad, even with a little bit of a roll when you try to shift to neutral, you may need to adjust your clutch.  Type of oil you use can play into it as well.

- Bboy

Edit: Added another related thread link

[merlinq21]

While i'm riding I have no problems shifting gears, but when I'm done and want to put it in neutral it is very difficult. Do you think my clutch cable may need adjusting or the foot shifter itself? thanks for any info!

You have overfilled the engine oil crank case. I did the same. I took about 150 ml out of the crank case, rode the bike for a short while. Stopped the bike, let it cool and rode it again and the issue is gone.

Check your oil level!

[Merc110]

Hmm didn't even think of that, I'll def check it out..thanks!

[xboxer]

i have an 04 and an 06 and both have similar issues either getting into nuetral or out of it...  one has brand new clutch other bike only has 1200 miles on it any idea if this is just a very common issue with these or is there more than too much oil or bump bike

[crobwolfpack]

Probably the oil level, also I wouldn't use full synthetic oil.  I've heard some nasty things about how it treats clutch plates

[adidasguy]

#5217

You aren't telling us what you're doing when trying to go into neutral. My guess is you're in 5th or 6th and stopped.

It is near impossible to go into neutral from 3-6 gears if you are stopped. Its just the way constant mesh motorcycle transmissions work. Hard to change gears when you are stopped because half of the gears are not turning (sprocket/wheel side of gears) The gears slide left & right to mesh for each gear and when one side is not turning, they can't mesh and hit the sides of each other.

It should be 98% of the time easy to go from 1st or 2nd to neutral when stopped.

You should down shift as you slow down so you are in 1st gear when you stop.

Always stop and park the bike in 1st gear. That is your only parking brake.

[slipperymongoose]

I had this problem turned out to be the oil, you'd never think that this would be a problem but yeah

[salamander]

My son's bike may be having the same problem -- it's definitely hard to get into neutral, even from 1st or 2nd gear.

I also noticed the other day that there was oil under the neutral switch.  Is this part of the problem with overfilling, or is oil in there normal?

Can you use the dipstick to determine whether this might be an overfilling problem -- ie, is the upper end of the 'safe' range on the stick really safe as far as the shifting into neutral goes?

[mister]

Oil under the neutral switch?

Please explain.

Do you mean gear selector? You know, the thing you click up with your toe?

If so, not necessarily oil but excess chain lube coming down from front sprocket area.

To check your oil.... keep bike level, unscrew cap, wipe dispstick clean, gently place back on threads withOUT screwing in, take back out and read level.

Right at top mark is probably a tad too high. Just below top mark is ideal.

Most clunky gear change problems are caused by the type of oil you are using.

I started with Motul 1000 in my bike. Had hard time with neutral, clunky changes, false neutrals. I switched to Motul 3000 and there was an improvement. Went to Motul 5100 and there was more improvement. Went to Motul 300V and everything was smooth as. No clunks, false neutrals, tough neutrals. I'm now using Mobile Racing 4t and changes are so smooth I hardly feel them. No false neutrals, no hard neutrals, I can even push the bike around in gear with clutch pulled in on a cold engine. No clutch slippage. Love this stuff. Expensive as, but good.

Michael

[salamander]

Mister, not the gear selector, but in the same area.  The switch where I've seen oil is the one that detects when the bike is in neutral, and is part of the electrical circuits that light up the neutral light and allow the sidestand relay to close even with the sidestand down.  It's located under the same side cover that the gear selector goes through, bolted to the engine behind the front sprocket.

My son and I were trying to figure out why his neutral light wouldn't come on and went after the switch as a possibility.  There's an o-ring between the switch and the engine body, and when we took the switch off, there was a fair amount of liquid oil inside -- not the thick gunk like around the front sprocket area.  My guess is that the oil is coming in at the spring-loaded stud that moves when you shift gears, but I don't know whether that's normal.

I'll check the oil level, but we haven't had the bike that long and I don't know what kind of oil is in it right now.  I'll definitely look into your suggestions for oil at the next change (which may be real soon if the oil level doesn't seem to be the problem).  Thanks.

[knowles]

I would just do a oil change now so you can rule that out. it a farly cheap option.

[mister]

I would just do a oil change now so you can rule that out. it a farly cheap option.

This^^^^^^

First thing to do when acquiring any bike that is new-to-you is, change the oil and filter. This way you know for certain it has been done - and - what has been put in it.

If you do this yourself, be very careful of the filter cover nuts. Less power tightening them is better, lest you break something.

Michael

[salamander]

I'm going to change the oil out today -- hopefully I can find a filter locally.

When I checked the oil level, I noticed a strong gas smell.  After looking through some other threads, it looks like one of the more common reasons is overflow out of the carb bowls.  When I had the carbs out for cleaning, almost all of the o-rings were bad, including the ones on the needle valve seat.  I'm guessing (and hoping) that this let gas into the oil sump before the carb cleaning, and that all will be okay now.

I need to check the mixture on the carburetor, but will probably start a separate thread for that -- I really not sure how to go about that, even after reading through some of the how-to's.

Thanks.

[salamander]

Took a while to track down an oil filter locally, but finally found one, and got the oil/filter changed out earlier today.  Refilled to about half-way between LOW and FULL on the dipstick, and after idling the bike for a few minutes, getting the bike in neutral was much easier (it was next to impossible before), and even easier after running the bike around the neighborhood a couple of times.

We're going to keep an eye on the oil level and smell, but I'm hoping the gas-in-oil problem got fixxed with the carb repair.

Thanks for the suggestions -- one less thing to wory about as we try to get this bike going right.

[wes2001gs]

i have the same problem. just checed the oil its a bit over full. I going to take some oil out tomorrow before i ride. Thanks for the tip.

[slipperymongoose]

 

[Suzuki Stevo]

I wonder how many people check their oil while the the bike is on the side stand? 

[wes2001gs]

 

[slipperymongoose]

I wonder how many people check their oil while the the bike is on the side stand?

I know I did till I was shown, would have been a nice touch for Suzuki to have it so you can check on the side stand